City Leaders From Eight Municipalities Meet with Amwaste


From Mayor Patrick McClusky:


As I reported to the City Council a few weeks ago about this meeting, the Cahaba Solid Waste Authority (CWSA) and representatives from Homewood, Hoover, Mt. Brook, Vestavia Hills, Pelham, Trussville, Clanton, and Fultondale met with Amwaste today, January 19, at Hoover City Hall, to express our complaints and concerns, and also to hear updates from Amwaste on resolutions for these ongoing problems.


It was expressed through the representatives of each municipality that the level of service has been, and continues to be (in some areas), unacceptable based on the needs and requirements of the cities under contract with CSWA. Continually missed routes, multi-day delays, and the holiday disasters were all addressed in the meeting. Amwaste recognized and agreed with the shortfalls in these areas and have put together actions plans to address these issues as soon as possible.


From a Homewood standpoint, we expressed that whatever needed to be done to ensure that the garbage was picked up on the day that it is scheduled is our number one priority. If there is a truck that breaks down, that another truck is immediately dispatched to finish the route on the same day, even if it’s pushed to later in the evening. We no longer need to wait and finish the route the next day, or later in some cases. Monday and Tuesday are Homewood’s heaviest days for collection, so making sure those routes are finished to completion will alleviate the issues of using Wednesday as a “catch up day”, and keeping us on track for Thursday and Friday pickup. Action plans for Homewood include possible additional trucks, additional dispatcher, additional route manager, route completion process, training, and more.


The CWSA also asked about the partnership with Re-Power, and whether they were still working with them on the recycling trips. Amwaste representatives informed us that they are still taking daily trips to Re-Power in Montgomery for recycling purposes.


Homewood continues to stay in constant communication with Amwaste representatives on their immediate action plans, and we will have another meeting with them in 60 days for a review of these implementations and see how things have progressed. I expect to see positive change in the service levels from all aspects.


It was mentioned in the meeting that even missing ten houses in any one of these cities is perceived as failing, so we remain hopeful that Amwaste will right the ship in the very near future. We will also continue to educate the residents on proper garbage protocols and make suggestions for the busier times of the year (holidays, spring cleaning, etc…) to help alleviate future issues.


If you experience an issue, we continue to ask that you use See-Click-Fix, that can also be found on our website from THIS PAGE. This provides us with the information we need when we meet with Amwaste for their review, and gives us data to see how their services are trending.

Thank you,

Patrick A. McClusky
Mayor / City of Homewood
pmcclusky@homewoodal.org


More

Planning Commission April 1, 2025

April 2, 2025
Planning Commission Highlights April 1, 2025 Case 25.03.02-05: These items are requests for rezoning to accommodate a new community, Creekside, south of Lakeshore Drive near Samford University's campus. The development aims to create a livable, town square-style environment. All items were given positive approvals and now will be considered by the full council. Case RS 24.04.02: This is a request for approval of a Resurvey to re-plat a 1.6-acre subdivision at 1040 Green Springs Highway, comprising five undeveloped lots, which are impacted by topographic and environmental constraints, in order to reduce the width of three of the existing lots from 70 ft. to 55 ft. to facilitate the construction of new, single-family housing. This item received a unanimous positive vote by members and will now be considered by the full council. Agenda: https://bit.ly/4l3ZMpg Upcoming meeting schedules: https://bit.ly/3bvufcT Archived meetings: http://bit.ly/2UiSIaA For all the details about this meeting watch the video above.

No April Fools' Joke: Homewood’s 911 Calls Are Changing for the Better

April 1, 2025
Beginning April 1—no, this isn’t an April Fools' joke—Homewood’s 911 call center will officially switch over to Shelby County 911. But don’t worry, calling 911 will still work the same way! If you have an emergency and need police, fire, or an ambulance, dial 911 , and help will come just like it always has. The only difference is that calls will now be handled by Shelby County’s system, which will help first responders get to people even faster. The City of Homewood will still have its non-emergency number, 205-332-6200 . Plus, the fire department will now share a dispatch center with nearby cities, which means they can work together better when there’s a big fire. The new system can handle lots of calls at once, so during big storms or major events, more people can get help quickly. So yes, this change starts on April Fools’ Day, but it’s no prank—just a better way to keep Homewood safe!

Council Meeting March 31, 2025

April 1, 2025
Council Meeting Highlights, March 31, 2025 Item 06.02.25: Council approved a request for consideration of an unsolicited proposal regarding the old Police Headquarters. Developer Mike Mouron presented the idea of turning the site into a steakhouse, surrounded by a walkable, family-friendly park. This approval now means plans will move forward on this development. There will be rezoning development plans that will still have to come before the city to be approved. Te property has been vacant for a long time, and that not only is this developer offering to do this with no incentives, he will also foot the bill to build the park that will remain city property. Item 04.03.25: The council approved allowing the mayor to sign a contract with EDT, Inc. for design services to plan a new crosswalk and parking layout at the main downtown intersection. The city will also replace the blinking lights with stop signs. Item 06.03.25: Council approved an Ordinance to prevent parking at the Saulter pocket park for non-park visitors. There will now be a time limit you can be parked there and it will be enforceable for police. 19.03.25 Council approved a request to hire an Executive Assistant Position (Administrative Analyst) to assist Glen Adams, the new city manager. This will be funded through the general fund Agenda: https://bit.ly/4lbE9n5 Upcoming meeting schedules: https://bit.ly/3bvufcT Archived meetings: http://bit.ly/2UiSIaA For all the details about this meeting watch the video above.

Road Closed - Kenilworth Drive

March 20, 2025
Heads up! As part of the stormwater project currently in-progress, Kenilworth Drive at Ridge Road will be closed for about two weeks, tentatively starting around March 31 . During this time, if you're heading up the hill on Kenilworth, you'll have to turn left onto Ridge Road. Only the folks in the first two houses on Crest Drive can access Kenilworth, and anyone coming from Ridge Road must turn right onto Kenilworth. Be sure to plan your route accordingly!

Committee Meetings March 17, 2025

By Brian Wallace • March 18, 2025
Finance Highlights 03/17/25 Item 06.02.25: Committee approved a request for consideration of an unsolicited proposal regarding the old Police Headquarters. Developer Mike Mouron has floated the idea of turning the site into a steakhouse, surrounded by a walkable, family-friendly park. There was a lot of discussion about whether or not other entities should be allowed to offer a design or solution for this piece of land. Mayor Wyatt explained how the property has been vacant for a long time, and that not only is this developer offering to do this with no incentives, he will also foot the bill to build the park that will remain city property. The council will now discuss this at the next council meeting March 31, 2025 at 6:00pm. Item 04.03.25: The committee approved allowing the mayor to sign a contract with EDT, Inc. for design services to plan a new crosswalk and parking layout at the main downtown intersection. The city will also replace the blinking lights with stop signs. Agenda: https://bit.ly/4kyKxVc Upcoming meeting schedules: https://bit.ly/3bvufcT Archived meetings: http://bit.ly/2UiSIaA Watch the full video above to learn more about all the items presented.

Traffic Alert - Lakeshore Blvd

March 17, 2025
Traffic Alert! Starting Tuesday, March 18, Lakeshore Blvd, in front of Brookwood Mall, will have daily lane closures from 9am to 3pm for about a week . Crews will be upgrading light signal loop detectors. Plan your commute accordingly.

BZA March 12, 2025

March 13, 2025
Board of Zoning Adjustments (BZA) Meeting Highlights: March 12, 2025 Items 250301 & 250302: BZA members approved two sign variances for a new development in West Homewood. Agenda: https://bit.ly/3XQodMT Upcoming meeting schedules: https://bit.ly/3bvufcT Archived meetings: http://bit.ly/2UiSIaA For all the details about this meeting watch the video above.

Council Meeting March 10, 2025

March 11, 2025
Council Meeting Highlights, March 10, 2025 Item 20.02.25: Council approved a request to authorize the mayor to sign a contract with Trane through the end of fiscal year 2025 to cover maintenance. It does not require additional budget funding. Since replacing the old chiller—original to the building—City Hall has reduced annual electricity use by over 14%. The previous system was outdated and inefficient, struggling to keep up with demand. The new chiller, installed by crane, has significantly improved performance and energy efficiency. Since May 2024, the City has saved over $40,000 in energy costs. Despite a 6% increase in electricity rates, annual electricity costs have dropped by more than 8%. The updated control systems provide better management of heating and cooling, allowing for more precise adjustments by zone and time of day. Agenda: https://bit.ly/3FheybT Upcoming meeting schedules: https://bit.ly/3bvufcT Archived meetings: http://bit.ly/2UiSIaA For all the details about this meeting watch the video above.

City Hall Cuts Energy Costs by $40K+, Saving Taxpayer Dollars

March 6, 2025
Since May 2024, the city has saved over $40,000 in energy costs, even with a 6% increase in electricity rates. Replacing the aging chiller at City Hall has significantly improved efficiency, reducing energy use by more than 14% and lowering annual electricity costs by just over 8%. The new system, along with upgraded control features, allows for better energy management, ensuring heating and cooling are used more efficiently across different zones in the building. The original purchase of the chiller in 2023 included a year of free service, which ended in early fall of 2024. A new service agreement has been proposed to cover maintenance through the end of the current budget year, ending on September 30. The cost for the remaining six months is $12,120, with a quarterly payment of $4,040. Though initially believed to be included in the budget, the contract was not listed under the general fund’s contractual services. However, because this agreement only covers the period after the free service ended, it does not require additional budget funding. The finance committee has approved the agreement, and it will go before the full council for a vote on March 10 at 6pm. You can watch the report below, item 20.02.25.

New Samford Development Paused to Allow More Discussion

March 5, 2025
During the Planning Commission meeting March 4, 2025, Samford University requested rezoning to accommodate a new community, Creekside, south of Lakeshore Drive near their campus. The development aims to create a livable, town square-style environment. Commission members told the applicant they would not support the item and suggested pausing to engage the public in further discussions so that they would have a better understanding of the project. In response, the applicant, Landmark Development, requested that the item be carried over until next month.
More Posts
Share by: