Hoover council declares state of emergency, hiring and spending freezes

The Hoover City Council on Monday night voted 4-3 to declare a state of emergency and put a freeze on hiring, travel and conferences for city employees due to the expected drop in city tax revenues because of the new coronavirus.

The council also said it would not entertain any budget amendments that cost additional money from the general or capital funds and put a hold on all capital projects unless the city is already contractually obligated to pay for the projects.

Councilmen Gene Smith, John Lyda, Mike Shaw and Curt Posey voted in favor of the resolution, while Councilmen John Greene, Casey Middlebrooks and Derrick Murphy voted against it.

Murphy said he understood why council members are concerned about the state of finances but he thought the resolution went too far too soon.

Yes, some businesses are being affected negatively right now, but business cycles go in waves, Murphy said. Grocery stores have been doing great business, he said. Restaurant business will pick back up later, he said.

Also, the council already has other financial control over some of the things mentioned in the resolution, Murphy said. For example, the council must give final approval for contracts and for budget amendments, he said. If the council didn’t like a particular contract or proposed budget amendment, it could vote against it, he said.

Middlebrooks said the mayor already is being fiscally cautious and that the mayor and council need to do a better job of working as a team. “For me, this is a little rushed,” he said.

Smith said the council needs to send a message to the community that the council is being stringent with tax dollars.

Shaw said unusual changes in the economy require the council to do something. He noted that the Jefferson County Department of Health is prohibiting restaurants and bars from having in-person dining and drinking, with only delivery and curbside service allowed. Business revenues and city revenues are going to be affected, he said.

“This is not business as usual,” Shaw said. “The time is now. We’ve got to take some action.”

Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato thanked the council for their concern about the city’s financial state but said he already was tightening fiscal controls. Earlier in the day Monday, he signed an executive order, requiring that all travel be approved by his office and directing departments to cut out non-essential spending and limit overtime to only what is necessary to maintain public safety and welfare.

He advised the council not to show signs of panic or act rashly. He asked the council to allow him to exercise good judgment based on what his department heads have to say and said he was concerned that a hiring freeze might harm public safety.

“I don’t want to create any problems for us down the road,” he said. “We don’t want to have our hands tied in any way, shape, form or fashion.”

Police Chief Nick Derzis said his department has seven vacancies right now, and their hiring process is a long process. Fire Chief Clay Bentley said the Fire Department will have six people retiring in two to three months, and Hoover 9-1-1 Center Director Linda Moore said she has six vacancies right now.

City Administrator Allan Rice noted the city’s engineering staff has a critical need and said the city has only one of two payroll positions filled right now. If that person were to get sick, there would be a problem, he said.

Lyda said the council’s resolution allows the Human Resources Department to come to the council with any pressing concerns. Smith called a special meeting of the council for this Thursday at 6 p.m. to hear any current concerns.

Middlebrooks said he wants to assure city employees that there are no plans for city employees to be laid off or to lose pay.