PIEDMONT — The Piedmont City Council approved the city’s 2027 budget totaling $17,468,678.75 during its Sept. 15 meeting, with city officials reporting that departments faced spending reductions as the city worked to balance expenses with available revenue.
Mayor Kevin Farmer said all city departments saw cuts in the new budget, with some also experiencing staff reductions. Farmer said he continues to look for additional revenue opportunities that would not place an added financial burden on residents. Other council members expressed similar concerns about balancing city needs with the impact on taxpayers.
In other financial business, the council authorized an application for an Appalachian Regional Commission grant to help repair 25 inoperable water hydrants throughout the city.
The estimated cost of the repairs is approximately $200,000, with the grant requiring a 50% match from the city. Farmer noted that the hydrants would need to be repaired regardless of whether the city receives grant funding, making the potential assistance an opportunity to reduce Piedmont’s share of the total expense.
The council also discussed a request from the Airport Authority for $20,000 in appropriations. Piedmont’s newly approved budget currently includes $10,000, the same amount the city provided last year.
Councilman Matt Rogers questioned whether increasing the city’s contribution would provide sufficient benefit to justify the additional expense. No final decision was made, and the matter is expected to return to the council at a future meeting.
Council members also received monthly reports from several city departments and agencies.
Police Chief Nathan Johnson reported that the Piedmont Police Department made 27 arrests during August, resulting in five felony charges and 32 misdemeanor charges. Officers issued 38 traffic citations, responded to eight traffic accidents and filed 73 reports while handling 318 calls.
Municipal court collections totaled $10,873 for the month, with $3,830.50 retained by the city of Piedmont.
Fire Chief Todd Kirkland reported that the Piedmont Fire Department responded to 91 incidents during the month. Of those, 56 were medical calls and 22 were categorized as public service calls. The department also responded to six hazardous situations, four fires and three non-emergency incidents.
Farmer reported that the city was involved in 46 total abatement cases, including 23 new cases.
Pat Brown, director of the Piedmont Rescue Squad, also told council members that the agency is exploring an Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs grant that could provide just under $400,000 to help subsidize the department.
