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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The city of Alabaster has approved an $85 million budget for fiscal year 2025 that includes a variety of improvements to the quality of life of its residents as well as several significant capital projects.

During a regularly scheduled Alabaster City Council meeting on Monday, Sept. 23, the Council approved the fiscal year 2025 budget after hearing presentations from department heads on Sept. 19 and months of work from city employees.

“(This) is something that we do every year at this time to get ready for the turnover of the fiscal year,” Councilmember Kerri Pate said. “This process takes quite a while. We have a finance committee (and) all the department heads present, so it’s months and months of time and effort that goes into this. So, we were excited to get this passed tonight.”

The fiscal year 2025 budget for Alabaster features $68,969,960 in total revenues with $84,939,335 in total expenditures.

“We really appreciate all the department heads that work on the budget,” Finance Director John Haggard said. “We really feel strongly that this budget is going to be able to help us tackle all of our operation needs for the year while also allowing us to begin some of those larger scale projects.”

Each year, as part of the budgeting process, the city organizes funding for property acquisition, infrastructure improvements and capital improvements in the form of the capital projects fund. Alabaster is projecting to see a $69 million increase in fund balance for the capital projects fund for fiscal year 2025 due to various large projects the city will be tackling.

Alabaster is projecting $82.34 million in revenue for its capital projects fund in FY 2025 which is a 1,542.9 percent increase over the previous year. Budgeted expenditures are projected to decrease by 49.7 percent in FY 2025.

Included in the city’s upcoming capital projects is an issuance of $80 million in bonds to fund the construction of the city’s new recreation center and library.

“This is the largest project the city has ever undertaken,” Haggard said. “Hopefully in this budget year, we’ll get started on that.”

Included in the city’s budget is an estimated cost of $5 million to begin on construction on the new recreation center and library.

“We are extremely excited to break ground in 2025 on the crown jewel of the Alabaster Fast Forward program: our new state-of-the-art recreation center with (a) pool and splash pad and new library, which will both be located on the old Thompson Intermediate School property,” Alabaster Mayor Scott Brakefield said.

According to Brakefield, utility work near the planned recreation center and library will begin in fall 2024 with the building of the facilities set to go out for bid in spring 2025. Alabaster expects an 18-24 month construction timeline from the beginning of demolition which is scheduled to occur in January 2025.

The following is a list of highlights from the city of Alabaster’s FY 2025 budget:

• $7.1 million of sales tax remitted to Alabaster City Schools
• $1.75 million to help fund widening of Interstate 65 from Alabaster to Calera
• Full implementation of city-run EMS service
• $9 million of capital improvements to the sewer system
• $1 million to complete new amphitheater
• $495,000 for construction of trail from Thompson High School to Thompson Middle School
• $100,000 to replace playground equipment at Heroes Park
• $150,000 for upgraded signage at city parks
• $50,000 to administer local elections in 2025
• $672,000 for a new pumper truck for the Alabaster Fire Department
• $926,000 for purchase and upfitting of 10 new patrol vehicles for the Alabaster Police Department
• $565,000 for garbage vehicle replacements
• $25,000 to fund traffic calming measures on city streets
• $130,000 of funding for the Alabaster Downtown Redevelopment Authority façade grant program
• $150,000 of funding for the Alabaster Arts Council
• 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment for all employees

Those interested in learning more about the city’s FY 2025 budget may visit City-alabaster-al-budget-book.cleargov.com/18008.