Huntsville City Council approves $197M budget for 2017

Following a 4 hours, 15 minutes meeting, the Huntsville City Council unanimously approved a budget to fund the upcoming fiscal year at roughly 10:00 p.m. on Thursday.

The $197 million dollar operating budget contains a two-percent cost of living raise for city employees and supports growth in the police department with eight new positions, which will bring the number of Huntsville Police Department officers to 650 for next year. The budget also provides fleet improvements for fire, police and sanitation. City schools will receive $18.8 million.

In a separate vote, Council also approved $85.8 million in capital projects that positively impact residents’ quality of life, so that so 2/3 of the money dedicated to road repavement would go toward repaving residential streets. The budget includes funding for parks, recreation, greenway infrastructure, road resurfacing and sidewalk repair. The capital budget also provides funding for corridor economic redevelopment throughout the city and $25 million toward Restore Our Roads projects.

“We are grateful to our City Council for their thorough review of the proposed budget, for their thoughtful input, and full support,” said Mayor Tommy Battle. “As a result, the City moves into the next fiscal year with a financially sound, balanced budget that continues a tradition of quality services and supports the exciting growth occurring in Huntsville.”

The budget represents a 3.1 percent increase over the 2016 operating budget. The City’s fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30.