FY 2026 Budget: A Focus on Citywide Upgrades and Increased Fire Department Staffing

On Monday, September 22, 2025, the City Council for the City of Pell City officially approved the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, which will make improvements across the City with a special emphasis on public safety.

The approved plan includes a significant increase in Pell City Fire Department staffing, adding three new Firefighter-Medic positions, as well as additional Captain and Lieutenant positions, adding approximately $228,000 to the Fire Department personnel budget.

“We’re adding critical front-line positions that will provide a direct impact on the safety of our community and residents,” Pell City Fire Chief Tim Kurzejeski said. “This is a vital investment in the priority we place on public safety and providing the best fire and EMS services possible.”

Overall, new and reclassified positions across the City represent an increase in personnel spending by more than $700,000 for FY 2026.

Breakdown of Spending

The approved budget for the upcoming fiscal year forecasts total General Fund revenues of $39.3 million, with projected expenditures of $34.8 million. This conservative spending outlook is meant to ensure ample funding for capital investments and project implementation.

Here’s a look at the estimated total costs for some departments:

  • Fire: $5.8M
  • Police: $6.8M
  • Parks & Recreation: $4M
  • Street: $2.9M
  • Utilities: $4.9M

The budget also includes the following:

  • Funding for 9 new positions
  • The City’s absorption of a 4.75% increase in employee health insurance premiums
  • A Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) of 3% for eligible personnel
  • Appropriations funding for nonprofit partners, including $6M to the Pell City School System and more than $200,000 to other local organizations

Council member Jay Jenkins highlighted the importance of the City’s investment in personnel, stating, “Our city’s most important asset is our employees. They are the backbone of our community, and it’s our responsibility to ensure we are investing in them.”

City’s Financial Health

Despite ongoing capital projects, the City’s reserve fund remains significantly above the 2023 baseline. The approved budget forecasts that revenue will exceed expenditures by more than $4.4 million in the upcoming fiscal year.

As has been the case in previous years, this revenue surplus is allocated to the City’s Capital Projects Fund. This Fund most recently allowed for property purchases and construction projects, including the new Pell City Police Station and Pell City Fire Station No. 2, without the City taking on additional debt.

As such, the FY 2026 Budget projects an 11th consecutive year of growth for the City’s General Fund Balance.

“This budget demonstrates the City’s focus on improving the level of service to our citizens, balancing the long-term fiscal health of the City with immediate needs,” City Manager Brian Muenger said.

Pell City Police announce 2025 Public Safety Night

Pell City Police Department is excited to invite the community to its annual Public Safety Night. This event is designed to provide residents with valuable safety education, foster positive relationships with first responders, and offer a fun-filled evening for the whole family.

The event will be held in the Martin’s Family Clothing parking lot at 813 Martin Street S. on Tuesday, October 28 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

The primary goal of Public Safety Night is to educate the City’s residents about important safety topics such as home safety, fire prevention, and emergency preparedness. First responders will be on hand to provide demonstrations, answer questions, and offer tips on how to stay safe.

“Public Safety Night is a special event that brings our community together to celebrate the hard work and dedication of our first responders,” Pell City Police Chief Clay Morris said. “It’s a chance for all of us to show our appreciation for the men and women who risk their lives every day to keep us safe.”

In addition to safety education, the event will feature a variety of activities for all ages. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore first responder vehicles, enjoy free food and games, and participate in a trunk or treat.

“I encourage everyone to come out and join us for this event,” Morris said. “Let’s show our support, build stronger relationships, and create a safer, more connected community.”

EVENT LOCATION

Goodgame Company Enters Low Bid for City’s New Fire Station on US 231

The City of Pell City is relocating Pell City Fire Department’s Fire Station #2 from adjacent to the Pell City Civic Center to a freestanding location on US 231. The new fire station will be constructed on the vacant lot north of the Celebrations event center.

The move comes in anticipation of future growth around Lake Logan Martin and US 231, providing an enhanced location to reduce emergency response times.  

A 3D rendering by CMH Architects of Birmingham of the new PCFD Fire Station #2

The new Fire Station #2 was designed by CMH Architects of Birmingham. On Monday, December 23, 2024, the City Council for the City of Pell City approved the contract for the construction of the project to Goodgame Company of Pell City, which submitted a low bid of $8,277,500.

The City received six bids for the construction of the station.  City Manager Brian Muenger said the bid process was extremely competitive, with less than a 6 percent differential in cost between the lowest four bids submitted, and that each of those four bids was below the City’s pre-bid estimate.

“We are very comfortable with the level of competition, and the project came in substantially under budget,” said Blake Nelson, Senior Vice President of CMH Architects. “We have worked with Goodgame Co. on a number of projects, and we are very confident in their ability to deliver to the required scope.”

Bids opened on December 17, 2024
  • Goodgame Co. – $8.28 million (Certified Low Bid)
  • Kyser Construction – $8.44 million
  • Dominguez Design-Build Inc. – $8.71 million
  • Greer Building Contractors – $8.74 million
  • Wayne Davis Construction – $10.5 million
  • Mike Morgan Industrial, LLC – 10.54 million

The competitively bid portion of the project also includes a contingency of $200,000.00, which can be tapped into for unforeseen items that arise during construction.

Outfitting the new station with equipment and furniture will cost approximately $318,000, bringing the estimated total project cost to $8,595,500.

Construction of the 16,600-square-foot facility is expected to begin on or around February 1, 2025. Construction is anticipated to take 16 months, placing place the date of completion on or around May 1, 2026.

“This is pretty exciting for Pell City Fire Department,” Pell City Fire Chief Tim Kurzejeski said. “This is a project we’ve been working on for two to three years, and it’s a huge part of where we’re headed as a department and as a community.”

A 3D rendering by CMH Architects of Birmingham of the new PCFD Fire Station #2

Investigation Underway after Devastating Pell City Plant Fire

Investigation is underway at the site of an industrial fire in Pell City that kept Pell City Fire Department (PCFD) crews mobilized for 26 continuous hours on July 30-31.

On Tuesday, July 30, at 6 p.m. PCFD responded to a report of smoke in the ventilation system at Royal Foods, located at 1904 16th Ave S. in Pell City. Crews arrived within minutes and found one of the company’s two plant facilities emitting heavy smoke.

Smoke poured from the roof of the original Royal Foods facility on June 30, 2024. Drone photography by Brian Muenger.

Pell City Fire Chief Tim Kurzejeski engaged the PCFD Special Operations Team, and on-duty staff entered the plant to attempt suppression efforts from within. Within 45 minutes, PCFD had 45 of the department’s 60 firefighters on site, but the crews were forced into defensive positions when the fire spread to inaccessible parts of the plant and compromised the roof structure.

Teams from Pell City Police Department, Pell City Street Department, and Pell City Utility Department were all called to the scene to provide critical support to the firefighting teams. With assistance from St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency, Kurzejeski requested mutual aid from regional partners. Six fire departments provided personnel and equipment to assist in containment and suppression efforts.

Photo courtesy of Jared Brannon

“The response to our request for assistance was unbelievable,” Kurzejeski said. “Our City departments were operating as a complete team alongside our partners who answered the call for aid.”

Throughout the 26-hour mobilization, PCFD and mutual aid partners used more than 3 million gallons of water to suppress the plant fire. Kurzejeski credited Utility Superintendent James Hadaway and his team for rising to meet the challenge of supplying the water without interruption.

He also thanked Street Department Director Greg Gossett and Pell City Police Chief Clay Morris for the constant support. Both teams led traffic control around the site. City Manager Brian Muenger, in conjunction with the Police Department, provided drone footage to help firefighters target hotspots, and the Street Department provided a constant supply of fuel and other resources to PCFD and their mutual aid partners.

“In Pell City, we operate as a unit,” Kurzejeski said. “During this operation you were able to see multiple departments and agencies come together without missing a beat, put their training into practice, and do everything they could to protect the structure, prevent injury, and contain the fire.”

The fire started in the plant’s original structure, a building Royal Foods moved into when it relocated to Pell City in 1992. Royal Foods’ staff were fully evacuated, and firefighters were able to contain the fire to the original facility. No injuries were caused by the fire, either to Royal Foods employees or to the suppression teams, and all other Royal Foods structures at the site were protected.

Kurzejeski and other City leaders remained in contact with Royal Foods throughout efforts to extinguish the fire, which resulted in a total loss of the structure. The company said in a statement issued July 31 that it intended to retain all 130 employees at the site, and that Royal Foods was looking forward with optimism.

As of this release, the site is still considered active and PCFD crews are continuing to monitor the plant for potential flare-ups. 19th Street is open to the public.

PCFD is investigating the cause of the fire with assistance from the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Photo courtesy of Jared Brannon

Mutual aid responders and contributing departments and agencies included:

  • Springville Fire Department
  • Odenville Fire Department
  • Leeds Fire Department
  • Lincoln Fire Department
  • Trussville Fire Department
  • New London Volunteer Fire Department
  • Pell City Police Department
  • Pell City Street Department
  • Pell City Water Department
  • St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office
  • St. Clair Emergency Management Agency
  • Alabama Power
  • Springville Community Emergency Response Team

“I’m thankful for the overwhelming support from our mutual aid partners,” Kurzejeski said. “I’d also like to thank the members of the Pell City Fire Department for their grit and commitment throughout the response. The moment we received the call, we hit the ground running and did not stop. If that jacket is on, we’re moving. I would not have expected anything less of our firefighters. They go above and beyond, give anything and everything, and always work to complete the task.”

Photo courtesy of Jared Brannon