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By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – The Montevallo City Council discussed an ordinance to increase the monthly compensation of the mayor and City Council in a regularly scheduled meeting on the evening of Monday, Jan. 27.

The meeting began with a work session at 5:30 p.m. which saw the formal introduction of the compensation ordinance. The proposed financial changes would set the mayor’s compensation at $2,250 per month and the council members’ compensation at $500 per month.

Kenneth Dukes, a council member representing District 3 of Montevallo and a member of Montevallo’s finance committee, gave reasoning behind the ordinance.

“We were really making sure that it (the ordinance) wasn’t about us,” Dukes said. “It is for the incoming mayor and council, whoever is selected to serve in those positions. When we were looking at what other mayors and councils that are even smaller than Montevallo (make), they make much, much more than (what we proposed).”

Councilperson for District 4 Sonya Swords said the recommendation is still lower than many of Montevallo’s neighboring municipalities. Mayor Rusty Nix then provided an important update regarding the proposal.

“This is the first reading, so there will not be a vote tonight,” Nix said. “We’ll have to vote (at) our first council meeting in February on that.”

After the discussion on the compensation ordinance, the work session moved to discuss a bid recommendation.

The nearly $4,000 bid comes from Metro Fence for the purpose of constructing an additional auto impound area at Montevallo’s recycling center property.

Councilperson David King, representing District 1, gave his thoughts on the recommendation.

“I see this from time to time through fire and rescue,” King said. “Sometimes people have accidents. Cars have to be towed. For our citizens to be able to get their vehicles in this city and not have to go somewhere else is a benefit to them.”

The members of the City Council then gave updates on the various committees they head during the work session.

King gave an update on the city’s water department after the recent cold weather in Alabama.

“The water department is asking everybody to conserve (water),” King said “When you have a multi-day cold weather event, you’ve got a lot of people dripping their faucets. That takes a big toll across the entire (water) system.”

Councilperson Martha Eisenberg, representing District 5, introduced a new position with the city.

“The youth sports director will be responsible for all youth sports offered by the city,” Eisenberg said. “The director will be responsible for the maintenance and preparation of athletic fields for baseball, football, softball and soccer.”

Sydney Augilar, who previously served within Montevallo’s Parks and Rec department, was announced as the new youth sports director and will assume the role immediately.

Nix then gave an update on the new hotel being developed in Montevallo. The hotel will be developed by Cobblestone Inn and Suites, and will be located across from City Hall on Montevallo Main Street.

“Within a month, maybe six weeks, we’ll start turning dirt out there,” Nix said. “The project’s going to take a little over a year.”

Following the conclusion of the work session, the city council meeting officially began at 6 p.m. Nix called for a proclamation honoring Herbert “Herby” Milstead, a Montevallo citizen who passed away on Dec. 17, 2024.

Milstead was an active member of Montevallo First United Methodist Church, and worked as a U.S. postal letter carrier for 36 years. Milstead was also a two-term city councilman, attended both Montevallo High School and the University of Montevallo and was named Montevallo’s Citizen of the Year in 1982.

“Your dad was a true all-American,” Dukes said while honoring Milstead. “He is the image of what that is. As a little boy watching, he made doing the mail exciting.”

The council then accepted the recommendation from Metro Fence to add an auto impound area and following time for public comments adjourned the meeting.

The next Montevallo City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 10, with a work session beginning at 5 p.m. For more information on Montevallo’s City Council, visit Cityofmontevallo.com.