Yet another debate highlighted a busy night for the Huntsville City Council.

The docket for last Thursday’s meeting included discussions on the validity of Mayor Battle’s Sustainability Commission appointments, as well as key highlights from the Project Share program and the Huntsville Museum of Art.

Sustainability Commission quarrel

District Five Councilmember John Meredith noted concern from his constituents as the nomination of Sustainability Commission members was on a previous Huntsville City Council agenda, but was ultimately pulled, which led to the appointment of said members directly by Huntsville Mayor Battle. Meredith said he was concerned to hear that Mayor Battle appointed 11 members for multi-year terms without council input and asked to hear a legal foundation for doing so.

The Council explained that they opted for a Mayoral appointment and chose members based on a consultation with Marie Bostick of the North Alabama Land Trust and were able to appoint 6 department heads as Sustainability Commission members. Certain members of the Huntsville Council were optimistic that the method used for appointing members was ideal given all of the factors and departments involved in sustainability efforts.

Meredith said that this response did not include a legal foundation as he’d hoped, but he planned to address that again with him at a later time.

Project Share shines through another Holiday Season

Mayor Battle acknowledged the importance of Project Share, a partnership between Huntsville Utilities and the Salvation Army, that collects donations to help qualified residents with low and fixed incomes pay their electric bills when costs associated with cooling and heating their homes become overwhelming.

“We appreciate Huntsville Utilities stepping up to do this to make sure that everybody has a chance to have power through these cold times, through these warm times, and at all times. Thank you so much for what y’all do,” said Mayor Battle.

Project Share has been serving the community since its inception in December 1988.

Upcoming Museum of Art exhibits and events

A presentation from Laura Smith, Director of Education of the Huntsville Museum of Art, drew attention to upcoming museum exhibits and activities. “Age of Armor Treasures” from the Higgins Armory Collection and Ginny Ruffner’s “Reforestation of the Imagination” will be available for viewing until January 14 and February 18, respectively.

Upcoming exhibits and programs are to include “American Made: Paintings and Sculptures” from the DeMell Jacobsen Collection featuring 200 years of American art opening in March, the annual celebrations of Youth Art Month and Voices of Our Time Speakers on February 1, April 18, and June 20.

Smith also recognized the museum’s three most important annual fundraisers: the Gala, Guild, and Skating in the Park. Smith also thanked the public for their support of Huntsville Museum of Art, which got Best of Alabama in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019.

“I’d like to thank the members of the city council, Mayor Battle, and residents of Huntsville for helping to thrive in enriching our quality of life in Huntsville and all of our programs and exhibitions at the Huntsville Museum of Art,” she said.

She also thanked District Four Councilmember Bill Kling for contributing a portion of his discretionary fund to allow the museum to acquire more pieces for its permanent collection.

For more information or to tune into the next City Council meeting, please visit www.huntsvilleal.gov/government/city-council.