By Emily Reed / Special to the Reporter

PELHAM – Pelham officials approved a budget of $79,461,761 for the 2018 Fiscal Year on Oct. 2.

The overall budget increased this year by $8,349, 526.

Council President Rick Hayes thanked everyone involved for helping with the budget process.

The City Council met in several special sessions over a period of several weeks to discuss the budget, and meet with department heads.

“We know this is a difficult thing, and we are really appreciative of everyone’s hard work,” Hayes said.

Some of the changes to this year’s budget include a new engine for the Pelham Fire Department and the construction to relocate Station No. 3.

The fire department received a donation of 2.3 acres of land for construction of a new fire station on Shelby County 11.

Double Mountain LLC donated the 2.3 acres in addition to $20,000 to the fire department to be used toward the construction of the new fire station. The land sits at the corner of Shelby County 11 and Shelby County 334.

The plan is to relocate Station No. 3 from Shelby County 52 East to Shelby County 11.

Other budget changes include ongoing renovations at the Pelham Civic Complex, which include things such as additional seating as well as a VIP viewing area, a media viewing area and additional concessions.

The completion of Pelham’s two-story, roughly 35,000-square-foot rec center, and the completion of the new 20,000-square-foot-library, as well as the Greenway Trails Project, a six-and-a-half mile trail system connecting an in-place sidewalk at Bearden Road to the entrance of Oak Mountain State Park, were also part of changes to this year’s budget.

Pelham Mayor Gary Waters thanked the department-heads during the Oct. 2 council meeting for the role they played in the budget process and the professionalism they displayed in passing the budget.

“It is your responsibility to share with this body what your needs are and you do this exceptionally well,” Waters said.