Kathy Chambless

The meeting commenced with an invocation and the pledge of allegiance. Key agenda items included the approval of minutes from the February 3rd regular meeting and the approval of the current meeting's agenda. The Council approved an event permit for the annual Briars Bluegrass and Barbecue event scheduled for April 4th, which required street blockage for setup and operation. The Council also received a report and awarded the dual wall polyethylene contract to J&G Culver's as the lowest responsible bidder. Resolutions were adopted to dispose of surplus personal property, including used vehicles, equipment, and furniture, by auction in March. Furthermore, Budget Amendment 2025/2026-07 was unanimously approved to fund a citywide IT assessment, purchase electric bicycles for the police department, and allocate discretionary funds for the welcome center. Two resolutions were adopted authorizing Mayor Gates to enter into agreements: one for a systems and network security vulnerability assessment, and another to contract with Advan Research for local data and analytics to aid in developer relations and retail recruitment. Finally, Council Member Smith was authorized as the voting delegate, with Mayor Gates as the alternative, for the Alabama League of Municipalities convention. The Council also adopted an ordinance levying ad valorem taxes without increasing current rates, conducted a public hearing to rezone a parcel to a B4 I22 business corridor zoning district, and received updates from the Mayor regarding the passing of a maintenance worker.

The meeting commenced with an invocation and pledge. Key discussions included the consideration of amendments to the agenda, which involved the mayor discussing street matters. The council recognized and introduced members of the recently formed homelessness response steering committee. They also considered approval for an 'Art in the Park' event permit scheduled for May 9th. Furthermore, the council addressed the request for temporary closure of 19th Street East for HVAC unit installation related to the lavish building's grand opening. Actions were taken regarding the adoption of a resolution to create something exciting for students to give them a voice and keep them engaged in the community, and authorization was sought for annual responsibilities concerning roads. The council adopted a resolution for monitoring wells at the landfill, which was noted as a favorable outcome. A budget amendment, totaling $160,000, was discussed and unanimously approved following a suspension of the rules for immediate consideration. There was an introduction of an ordinance regarding a parcel, and comments from the council highlighted gratitude towards the homeless response steering committee and urged community participation in an ongoing community survey to gather representative feedback for the strategic plan. An events calendar on the city website was also announced as a new tool for community alignment.

Key discussion items for the meeting include considering amendments to the agenda, approving an event permit for Briars, Bluegrass, and BBQ requested by The Cigar Box requiring a street blockage, and receiving a report and recommendation for the dual wall polyethylene contract. The council will also consider the adoption of a resolution to dispose of personal property, and Budget Amendment #2025/2026-07 to fund an IT systems assessment, purchase electric bicycles for the Police Department, an Advan Research REI platform, and discretionary funds for the Welcome Center. Further items involve authorizing agreements with General Informatics for network/server assessment and with Advan Research for data services, authorizing a voting delegate for the Alabama League of Municipalities' Annual Business Meeting, and considering the adoption of an ordinance levying ad valorem taxes. A public hearing is scheduled to consider rezoning a 6.06-acre parcel off Whitehouse Rd from MR to B-4 Zoning District.

The meeting commenced with prayer and the pledge of allegiance. Key agenda items included the approval of the minutes from the December 16, 2025, meeting. The Council considered and approved a proclamation designating January 2026 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month, featuring remarks from a representative of the District Attorney's office regarding the severity and community response needed for human trafficking issues. Two recent additions to the Jasper Police Department, Trevor Hudson and Stephen Haynes, were recognized. The Council approved seeking bids for dual wall polyethylene pipe and approved entering into an agreement with Labella and Associates to conduct an updated survey of the landfill to define perimeters for a potential new cell. A resolution was adopted authorizing the City Attorney to request an opinion from the State Attorney General regarding an employee matter. An ordinance was introduced to rezone a parcel from R2 to R3 to allow for the placement of a manufactured housing unit, which will proceed to a public hearing next meeting. The Mayor provided updates on ongoing efforts concerning the homeless issue, expansion of outdoor recreation offerings, and development of a multi-year strategic plan and a community calendar to showcase local events.

The primary discussion involved a request from the City of Jasper to rezone a newly annexed parcel from a temporary MR zone to a permanent B-4 zone. This parcel is part of a recorded subdivision, but a new parcel number is pending assignment. The commission discussed an unnamed road along the parcel's edge, where developers agreed to construct the road to city requirements to facilitate potential future municipal maintenance acceptance. The meeting also included a discussion regarding recent resignations from the Planning Commission and the status of filling those vacancies.