2027 Budget - Where Does the Money Come From? The City Council will begin reviewing the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget on Tuesday, September 8. The hearings will give the Council an opportunity to examine the proposal fund by fund, make adjustments and determine the City’s priorities before considering the final budget, Monday, September 28. During this first budget hearing, the City Manager will present updates to the overall budget and discuss revenue available to support it. One important source is sales tax. Broken down, that sales tax looks like this: Four cents go to the State of Alabama. Two cents go to Jefferson County. Four cents go to the City of Homewood, and then within that: One penny is dedicated to the Homewood Board of Education. One-quarter penny supports capital projects. The remaining City sales-tax revenue supports other City needs. In the proposed budget, each penny is expected to generate approximately $11.57 million. That estimate matters. If sales tax collections are higher or lower than expected, it can affect how much the City can spend. The Council will consider City’s estimated revenues, how much money should be kept in reserve and what level of spending can be sustained long term. The presented General Fund is approximately $77.9 million, but that number will change based on information gathered since the presentation on August 10th. The Council will also make changes throughout the hearing process. The proposed budget was prepared under Homewood’s new council-manager form of government. Under the new process, the City Manager develops and presents a proposed budget, and the City Council reviews, revises and ultimately adopts the final spending plan. All budget hearings are open to the public and will be live streamed and recorded. Additional hearings are scheduled for September 15, 17 and 21, with September 24 reserved for a final hearing if needed. The Council plans to consider adoption of the FY27 budget on Monday, September 28. Fiscal Year 2027 begins October 1. All figures remain proposed and are subject to change until the City Council adopts the final budget. Complete Budget Hearing Schedule

Please join us in welcoming Aspen Collins as Homewood’s new Finance Director. Aspen brings more than 20 years of local government experience to the City. She most recently served Mobile County as Deputy Finance Director and Deputy County Administrator. She has also served as Finance Director for the Tuscaloosa and Bessemer housing authorities, along with roles as Finance Director and City Manager in two Nashville suburbs. We are glad to have Aspen bring that experience to Homewood and look forward to the work ahead.

Pre-Council Meeting - AUGUST 24, 2026

Have you ever parked in one of the two compact parking spaces beside Patriot Park near the playground? The City Council recently approved a new city-wide definition of what size vehicle can park in those and other compact designated spaces. What are the requirements? A "compact vehicle" must be small enough to fit completely inside the marked parking space when properly positioned. No part of the vehicle can extend beyond the outside edges of the lines. When larger SUVs or trucks park in those end spaces, they can block the view of children crossing the street to and from Patriot Park and nearby businesses. Keeping those available for smaller vehicles will help keeps our kids safe! Read the Ordinance HERE

You can't climb on him anymore... but beginning Monday, August 17 , you can lean on him to help you navigate information from across the City. Who are we talking about? Our new website chatbot, Bugsy! This little guy will help you find information, get answers to your questions, and connect with the services you need quickly and easily. Bugsy will be available 24/7, and can speak more than 70 languages. We're one of the first cities in Alabama to launch this specific type of tool, and we hope Bugsy, in his new role, continues to be a helpful part of our community for many years to come. About Citibot The City of Homewood is partnering with Citibot , a leader in AI-powered communication solutions for local governments, to provide this great resource. Based in Charleston, SC, Citibot LLC was founded in 2016 with the mission of making government services accessible to all. Citibot CEO Bratton Riley was inspired by the power of conversational chatbots to help governments become more accessible and accountable. “Expectations for quality customer service are always rising,” said Riley. “Cities and counties like Homewood are leading the way, implementing technology that enhances efficiency and improves access to essential information and services.” Citibot provides AI-powered chatbot solutions that enhance communication between residents and local governments. Using smart text messaging and web chat, Citibot enables residents to quickly get answers, report issues, contact staff, and receive real-time alerts. Learn more at http://citibot.io .

Scroll down to "Gift Designation" Choose "Park at Buckingham" in that drop-down

As we enter the 2027 budget cycle season , we wanted to provide a glimpse of one of the most important services we maintain for you the taxpayer. When you see a police car driving through your neighborhood, a fire truck responding to an emergency, or a Public Works crew working in your area, you probably don't think much about what keeps those vehicles running day after day. But behind every one of them is a team whose job is to make sure your investment lasts as long as possible. Homewood's Fleet Maintenance Division doesn't just repair broken vehicles. Their focus is making smart decisions that keep hundreds of pieces of equipment safe, reliable and in service for years while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars. "We look at it differently now, especially in today’s economic environment," said Fleet Director Blake Graves. "With the rising cost of everything, we look at where we can save money and still make the necessary repairs. We don't cut corners. Safety is always our number one priority." The fleet team maintains police vehicles, fire trucks, administrative vehicles, standby generators for critical city buildings, tractors, mowers, heavy equipment, roll off trucks and more. They even help fabricate equipment, repair gates and assist other departments whenever a need arises. Homewood is implementing a long term fleet replacement strategy that helps determine when vehicles should be repaired, when they should remain in service and when replacing them provides the best value. A patrol car, for example, experiences far more wear than others. Many operate ten hour shifts, and accelerate or brake drastically, and repeatedly, throughout the day. Fire trucks typically serve on the front line for ten years before moving into reserve service for another decade or more. Maintaining this wide variety of life expectancy is very challenging as parts, fuel and equipment costs continue to rise, stretching every dollar while ensuring police officers, firefighters and city employees are safe and have dependable equipment when they need it most. Homewood's fleet maintenance staff brings decades of combined experience, with expertise ranging from antique vehicles and heavy equipment to fire trucks, tractors, boats and small engines. Just as importantly, experienced technicians invest in training the next generation, passing along knowledge to the younger techs. It's a culture built on craftsmanship and a commitment to doing the job right. For Blake, the best part of the job is the people we have working in our City. "Not just in our shop, but in all the departments,” he said. “When something happens, everybody comes together. We respect each other's jobs, we help each other out to reach a common goal.” That spirit of teamwork provides residents with the high level of professionalism and service they expect every day.

Homewood is in its first year operating under a council-manager form of government , marking an important transition in planning and managing its finances. Rather than focusing on short-term, reactive decisions, City leadership is emphasizing strategic priorities, responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. and long-term financial sustainability. Monday, August 10 , City Manager Cale Smith presented the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget to the City Council, beginning a public review process that will continue until adoption at the end of September. These meetings will be live-streamed and recorded. Budget Timeline August 10: City Manager Cale Smith presented the proposed FY2027 budget. Learn More September 8: Budget hearing (Time TBD) Overall Budget & Revenue Where Does the Money Come From for the City Budget? September 15: Budget hearing (Time TBD) September 17: Budget hearing (Time TBD) September 21: Budget hearing (Time TBD) September 24: Budget hearing ( *If Needed - Time TBD) September 28: Planned budget adoption by the City Council - 6pm

Pre-Council Meeting - AUGUST 10, 2026