1. Why did you decide to run for this position in 2022?
When I finished serving three terms on the Board of Education, I thought I was finished with politics. But my friend and mentor, the late Sandra Moon, suggested that I needed to consider running for an open seat on the City Council. I thought City Council was just “roads, ditches, and garbage.” But Sandra helped me see that serving on the Council would help me serve in new ways by helping to build a diverse tax base, strong neighborhoods, and a great quality of life for our community. Since being elected to Council in 2014, I have discovered that Sandra was right. I have been able to work with a great team to revitalize South Huntsville and create new opportunities for the entire City. I am running for re-election in 2022 because I want to finish projects we have started, like work at Hays Farm and the Sandra Moon Complex, and continue to work with the Administration and Council to find new ways to help Huntsville become not only the biggest city in the state, but the best city in the state.

2. In your view, what are the roles and responsibilities of a city councilperson?
Politics really is local, and Council members are the local connection for citizens who have problems to be solved and issues they want to address. We listen, we learn, and we find answers. We're not always successful and sometimes people don't like the answers, but we do the best we can. We have a great team of department heads and council staff who help us find innovative and strategic solutions. We also have a fiduciary duty that requires us to serve as stewards on the community's behalf. We work with the Mayor to identify funding priorities for the City and for our individual districts. We also help keep our constituents well informed. I believe that if you don't give people good information, they make it up. So, I share as much information as possible in as many ways as I can. We also engage residents in the work of the city by staying connected with neighborhood associations, holding town hall meetings, and hosting community events. The Council also appoints citizens to serve on more than 60 boards and commissions that significantly impact various aspects of the city.

3. If elected, what would be the primary issue you would like to address?
As more people around the country discover all that Huntsville has to offer and start moving here in record numbers, we need to stay ahead of that growth. The city has invested over $500 million in road infrastructure over the past ten years and plans to invest nearly $500 million more. To put these figures in context, this is the same amount of money Governor Ivey has for road projects across the state that will be funded by the new gas tax. These forward-thinking projects have anticipated growth and are helping us create a road system that will meet future needs.

4. What do you see as the most important issues Huntsville is facing?
In addition to building a strong road network to support a growing population, we need to make sure other infrastructure and services also keeps pace with growth including utilities, school capacity, public safety response times, and health care. While roads are being built, we also need to be aware of our need for pedestrian and bike access east and west across the Parkway. We are working with ALDOT to create safe crossings at several intersections to make it easier for people to cross the Parkway to get to work, to shop, and get to school. Available housing is also one of our greatest concerns. As people move to Huntsville to fill thousands of jobs, we want them to be able to find a house they can afford in a safe neighborhood with good schools and a great quality of life. Finally, I believe we have a fentanyl problem in Madison County. As our community grows, our drug problem grows. Our first responders are seeing fentanyl related deaths every single day. We need to work together as a community to address it. And the answer isn’t more Narcan (although that is necessary). We need to work on fixing broken relationships, healing hearts and minds, and funding programs that address the root causes of addiction. We also need to disrupt the network of people who are profiting from the lives they destroy every day.

5. What city services could be improved?
Our office gets the most complaints about trash pickup and road paving. In 2021, Council approved the purchase of 16 new knuckle boom trucks, the kind used to pick up yard waste. That is a multimillion-dollar allocation. To date, none of those trucks have been delivered due to supply chain issues. We can’t even get parts to repair the trucks we have that are still in service. Our sanitation workers are working an exhausting amount of overtime to keep up with the demand, but there are still delays. Road paving is being addressed by doubling the paving budget and working with multiple contractors to keep up with road resurfacing demands. The city uses a “worst to first” rating system that helps prioritize a strategic road paving schedule.

6. Do you support the decriminalization of marijuana? Why or why not?
The legalization of marijuana, used both medicinally and recreationally, is an issue that can only be decided by the State. I would personally oppose it. Long term studies repeatedly show that it impairs cognitive function and leads to further substance abuse.

7. Would you expand the use of bike lanes and/or accessible alternative modes of transportation in our city? If yes, how would you ensure these commuters have safe/accessible routes to destinations?
Using the greenway and trail systems would be a first start. We are working on creating an exceptional greenway system in South Huntsville including a 16-mile loop from Ditto Landing to the Hays Farm trail system to Aldridge Creek Greenway. The Hays trails will provide access to Grissom High School, RSA Gate 3, and the new Hays Farm commercial district. In addition, we are also working on a Rails and Trails project that would create safe north south access running parallel to the Parkway. We are working with ALDOT to create safe east/west access across Memorial Parkway at selected underpasses.

8. In lieu of some of the community's requests to redistribute funding from the police department to new social programs & services, do you plan to listen and act on this request? If yes, what kind of social services would you like to see funded?
Rather than redistributing funds from the police budget, we need to increase the police budget to ensure public safety for a growing city to include a station in West Huntsville and more officers to patrol streets and control speeding. At the same time, we are also increasing the budget to work with Wellstone to fund co-responders who accompany the police as they respond to more than 1000 suicide calls ever year. Crisis Intervention Training for officers is also ongoing and being funded by the city. The new police training academy provides enhanced training to our officers to help them more effectively engage with the public, appropriately address crisis situations, and practice effective community policing. In addition, the city allocates millions of dollars every year social service agencies to meet needs across the city.

9. Where is your favorite place to spend time in your district?
The new South Huntsville Library at the Sandra Moon Complex at the old Grissom High School site. It is a beautiful facility that includes a café run by HATCH with big comfortable chairs. It is my favorite place to meet with constituents and city leaders. I also hold monthly D3 Drop-In meetings with constituents at the library.

10. The mayor has yet to name a permanent police chief, but has asked current council members for their input. What advice would you offer when selecting a new police chief?
We need a chief who has a vision for an exceptional police force and understands the vital role “the thin blue line” plays in standing between the lawless and the innocent. We need a chief who will provide training and role models to inspire our officers to serve and protect and maintain high ethical standards. The Chief also needs to be someone who will not be afraid to “walk toward the fire” and will do the right thing in the face of public opposition and controversy even when there are calls for resignation.

11. Have you read the HPCAC report detailing HPD’s response to the June 2020 protests report? If so, what were your thoughts? If not, why not?
I read, underlined, and annotated the HPCAC report. I found several factual errors. Nevertheless, I also agree with its finding that HPD acted according to policy. There are always opportunities to improve particularly in training and communication and the administration has responded to those recommendations.

12. How can we improve public transportation in Huntsville?
Huntsville encompasses 220 square miles. That makes it one of the largest cities (in land area) in the United States. The length of Redstone Arsenal also divides this large geographic area in half. In addition, the city’s employment centers are spread out rather being consolidated in the downtown area as they are in many cities. Redstone Arsenal, our largest employment center, has security considerations that prevent easy access. Despite these challenges, there is still much that can be done to improve public transportation. One of the first steps would be to create a genuine rapid transit system by increasing the number of routes and decreasing the length of each loop from 45 minutes to 15 minutes. That would require more busses and more drivers and would also require increasing the number of transfer stations placed around the city in strategic locations. As our city continues to densify, shorter routes will be more practical. We also need to increase hours so that third shift workers can use public transportation. Extending routes to key employment centers such as Mazda Toyota and North Huntsville Industrial Park should also be a priority.

13. Some of the community thinks Huntsville is growing too fast for its own good; do you agree or disagree? Do you believe the current infrastructure keeps up or does it need to be expanded?
There is a saying in the planning world, that if you are not growing, you are dying. We see many urban areas that have suffered blight and lost their tax base because they limited growth or did not invest in infrastructure. The key to growth is to continue to look ahead, to anticipate growth, and plan for infrastructure improvements. That’s what the City of Huntsville has done with $500 million in road projects completed or in progress, with $500 million more planned in the next few years. Road paving is always a priority, and the paving budget has doubled with more roads being paved than ever before. We also worked with Huntsville Utilities to install 13,400 feet of new water main and replace sidewalks along Bailey Cove. We will continue to improve aging infrastructure to maintain our older neighborhoods and support the city’s growth.

14. Huntsville median home prices and rents have grown ~40% since 2019. While Huntsville remains affordable compared to a national market, do you believe that current Huntsvillian’s are having trouble keeping up with more demanding housing & rent costs?
Since people continue to move to Huntsville in record number and days on market continue to be very low, it would seem that our housing market is strong and meeting local needs. Availability of housing stock is certainly an issue and developers are responding.

15. What steps would you take to help prospective home buyers more easily find and afford housing?
Continuing to ensure that we have an abundance of good paying jobs so that buyers have the resources to afford a home is the City’s first responsibility. In addition, the planning department is looking at zoning modifications that might make it possible to build a smaller house on a smaller lot. This would make it feasible for a developer to build more affordable homes in areas of Huntsville where land is more expensive.

16. What steps would you take to address Huntsville’s housing shortage?
As demand for housing in Huntsville continues to remain strong, developers are responding with new homes in every buildable area of Huntsville. More multifamily projects have been approved than ever before which will add density to the city and quickly increase available housing stock. While most of these are rental units, some developers may look at creating condominium and townhouse projects. The city is also identifying infill opportunities within the city limits and responding to requests for annexation in outlying areas to increase available land.

17. Do you believe Huntsville has enough public and affordable housing?
Every American has the right to fair housing and the community must work together to find safe, affordable solutions for every income level. Those solutions need to be part of a systemic effort to equip individuals with the tools they need to become employed and support a better life. We need to have open, fact-based conversations about affordable housing including research and data on what works and what doesn’t. The availability of public and low-income housing is not an issue unique to Huntsville. This conversation should first start with residents of low-income housing to ask them about their goals, identify barriers to employment and housing, and find out what can be done to remove those barriers.

18. Do you believe that Huntsville public and affordable housing stock is appropriately distributed among the 5 districts?
I believe every council district as affordable and public housing. But the distribution of public housing should not be driven by any political agenda or effort at “fairness.” Location of public housing should first meet the needs of residents. Efforts to relocate public housing residents away from city services result in transportation challenges as they move away from employment centers. Moving away from social service providers, means residents lose access to vital services that keep them healthy and stable. Housing vouchers are an option that uses a free market approach to let residents locate in areas that are most convenient for them and that meet their family’s needs. The priority should always be on removing barriers to self-sufficiency so residents can move to market rate housing in any area of the city.

19. What would you do to address homelessness in Huntsville if elected?
The city council’s primary responsibilities revolve around ensuring that the city provides basic city services and that our citizens are safe. In addition, the council and administration work together to ensure a good quality of life for all our citizens. Helping the homeless find shelter and exit homelessness would certainly be part of ensuring a good quality of life. In considering options for doing so, we need to differentiate between the chronically and situationally homeless. When people lose their home due to a job loss, a prolonged illness, or domestic violence, they are much more likely to become housed successfully and not return to the street. Housing vouchers and rental assistance work well with this population. Helping the chronically homeless who have lived on the streets for a prolonged period is much more challenging. Studies indicate that as much as 90% of America’s chronically homeless are either mentally ill, have a substance disorder, an underlying health condition, or all of the above. Intensive case management and treatment are required to help this population become successfully housed. While the city does not provide direct service or case management for the homeless, we do provide funding for several social service agencies who do street outreach and provide supportive services. Whatever services are provided, the focus always needs to be on exiting homelessness. Making it easier for people to live in unsafe and unsanitary conditions by setting up city camps is not effective and morally wrong. We need more supportive transitional housing that helps the homeless become housed, receive ongoing support through case management, and become self-sufficient.

20. Do you believe Huntsville needs a “master plan” for addressing homelessness?
The local Continuum of Care (COC) is tasked by HUD to “create a community plan to organize and deliver housing and services to meet the specific needs of people who are homeless as they move to stable housing and maximize self-sufficiency.” The City’s Community Development department recently took on the responsibility of becoming the local COC lead. The COC lead works collaboratively with agencies that provide services to the homeless population to carry out the community plan.

21. Do you believe Huntsville’s current development focuses on Governors Dr., downtown, HSV westward expansion, and general attractions (Orion amphitheater, Joe Davis Renovation, Trash Pandas, etc.) are the most beneficial uses of taxpayer funds? How do you believe these development projects affect your district directly?
Huntsville has been named the #1 Best Place to Live by US News & World Report because of our economy and our quality of life. The strategic effort to preserve our urban core (Downtown and Governor’s life) and breathe life into blighted districts helps increase quality of life for everyone. Investments in the Orion Amphitheater, VBC improvements, Joe Davis Stadium, and John Hunt Park not only help us recruit young workers. They also help bring thousands of visitors to Huntsville who eat in our restaurants, stay in our hotels, and shop in our stores. The resulting sales tax and liquor and lodging tax revenues fund city services and capital improvements that benefit residents throughout our city. We never make an investment in any kind of quality-of-life project unless we can show a solid return. Even the Trash Pandas Stadium (which is a City of Madison property) generates tax revenue for Huntsville because people may choose to shop or eat at nearby Bridge Street.

22. What, if anything, would you seek to change within the Huntsville Police Department?
We need more police officers. Our city is growing, and we need to ensure the safety of our citizens. The council has funded enough officer positions to bring HPD close to full strength. Yet our recruiting classes only fill the slots vacated by retiring officers. We never seem to be able to get ahead. This is a challenging time to serve as a police officer and it is getting more and more difficult to recruit officers. Officers are targeted by the same public they are sworn to serve and protect. They are mocked and subjected to obscenities during peaceful protests. To recruit more officers, HPD has changed its recruiting strategies and to make it easier for officers from other cities and states to move to our department. We have had a good response. We have also built an exceptional new training facility and are graduating as many cadets as possible. But it’s not enough. We need to start recruiting in high school and create programs that build a pipeline to HPD.

23. Who do you admire most in politics?
I admire anyone who is willing to offer themselves for public service by running for elected office in an increasingly hostile and divisive political environment.

24. How would you vote in regards to allocating funding for private counsel for legal defense of city employees? Please explain your answer. It would be inappropriate for any council member to commit to a vote on any matter before it is presented by the administration and discussed by all council members with advice from the City attorney.

25. As Huntsville grows, how will you work to prioritize creating and growing small businesses?
When I was first elected to the council, one of the greatest threats to small businesses in South Huntsville was the construction of three overpasses along the South Parkway. So, I worked with small business owners to create the South Huntsville Business Association. SHBA became part of the Main Street Alabama program and South Huntsville Main now supports, promotes, and advocates for businesses in South Huntsville. It has played an active role in revitalizing the South Parkway commercial corridor and new businesses are opening all the time. Events such as Rosies Fest in the spring and Cookie Crunch at Christmas help promote businesses. Monthly meetings help the businesses learn from one another and support each other. I have worked with other council members to begin creating similar Main Street organizations in their districts.

26. In your opinion, what are the greatest barriers to starting a small business in Huntsville?
Huntsville has been built on small businesses. We need to make it as easy as possible to start and grow a business in Huntsville. The new city hall will create a one stop shop for people doing business with the city. Business licenses, inspections, the fire marshall, and planning department will all have offices located in an area that makes it easy for a business to do what is required to open a business and to stay in business.

27. Given the recent Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade and the 2019 Alabama Human Life Protection Act, would you take any measures as a Councilperson to ensure Huntsvillians have access to medically necessary care?
While everything related to Roe v Wade is outside of the purview of the council, the City has made a strong commitment to providing excellent health care for our citizens. The City administration worked closely with Huntsville Hospital and other health care providers to make sure the community’s health care needs were met during the health emergency in 2020. It was a heroic effort by many health care professionals, and we are fortunate to have such an extraordinary collaboration between the city and our hospitals.

28. Is there anything else you’d like to say to Huntsvillians?
It has been an honor to serve the citizens of south Huntsville on the City Council and to serve twice as council president. I have learned that the most important qualifications for elected office are a willingness to invest time and effort, study the issues, and solve problems. During my eight years on Council, I have worked hard for my constituents, done my homework, and have helped make South Huntsville a better place. I’ve also learned that having a network of people who can get things done makes it possible to lead change. Many thanks to everyone who has been part of that team effort. I am proud of all we have accomplished to become the largest and best city in Alabama. I look forward to continuing to work with you in the years to come.

(1) https://whnt.com/news/meet-the-huntsville-city-council-candidates-district-3/
(2) https://www.bamapolitics.com/alabama/profiles/jennie-robinson/
(3) https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/government/city-council/councilmember-jennie-robinson/

(1) https://www.markclouser.com/
(2) https://whnt.com/news/politics/your-local-election-headquarters/huntsville-city-council-dist-4-candidates-on-the-issues-facing-the-city-and-the-right-choice-for-voters/
(3) https://whnt.com/news/huntsville/longtime-huntsville-fire-district-fire-chief-retires/

-Mayor Tommy Battle’s statements to Jackie Reed’s Passing:

“We lost a Huntsville legend today. Nobody had a greater passion for our city than Jackie Reed. Her tireless advocacy for the citizens of the Rocket City was admirable. Her indomitable spirit and warm heart will be remembered by all of us at city hall.”

“Jackie Reed’s comments at City Council always ended with the same line, 'I love you!' It was tough love, that’s for certain, but it was love. Love for people, for a city, even for elected officials. Jackie Reed was one of a kind. Huntsville laughed with her, nodded with her and even sometimes disagreed with her. I shared a stage with Jackie in at least four Mayoral campaigns, which was a treat. Her first race in politics was a bid for Mayor in 1988, and Jackie’s and my fate was the same that election – the public elected us to do something else. As a self-professed City Hall watchdog, Jackie made sure no issue escaped her scrutiny. Right or wrong, Jackie always held true to her beliefs, and her love for Huntsville was never in question. She will be missed”

-Jordan Steelman, Executive Director, Vote Huntsville

“Jackie was a shining example of local civic engagement, caring about others through advocacy, and love for her community. Her legacy is one of tenacity, perseverance, and respect. All of Huntsville can learn from and emulate her passion for her community. She is missed.”

(1) https://obits.al.com/us/obituaries/huntsville/name/jacqueline-reed-obituary?id=35742654
(2) https://twitter.com/TommyBattle/status/1546547197830889475?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

1. Why did you decide to run for this position in 2022?
I decided to run because I remain an independent voice on the City Council. Additionally, I get a great deal of satisfaction and I’ve had success in the past with helping those who need help the most, whether it’s dealing with bureaucracy in city government, or an abusive threatening neighbor. Also, I use my background as a former School Board member, and my masters degree in Urban Planning from Alabama A&M University to help to plan the City of Huntsville for the future. Additionally, I am proud of the work that I have done to help revitalize older neighborhoods in the city that are now among the nicest parts of the entire community. Examples include Merrimack, McThornmor Acres, Westlawn, Mayfair, Piedmont, etc. Huntsville has a large population moving into the central part of the city, whereas Birmingham, Montgomery, and Mobile have people moving out of the central portion of the city into the suburbs. I am re-energized, and I’m ready to go to work, and am excited about the future!

2. In your view, what are the roles and responsibilities of a city councilperson?
In many ways a City Council member is a legislator, on a local level, similar to what a Congressman does. A City Council member helps to pass the annual Operating, Capital, 20 Year, and Special Appropriation budgets. Additionally, the Council Member introduces and passes resolutions and ordinances at public meetings. A City Council member is an advocate for, and looks after the interests of the residents of his/her respective district, but in a larger sense must be available to provide assistance to all citizens who call upon him or her regardless of where they live. A City Council member sets policies for which the mayor is responsible for administering. The City Council member recruits new industry. The City Council member listens to members of the public, and responds to their concerns and needs.

3. If elected, what would be the primary issue you would like to address?
The primary issue would be planning in general. We are currently the largest city in the State of Alabama. We must plan for future traffic flow improvements. For that reason, I have worked with others to come up with a $500 million plan for new road construction over the next 25 years. Recreational parks, bicycle lanes, greenways, and Public Transit expansion must be planned. Additionally we will need at least one new police precinct, and we will be looking at one and probably more additional fire stations in the western part of the city. We are in the process of purchasing $17 million worth of new fire trucks , and have ordered nine additional garbage and trash trucks, which will be arriving shortly. We must work with the school system to assist them with their capital growth needs. Affordable housing will be one of the big challenges that we will be dealing with in the future. One blueprint idea is the Choice Neighborhood Initiative (CNI) plan which provides mixed use development with a mixture of market, as well as affordable housing. As we continue to grow, we must look within ourselves to make sure that we are positioned to be able to deal with people of different cultures, values, and nationalities who are coming in to make Huntsville their community.

4. What do you see as the most important issues Huntsville is facing?
The biggest issues that I see have to do with affordable housing. I have checked and had a Department Head to also check, but under Alabama State Law, Huntsville is not permitted to set rent controls. Additionally, as we are growing with new housing, there is a need for affordable housing. This need can best be met by utilizing grant monies to provide free land for developers who construct affordable housing. Also, the Choice Neighborhood Initiative (CNI) is a plan that combines a mixed use development with current market, plus affordable housing, taking this concept and dispersing throughout different parts of the city such as Hampton Cove, Browns Ferry Road, and Ditto Landing which would disperse the concentration of low income housing into multiple areas.

5. What city services could be improved?
While we have a great group of dedicated, hard-working city employees who are providing valuable services on many fronts for the community, I think our biggest challenges has to be traffic flow. This is being addressed by a $500 million plan for expansion of roads that will be funded by city, state, and federal money. One important project is the ring road that is now currently being constructed This starts with Rideout Road heading north into Rideout Road extension, into MLK. Eventually this road will loop over from North Parkway to Hampton Cove, and from Hampton Cove over the south part of the city, and connect on with Rideout Road. This will take a lot of traffic congestion off the central areas of the city. Every year I am pushing for record amounts of road resurfacing money. Well maintained streets makes traffic move much smoother.

6. Do you support the decriminalization of marijuana? Why or why not?
The City of Huntsville has no authority under the Alabama Constitution to decriminalize marijuana. That lies with the state legislature.

7. Would you expand the use of bike lanes and/or accessible alternative modes of transportation in our city? If yes, how would you ensure these commuters have safe/accessible routes to destinations?
I have spent thousands, and thousands of dollars on expansion bike lanes and greenways throughout the city. Additionally, when I first came on the City Council, I initiated the Public Transit system. That was the beginning. I helped to get a clockwise and then a counterclockwise core bus route started that served primarily senior citizen housing complexes, Walmart, and grocery stores. That system has expanded and is cost-effective compared to other cities. Currently we are reevaluating our Public Transit system to see what changes needs to be made. Previous evaluations have included expanding service to Saturdays, as well as providing nighttime service. Bike lanes will be included as a component of all new future road projects. These lanes will be constructed to US DOT safety specifications.

8. In lieu of some of the community's requests to redistribute funding from the police department to new social programs & services, do you plan to listen and act on this request? If yes, what kind of social services would you like to see funded?
Given that Huntsville is the 39th largest land area city in the entire country, but has a police department that is based upon a city population that would be roughly 92nd in rank, we need to keep our crime prevention resources focused where they are. And listening to concerns from the public, portions of the police department budget are being used to provide mental health training for all sworn police officers, as well as the hiring of full-time mental health counselors, who are employed in the police department. Listening to the community there have been some very positive ideas that have come out including expanding social services to provide additional funding for WellStone mental health services.

9. Where is your favorite place to spend time in your district?
My favorite place within the district to spend time at is Gold Sprint coffee. My wife and I enjoy taking our iPads out there to get a cup of coffee and reading and sending out emails. This is her version of cooking breakfast for me on the weekends, but at least she pays for the coffee!

10. The mayor has yet to name a permanent police chief, but has asked current council members for their input. What advice would you offer when selecting a new police chief?
The mayor has a very good person serving us as Police Chief right now, Kirk Giles. Chief Giles has a very strong record as a law-enforcement officer, and administrator, and as a person who is very much engaged in the community. He is a compassionate person, and he is a very competent Police Chief. I feel like we have a good person on the job already.

11. Have you read the HPCAC report detailing HPD’s response to the June 2020 protests report? If so, what were your thoughts? If not, why not?
I am familiar with the report. I appreciate all of the citizens who have contributed their time and expertise into this process. The individuals who I appointed to the committee are people of high integrity who are also independent: Shelly McCalley and Pam Caruso. I think all city departments, including the Police Department are always looking for ways to improve for the future. There have been positive steps taken to improve and increase citizen engagement. There are numerous internet postings of police procedures and other information that is helpful for the public to understand concerning the police department. Additionally, there is the “ride with a cop” program whereby a citizen can ride with a police officer for one, two, or four hours of a shift. This helps to break down barriers. The police officer gets to know the citizen as an individual, and the citizen gets a chance to see that the police officer as a person. There are over 135 Community Watch chapters that allow just about every neighborhood resident in the city to interface with the Police Department and to work together to make neighborhoods safer to live in.

12. How can we improve public transportation in Huntsville?
Public transportation can be improved by having more people ride, and park their $4.00 dollar a gallon gas guzzling vehicle. Huntsville provides financial support to its Public Transit system, but it is cost-effective compared to other cities such as Birmingham, or Atlanta. The more that people ride the buses, the more routes, hours, and locations can be served. We are currently in the process of evaluating the Public Transit system for increased hours, and expanded routes. Citizen input is the cornerstone the planning process.

13. Some of the community thinks Huntsville is growing too fast for its own good; do you agree or disagree? Do you believe the current infrastructure keeps up or does it need to be expanded?
Huntsville has been growing at a fast rate the last few years. My masters degree in planning from Alabama A&M has helped me to be able to communicate with the Planning staff, and the administration concerning planning related techniques. Obviously traffic flow is a key component. If we do not stay ahead of traffic flow, we will get into gridlock similar to what Nashville has. Additionally, we need to think about new school locations for the school system; a new police precinct; new fire stations; expansion of sewer, water, gas, and electric; affordable housing; recreation; zoning; etc. There are numerous components that must all come together.

14. Huntsville median home prices and rents have grown ~40% since 2019. While Huntsville remains affordable compared to a national market, do you believe that current Huntsvillian’s are having trouble keeping up with more demanding housing & rent costs?
The percentage cost of housing has increased in just about everybody’s paycheck. Under Alabama law, the City of Huntsville, or any other municipality, does not have the authority to set rent controls. We need to work toward providing more workforce housing. This would include mixtures of affordable housing with market housing. Additionally, this needs to be spread out in different locations throughout the city instead of concentrated just within one area. We have a great city, and there should be housing opportunities for everyone. Affordable housing has been the primary topic of my last two monthly Town Meetings.

15. What steps would you take to help prospective home buyers more easily find and afford housing?
We can work with various agencies including the local realtors, the local Builders Association. City government can compile a community computer resource that can be part of the city website, and ensure that the Community Development Department is pursuing all federal grants that can provide assistance for those homebuyers, especially first time buyers.

16. What steps would you take to address Huntsville’s housing shortage?
Currently, we are providing funding assistance to the Huntsville Madison County Builders Association Builders’ Academy. This provides free training to those who want to learn a building trade, whether it is framing, electrical, plumbing, etc. The more available manpower we have the more housing can be constructed. An unemployed individual can go through the Academy, and can make a very good living within a short period of time.

17. Do you believe Huntsville has enough public and affordable housing?
There is a demand for additional affordable housing. Two specific steps: One is to provide land to those developers who will construct affordable housing. Two is the Choice Neighborhood Initiative (CNI) plan which is being used in the Lowe Mill neighborhood to combine affordable housing with current market housing, with mixed use development. Taking this concept, we can expand it to have similar developments throughout the city instead of everything being concentrated into one area.

18. Do you believe that Huntsville public and affordable housing stock is appropriately distributed among the 5 districts?
If you look at the public affordable housing, you will see that it is concentrated within the southwest, and north Huntsville areas.

19. What would you do to address homelessness in Huntsville if elected?
The homeless need to be treated with respect and compassion. We have numerous social service agencies that the city provides funding and assistance for. This includes WellStone mental health, First Stop, NAMI, etc. We need to utilize community resources people who have expertise in this area. In some cases both the Salvation Army and the rescue missions will allow those who had previously been banned to utilize their facilities. In some cases the Huntsville Housing Authority can provide assistance.

20. Do you believe Huntsville needs a “master plan” for addressing homelessness?
The Director of the Community Development Department is a compassionate person. He is a competent administrator. He has been working with various social service agencies in dealing with a very tough situation. With a total of $13 million in funding from the City, including grants, there should be enough funding to create solutions. Again, all homeless people should be treated with compassion. I do think that relocating them indoors out of the very hot, or winter time very cold elements is a compassionate thing to do. I think the importance of mental health services and counseling is an area that needs to be increased in the future. We need to have a well defined master plan publicized on the city website so that the public, and homeless advocates can see what the plan is, and where we’re going.

21. Do you believe Huntsville’s current development focuses on Governors Dr., downtown, HSV westward expansion, and general attractions (Orion amphitheater, Joe Davis Renovation, Trash Pandas, etc.) are the most beneficial uses of taxpayer funds? How do you believe these development projects affect your district directly?
Some of the developments that have taken place on Governors Drive and downtown have taken old blighted areas and improved them. Campus 805 sits where a vacant school building was. The StoveHouse sits where there was an abandoned stamping and stove factory. Joe Davis stadium is being renovated where it can be used for professional soccer and high school football, a positive move compared to being an old abandoned stadium. The Trash Pandas are out in the City of Madison, not Huntsville. I am a big advocate of taking what we have, and reusing it. I did not want to see the city golf course replaced with a cross country track. I thought with proper fencing, both could co-exist within a 500 acre John Hunt Park. The more money we are spending on road resurfacing, the better. So there is a mixture of old/new on how to spend the money which is one of the challenges that the City Council member must deal with.

22. What, if anything, would you seek to change within the Huntsville Police Department?
I think the current Police Chief adds stability to the police department. Like any city agency, the police department can always reevaluate and find ways to improve its citizens’ services. I would like to see a breaking down of barriers between the Police Department and the public. Members of the public can get involved in one of the 135 community watch chapters throughout the city. They can ride with a police officer on part of a shift. They can go through the Citizens Academy that the Police Department puts on every year. Some members of the public can serve on the Citizens Advisory Committee if appointed by the Mayor or a City Council member. The Police Department school resource officers help to break down barriers between school students and the police officer. Again, we need for all of us to pull together.

23. Who do you admire most in politics?
The person who I admire most in politics is not a big name person. It would be the state legislator who gets up at 4 o’clock in the morning to drive down to Montgomery for a committee meeting. It would be the member of the county commission or City Council who attends a late night meeting to help with a neighborhood problem or issue. The person I admire most in politics is the person who is under the radar, who is doing public service because he or she really cares about the people who he/she represents and works for. In other words I don’t want a press conference politician; I want the behind the scenes person who’s going to roll up his sleeves and go to work.

24. How would you vote in regards to allocating funding for private counsel for legal defense of city employees? Please explain your answer.
If employees do not feel that their city government is going to protect them or support them, then they will not be effective in doing their job. Why would they even want to be a city employee? Similar to the Darby situation, there was a Fire Department driver who killed someone while driving a fire truck on City time. City government had to pay a settlement on that situation. I hate it when these situations come up, and we all really care about the people who were injured or killed and their families. The issue is whether or not we are going to support our employees when unfortunate situations happen.

25. As Huntsville grows, how will you work to prioritize creating and growing small businesses?
Small businesses are the lifeblood of the city. We have worked with some innovative ideas to expand the numbers of small businesses that we have in the community. One example is the business incubator that we have at different locations throughout the city including an old school building located on Ninth Avenue, as well as another one on Jordan Lane. Downtown had seen small businesses open up when we created space within a parking garage on Clinton Avenue.

26. In your opinion, what are the greatest barriers to starting a small business in Huntsville?
The greatest barrier in starting a small business is the federal government‘s regulations and paperwork. The amount of time that a business owner has to spend complying with federal guidelines, reports, etc. cuts greatly in to the time that he can actually operate the business.

27. Given the recent Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade and the 2019 Alabama Human Life Protection Act, would you take any measures as a Councilperson to ensure Huntsvillians have access to medically necessary care?
This is an issue that is under the jurisdiction of the state legislature. The City Council/city government has no authority in this area.

28. Is there anything else you’d like to say to Huntsvillians?
The reason that I am running is because I truly care about people and about this city. The two most important things that I do are helping people who need help the most whether it’s dealing with city government bureaucracy, or a threatening neighbor. Additionally I’ve been very active in working with neighborhood associations, and city departments to help revitalize numerous neighborhoods throughout the district including Mayfair, Lowe Mill, Madison Heights, Merrimack, Holiday Homes, Triana Village, and others. Every citizen deserves a well-maintained and clean neighborhood to live in. I feel that my background as a former school board member, having a masters degree in Planning from Alabama A&M, and experience as a City Council member will help me to assist in our future for the City of Huntsville. If someone has a problem, I don’t care what district they live in, I’m glad to help. While I have been honored to have been reelected numerous times to the city Council, I still have energy and enthusiasm, and I’m eager to work for our future. With 20% of the City Council already leaving this year, we do not need to have 40% new members at this critical time in city government.

(1) billkling.org
(2) https://whnt.com/news/politics/your-local-election-headquarters/huntsville-city-council-dist-4-candidates-on-the-issues-facing-the-city-and-the-right-choice-for-voters/
(3) https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/councilmember/bill-kling/