City update highlights Hartselle’s growth, plans for future

Community members and local leaders filled the Burleson Fine Arts Center last week to attend and participate in a City Update hosted by city administration and the Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce.  

It was near standing room only as Mayor Randy Garrison spoke about recent and upcoming developments aimed at enhancing the city’s infrastructure and community resources. Garrison outlined a series of completed projects and exciting plans that he hopes will strengthen Hartselle’s foundation while ushering in a new era of growth and modern amenities. 

 Garrison said the purpose of the event was to share the plans with the community and to ensure residents of Hartselle have correct information.  

“So much of the information that’s shared, I say, especially on social media is often not true and is shared by people that are misinformed,” Garrison said. 

Topics covered during Garrisons presentation included a financial report and updates on the goings-on in each city department.  

Garrison said Hartselle’s financial standing remains robust. The city’s revenue for the 2023-24 fiscal year closed at $19.6 million, while spending was kept below budget, ending at $17.8 million. The bulk of that savings, Garrison said, will be carried over into 2024-25 for capital projects.  

Thanks to a steady growth in sales and use tax, which accounts for 60 percent of revenue, and increased alcohol tax revenues (now over $450,000), the city has budgeted $18.7 million for the 2024-25 fiscal year.  

Garrison noted the taxes spent on groceries, gas and at restaurants from people spending money Hartselle have been the most beneficial. Fifteen percent of alcohol tax revenue continues to go to Hartselle City Schools. 

Addressing inflation, Garrison pointed out the increased costs impacting city purchases. He noted that a standard pickup truck used by city departments now costs 65 percent more than it did in 2019. The city’s investment in emergency services has also been significant, with a new ladder truck for the fire department ordered at a cost of $2.1 million. Replacing a totaled fire pumper engine, lost in an accident that hospitalized two firefighters, required another $950,000. 

Among other recent and future projects, Garrison highlighted roadway improvements, acknowledging that while progress has been made, some streets within Hartselle’s 125 miles of roadways still need attention. More paving projects are scheduled for the coming months. 

The mayor also outlined plans for new municipal buildings, including a fire station on Highway 36 and a library and event center to be built on the site of the former Hartselle Medical Center on Sparkman Street. Garrison shared that the current library will be demolished to make way for additional downtown parking.  

Garrison also highlighted improvements in the city’s public works, noting new garbage trucks, updated street maintenance equipment and recent safety upgrades. Parks and Recreation has installed LED lighting at all athletic fields and added new features to Sparkman Park. In collaboration with ALDOT, the city is also improving traffic flow along Highway 31 and evaluating the potential for a third exit at Bethel Road. 

The newly established Engineering Department will lead the city’s infrastructure projects, including sidewalk improvements and traffic management. Recent projects include sidewalk replacements on Sparkman Streets to enhance handicap accessibility, a new pathway project along South Sparkman and a grant-funded shared pathway on Bethel Street to provide safe walking and biking routes near schools. 

Garrison said the department has completed Phase 1 of a traffic access management project on Highway 31, improving safety and facilitating retail development. Phase 2 will add a traffic light and merge Sparkman Street with Highway 31, with similar improvements planned for Vaughn Bridge Road. Further traffic signal and lighting upgrades are ongoing in partnership with ALDOT and plans to reduce congestion on Highway 36 include potential roundabouts near Interstate 65, projected to cost around $4 million. 

Other projects in early planning aim to streamline traffic flow at the intersection of highways 31 and 36. Garrison said the department continues to prioritize funding for lighting improvements, additional pathways and greenspaces throughout the city. 

The Department of Development, tasked with planning, business recruitment and nuisance management, recently completed a 20-Year Comprehensive Plan for Hartselle and aims to update its Strategic Plan. 

Notable developments include Circle K’s construction plans, the addition of Scooters and the future Five Below in the Crestwood Shopping Center and efforts to secure a hotel developer behind Cracker Barrel. The department remains committed to maintaining the historical character of downtown Hartselle and expanding the city cemetery on Lovelady Street. 

Garrison said the city experienced strong growth in 2023, issuing 626 building permits with a valuation of $42.4 million. To date in 2024, 530 permits have been issued, totaling $29.6 million, reflecting the city’s growing appeal and housing market. Residential developments like Cain Park, Magnolia Reserve and Fox Ridge continue to add hundreds of lots, meeting high demand as more families call Hartselle home.
 

A question-and-answer session followed the mayor’s presentation, with local business owners expressing concerns and hopes for Hartselle’s future. Darren Urban, who owns two businesses on Main Street, pointed out a recent downward trend of business closures and properties for sale.  

“My wife Christy and I love Hartselle, and I think we can all agree that downtown is the heart of any small community,” Urban said. “What are the city’s plans to recruit new businesses and make downtown better for everyone?” 

Garrison responded that the city is collaborating closely with the Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce (HACC) to address continued downtown revitalization. Chamber president Jasmine Sandefer announced that Hartselle has been invited to apply as a network partner with Innovate Alabama, a public-private partnership aimed at boosting entrepreneurship across the state.  

“We’re considering launching an incubator program to focus on talent, leadership and growth,” Sandefer shared, adding that if Hartselle’s application is accepted, up to $750,000 on the for both the chamber and the city could become available to fund initiatives downtown and further support the city’s growth. 

Environmental concerns also surfaced in the discussion, especially related to the ongoing development of land at Morgan Center Business Park. Some attendees voiced worries about the ecological impact of construction and expansion.  

The park, located along Interstate 65 at Exit 325, covers roughly 135 acres and was established in 2012. Currently, it houses one company, Cerrowire, which opened its second Hartselle plant in 2023. To attract more businesses, the Morgan County Economic Development Association (MCEDA) invested $1.2 million last year in constructing a 200,000-square-foot concrete pad in the park. 

Attendees raised concerns about endangered plant species native to the area, which they say are threatened by construction. “We don’t want to stop the development at all—we just want an environmentally-friendly approach to be taken,” local student Nellie Brookshire said.  

Garrison said the Tennessee Valley Authority conducted an environmental study in 2023 that found no endangered animals or plant species on the property.  

Kyle Lybarger, Hartselle native and conservationist criticized the study conducted by TVA calling it “embarrassingly incorrect.” Lybarger, who frequently works with developers on large-scale projects, had offered to assist Hartselle’s efforts for free.  

“I offered to bring in my seed harvester, collect and clean seeds from the endangered plants, and use them to reestablish the area after development was complete,” he said, adding that he had reached out to TVA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and MCEDA multiple times without receiving a response. “It’s not illegal to develop; it’s illegal to use federal funds to do it while destroying federally endangered and protected species,” Lybarger noted, stressing the potential for a more sustainable approach. 

Elizabeth Jackson shared her concerns from a faith-based perspective. “I’m Christian, and I believe we are to take care of our planet and environment—what God has created for us. We know better ways to build without destroying,” she said. “It would be very sad to see a special place disappear. I would really like to see something done about it.” 

In response, Garrison said he would pass along residents’ concerns to the MCEDA and TVA.  

The evening ended with Garrison expressing gratitude to the city’s partners—including the HACC, local schools and utilities—that he said enable Hartselle to “offer a quality of life that many can only dream about.”