Cullman council adopts sanitation, sewer and water rate ordinances and approves a slate of resolutions

The Cullman City Council adopted several ordinances and resolutions during its July 6 meeting, taking a series of routine but consequential actions affecting rates, capital projects and grant awards.

On second reading the council approved Ordinance 2026‑39 to set sanitation rates for the fiscal year, Ordinance 2026‑40 to set retail sewer rates for fiscal 2027, and Ordinance 2026‑41 to set retail water rates for fiscal 2027. The roll call votes were recorded on the record as unanimous 'Aye' by the five council members present. Council members noted the water ordinance also includes, for the first time, a special agricultural rate for poultry farms.

The council also adopted a package of resolutions and contract awards: it awarded CDBG application and administration services to Community Consultants (Resolution 26119); authorized federal grant engineering and design services with multiple firms depending on project specialty (Resolution 2026‑1120); approved a resolution dissolving the Downtown Redevelopment Authority after the authority voted to dissolve itself (Resolution 2026‑121); awarded a bid to Foley Products Company for precast manholes in the Logan Street Community Development Grant project in the amount of $53,605.05 (Resolution 26122); accepted an arts grant (transcript lists $750,000) and related contracts to renovate a performing arts center at 303 Clark Street NE (Resolution 26123) and entered a grant‑management contract with Community Consultants Inc. (Resolution 26125); fixed the cost of abating a nuisance at 611 Cleveland Avenue SW (Resolution 26124); approved a one‑year agreement with the Alabama High School Athletic Association and Cullman City Schools to host the 2027 outdoor track and field state championships for 1A–3A schools (Resolution 26126); and approved an amendment to a tax abatement for 'Project Panel' after the company increased its capital investment by more than 10% (Resolution 2026‑1127).

Votes at a glance (recorded outcomes):
- Ordinance 2026‑39 (sanitation rates): Adopted (roll call unanimous)
- Ordinance 2026‑40 (retail sewer rates): Adopted (roll call unanimous)
- Ordinance 2026‑41 (retail water rates): Adopted (roll call unanimous)
- Resolution 26119 (CDBG administration to Community Consultants): Adopted (voice vote)
- Resolution 2026‑1120 (federal grant engineering/design services): Adopted (voice vote)
- Resolution 2026‑121 (dissolve Downtown Redevelopment Authority): Adopted (voice vote)
- Resolution 26122 (precast manholes bid to Foley Products Company, $53,605.05): Adopted (voice vote)
- Resolution 26123 (accept arts grant for performing arts center): Adopted (voice vote)
- Resolution 26124 (fix nuisance abatement cost — 611 Cleveland Ave SW): Adopted (voice vote)
- Resolution 26125 (contract with Community Consultants Inc. for grant management): Adopted (voice vote)
- Resolution 26126 (host AHSAA state track championships 2027): Adopted (voice vote)
- Resolution 2026‑1127 (tax abatement amendment for Project Panel): Adopted (voice vote)

Why it matters: the rate ordinances determine household charges for sanitation, sewer and water services, and the resolutions authorize spending, contracts and program administration for capital and grant projects in the city. Several items (arts grant and tax‑abatement amendment) have material budget implications and programmatic impact on downtown development and local industry.

The meeting record shows no public comments on these items and no dissent recorded during votes; several items were routine approvals with limited debate.