Council duties re-assigned, governance conclusion presented
Tim Holcombe, District 1 City Councilman, is the new president of Madison City Council. (CONTRIBUTED)
MADISON – Madison City Council elected a new president and accepted their annual ‘reorganization’ of intra-city duties on Nov. 9.
Tim Holcombe was elected unanimously as council president. Holcombe presented a plaque of appreciation to outgoing president Tommy Overcash, who now will serve as president pro tempore.
Holcombe also will be liaison to Madison Street Festival and Madison Arts Council, human resources committee member and report on revenue department and city clerk.
Overcash’s other duties include serving on boards of directors of North Alabama Gas District and Madison Public Library and as human resources committee member. Overcash will report on fire and human resources departments.
Finance subcommittee members are chairman Steve Smith, D. J. Klein and Ronica Ondocsin.
Smith will be liaison/ex-officio member to Madison Visionary Partners and recreation department advisory board. He will report on the recreation and finance departments.
Klein’s assignments include liaison to Madison Chamber of Commerce and Madison Station Historic Preservation Society and will report on IT and police departments.
Ondocsin will chair human resources committee and be liaison to Madison Board of Education, legal counsel and planning and economic development.
Mike Potter will serve on planning commission, Madison Senior Center Advisory Board and Industrial Development Board. He will report on public works and engineering departments.
Gerald Clark will serve on cemetery committee, Madison City Disability Advocacy Board, Madison Tree and Beautification Board and Madison Utilities board. He will report on building concerns and city court.
In other business, Amy Sturdivant, director of planning and development, presented “Excursions,” fifth edition, that Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau publishes. The tourism book is placed in thousands of local hotel rooms.
Council accepted an appropriation of $2,500 from Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong for use by Madison Parks and Recreation Department to buy and maintain equipment for tennis facilities.
John Allen, chairman of Madison Governance Committee 2025, presented the group’s 16-page document with conclusions for municipal structure in Madison. The committee’s recommendation is for Madison to adopt a city manager-mayor-council form of government.
Speaking to council, governance committee member Bob Drolet said he disagrees with findings that Allen presented. Drolet feels the conclusions do not point out the possible negative effects in changing to city manager-mayor-council, and the assessment was focused on positive repercussions.
Allen had a consensus of most committee members but not all, Drolet said.
Holcombe scheduled a work session for a full report from the governance committee on Nov. 17 at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers. The public can comment and ask questions at this session.
