Council discusses city, school growth at meeting
MADISON — Madison City Council focused on the continued growth of the city and schools during its Aug. 27 meeting.
Dr. Robby Parker, superintendent of Madison City Schools, addressed the council on this year’s influx of new students in the school system, explaining how the school board is handling the 374-student increase.
“We know they’re coming, and they continue to come every year,” Parker said. “Twenty years ago we started with 5,000 and today we’re 11,212 kids, so we’re growing every year.”
Parker noted that the board is “more diligent now than we’ve ever been” on verifying that students’ residences are within the school boundaries. He also mentioned the rezoning to relieve Mill Creek Elementary School, the fastest growing school in recent years. Parker said this year’s kindergarten class at Mill Creek grew by almost 70 students, resulting in an increase from six to 10 kindergarten teachers.
Parker said a large portion of the growth is coming from new development in Limestone County.
A 20th anniversary celebration of Madison City Schools will be held at James Clemens High School Sept. 18 at 6 p.m., and Parker said it will be open to the public. Elementary, middle and high schools will have a chance to showcase some of their programs before Parker will address attendees concerning his strategic plan for the next five years beginning at 7 p.m.
All items on the council’s consent agenda and finance committee report were approved. Some of these expenses included payments for trainings, road repairs, inspecting for the multi-use venue and widening of the intersection at Sullivan Street and Browns Ferry Road.
The council approved three donations for the Virtual Reality account: $750 from Chick-fil-A, $1,000 from Norman Dull and $5.94 from “a little boy’s piggy bank” at the June 22 event. A Madison Swim Association donation of $21,800 was also approved to reimburse the Recreation Department budget for the installation of the new dive blocks.
Both Mayor Paul Finley and District 6 Councilman Gerald Clark noted their excitement about the new Ace Hardware store on Hughes Road, which opened Aug. 23. Finley also noted the city’s growth with business licenses hitting more than $3 million for the first time.
Finley also reminded everyone that the baseball team name will be revealed Sept. 5 at Rocket Republic Brewing Company at 6 p.m. Council President Tommy Overcash of District 5 said the council has agreed to approve a name that will be most successful for the team.
“We have a consensus, at least a majority consensus, to be open to what makes the best sense for the team,” Overcash said. “We all want the team to be the most successful … we want to have the most attendance, we want to have the most merchandising sale. I know a lot of folks thought the names were kind of wild and crazy and weren’t too fond of them, but BallCorps has advisors that this is what they do, and they have proven success records that the branding company that was chosen to do this has, like, 15 out of the top 25 merchandising minor league baseball teams in the country. Sometimes, we have to trust the process.”
District 7 Councilman John Seifert noted that Madison Utilities will be working on water main replacement in the Hillchase neighborhood. There is also a vacancy on the Recreation Advisory Board.
District 3 Councilman Teddy Powell nominated Krishna Srikakolapu to Place 5 of the Industrial Development Board. Jennifer Hines was nominated to Place 2 of the Construction Board of Appeals.
The council approved all resolutions for engineering, fire, police, planning, recreation and revenue departments. These resolutions included:
- the acquisition of donated properties for the Oakland Spring Branch Greenway Project
- adding $2,000 to the previously approved design contract for a right turn lane at Sullivan and Browns Ferry
- an amendment to S&ME Inc. professional service agreement for widening Old Madison Pike in the amount of $71,080
- TAP funding and project agreement with ALDOT for a sidewalk along Bradford Farms Drive
- $4,147 for a six-month hosting agreement for Firehouse Software with ESO Solutions Inc.
- $11,196 for the purchase of 18 ballistic vests and helmets as part of a memorandum of understanding with Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation
- a school crossing guard agreement and a school resource officer agreement with Madison City Board of Education
- setting a public hearing (Oct. 8) for a proposed ordinance to amend section 5-9 accessory uses and structures of the zoning ordinance
- a professional services agreement with Stripes Officiating for basketball referees
- renewal of MARS agreement with the City of Huntsville
- accepting a Madison Swim Association donation of timing equipment (valued at $3,590) for swim team meets at Dublin Park
- $12,690 authorizing Mayor Finley to accept a price quotation from Colorado Time Systems, LLC for the purchase of swim meet timing equipment for Dublin Park
- an auditing contract renewal with RiverTree Systems for $65/hour
Two ordinances were proposed: authorizing a revised franchise agreement with Huntsville Utilities and establishing regulations regarding portable storage containers. For the latter, these standards would include a $25 permit fee and a $50 fine for violating the regulations set forth on placement and use.
