Upcoming Budget Hearing Schedule

City Hall, 2nd Floor, South Conference Room

Thursday, September 11

5:00–7:30pm

Departmental budgets for Public Works/Parks, Courts, and Traffic

Thursday, September 18

5:00–7:30pm

Departmental budgets for IT and Fleet

Wednesday, September 24

5:00–7:30pm

Departmental budgets for Admin/City Manager and Finance

Thursday, September 25

5:00–7:30pm

Revenues and General Fund (items not covered in departments), additional funds, and employee funding matters (COLA, bonuses, insurance, etc.)

Monday, September 29 (if needed)

4:00pm

Hearing to address any loose ends before budget approval at the council meeting that night

Library Director Judith Wright presented a wide range of capital requests, noting the progress made through recent renovations. Technology requests included a new security camera system with a stronger server, replacement of public lab computers with cost-saving Chromeboxes. Building needs focused on adding a lactation pod in the children’s department, ADA-compliant courtyard doors, an additional AC unit, and ongoing meeting room renovations. Other projects included outdoor improvements like accessible picnic tables, benches, and bike racks. The final phase of renovations will complete the children’s department, upgrade restrooms (some dating to the 1970s), and update signage and administrative spaces. In addition, the library asked to make its part-time administrative assistant a full-time role starting in January, to better manage grant records and pursue more funding.

Inspection & Permits Director Wyatt Pugh told the committee that the budget would remain mostly steady, with the only real change being contractual services. Several line items were consolidated, including payments for the online citizen access portal, totaling about $55,000 annually. This upgrade will allow contractors to handle business licenses online, creating a one-stop shop and reducing staff workload. Demolition costs of $330,000 were added for abandoned properties, plus funds for any potential tearing down of condemned single-family homes. Officials noted liens will recoup costs from property owners.

City Engineer Cale Smith presented his budget, starting with adding a senior civil engineer for workload and succession planning, funding for the comprehensive plan, library phase 4, Highway 31 tunnel work (to be completed summer '26), stormwater and creek wall fixes, new sidewalks and ADA ramps, Edgewood crosswalk changes, City Hall workspace upgrades, and planning/design for Public Works and an additional Fire Station. The city is also planning to install four pickleball courts near the mega field. Lighting will be handled as a possible add-on to reduce expenses. The conversation wrapped up by projecting five years of capital needs, including fire station construction, senior center renovations, creek wall stabilization, and even exploring a shared indoor gun range with nearby cities.

Watch the video to see all the details presented.

Homewood’s Finance Committee kicked off its 2025–26 budget hearings with City Manager Glen Adams saying the city’s finances are solid and the budget plan being presented is affordable. He highlighted that this year’s process has been more collaborative, giving council members a bigger role up front, and that the budget grows to cover major projects while still protecting reserves and fully funding departments.

Fire Chief Brandon Broadhead, told council members that things stay steady, no new full-time positions, but two part-time inspectors are being added, including the retired fire marshal. Ambulance service is performing better, staff levels are full, and new systems will keep tighter tabs on medication, radios, and traffic-signal preemption. Big-ticket items include a new engine arriving in October, a request for a mini-pumper for steep driveways, a $2.8 million ladder truck planned for 2029, several station repairs and upgrades, new vehicles, and early design work for a new Station 2, with long-term talk of a future Station 4.

Police Chief Tim Ross provided the budget presentation asking for three new officers, two to launch a bicycle patrol on the Lakeshore Greenway and one school resource officer largely funded by the school board, plus two new corrections officers and three part-time parking enforcement staff. They are also asked $91,000 for license plate reader software to manage parking permits and enforcement. On the capital side, their request tops $2 million, covering technology and security upgrades, tactical gear, new weapons, 12 replacement vehicles, and two e-bikes, with school costs mostly covered by the board.

Watch the video to see all the details presented.