Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills City Manager Jeff Downes speaks at a Homewood Chamber of Commerce luncheon in December 2022.
Vestavia Hills City Manager Jeff Downes plans to recommend a $116 million budget for fiscal 2025 to the Vestavia Hills City Council on Monday night, representing a 12% increase from the original 2024 budget.
The $116 million budget includes $73.2 million in planned expenditures from the city’s general fund, $23.6 million in spending on capital projects, $7.4 million for debt service, $7 million in spending from the community spaces fund and $4.8 million in spending from the special revenue fund.
The proposed $73.2 million general fund budget represents a 10% increase over the $66.4 million general fund budget for 2024 approved a year ago. It includes $15.2 million for the Police Department, $13.9 million for the Fire Department, $6.4 million for Parks and Leisure Services and $3.8 million for the Vestavia Hills Library In The Forest.
After Monday’s first reading of the budget proposal, it will remain in draft form and will be presented for public hearings and be subject to revisions by the City Council before the council votes on it.
Also on Monday, the council plans to consider changes to an incentive agreement concerning the development of Baumhower's Victory Grill and Dunkin' on U.S. 31 near Wald Park. At a later meeting this month, the council plans to consider salary increases for city employees and approval for spending the final 10% of the fiscal 2024 budget.
The Vestavia Hills City Council has its action meeting at 6 p.m. at Vestavia Hills City Hall at 1032 Montgomery Highway and typically has a work session at 5 p.m. See the full agenda and packet information, including more information about the proposed 2025 budget.
Editor's note: This story was updated at 9:26 p.m. to correct the percentage change increase from the overall 2024 budget. It is roughly a 12% increase.
