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MONTEVALLO – The Montevallo City Council unanimously approved a $5.8 million general fund budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year at its Sept. 28 meeting.

The budget includes an estimated $5,841,885 in total revenue and $5,837,478 in total expenditures, with a projected surplus of $4,407 in revenues over expenditures.

In the capital improvement fund, revenues are estimated to total $65,000, while expenditures – which include financing for the Victory building renovation project – are estimated to total $50,000, leaving a surplus of about $15,000 in revenues over expenditures.

The expenditures category includes $1,610,545 for police, $834,934 for general operations at City Hall, $595,675 for streets and roads, $364,720 for fire and rescue, $262,494 for sanitation, $292,613 for parks and recreation, $280,205 for transfer to the library and $577,575 for 90 percent of the 1-cent expense for the Montevallo Development Cooperative District, among others.

“We went over this extensively in our work session,” Mayor Hollie Cost said, adding City Clerk and Treasurer Herman Lehman and the Council worked to honor all department heads’ requests in the budget.

“We’ll have to really keep an eye on it with the next administration just because of COVID and not knowing what’s going to happen,” Councilman and incoming Mayor Rusty Nix said. “If we have to amend it down the road, that’s just something we’ll have to tackle.”

The Council also approved in a 4-1 vote a capital project financing bid for renovating the old Victory Autos & Collision Center building on Main Street that the city purchased for $375,000 in 2019.

Nix voted against the motion after citing concerns about the building’s old foundation and the project happening as a new administration takes office.

The goal of the project is to refurbish the building to allow for a tenant to occupy the top level and the city to utilize the bottom level for storage and the ValloCycle program.

The Council’s approval of the financing bid followed its previous approval Aug. 10 of a concept proposal outlining the project plans, which also include the installation of a storm shelter on property behind City Hall and securing a contract to develop a hotel behind the Victory building.

Prior to the Aug. 10 meeting, the city received a letter from the owners of Interstellar Ginger Beer and Exploration Co. in Alabaster regarding their interest in tenancy.

Lehman said the project bid does not obligate the city to accept a particular tenant’s proposal.

Williford Orman Construction LLC was the low bidder for the renovation project.

The estimated expense for full site development of the Victory property is $2 million and includes the storm shelter, paving, roof, windows and electrical components. The estimated gain from sales tax revenue and rent from tenants is $33,750 annually, with the benefit of reinvestment in a historical asset.

In other business, the Council:

• Recognized Lehman for his service as city clerk and treasurer, as Sept. 28 marked his last City Council meeting in the position.
• Approved to appoint Lisa Terrill as interim city clerk.
• Approved the purchase of security cameras for the recycling center, Shoal Creek Park and Orr Park from Gorrie Regan for $14,069 using funds from the ALDOT project account.
• Approved for the mayor to enter into a contract with Gorrie Regan to maintain all of the city’s camera systems and the door system at City Hall for $8,060 a year.
• Approved the updated employee handbook.
• Approved the following board appointments and reappointments: Rachel Jubran – Industrial Development Board (9/28/2025), Melinda Nix – Arbor and Beautification Board (5/1/2023), Herschel Hale – Arbor and Beautification Board (5/1/2023), Arthur Herbert – ValloCycle (8/1/2023) and Susan Fulmer – Zoning Board of Adjustments (7/1/2023).
• Approved for the city to maintain the Montevallo Golf Course until the end of October.
• Approved a bid from Martin’s Lawn Care for turf field management.