Third Quarter 2025
Third Quarter 2025
Hello friends,
Hot enough for you? This has been an incredibly hot summer. Please stay cool and hydrated. Your City has been hard at work for you!
Happy Independance Day
Star Spangled Celebration at Dublin Park
Join the Madison community for its annual Star Spangled Celebration on Thursday, July 3, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Dublin Park (8324 Old Madison Pike). Hosted by the City of Madison Parks and Recreation Department, this event is free and open to the public.
This family-friendly celebration will feature live music, food trucks, children’s inflatables, and a fireworks display.
Parking and Shuttle Service
All event parking will be at Bob Jones High School (650 Hughes Road). A complimentary shuttle service will begin at 4:30 p.m. and run throughout the event.
Live Entertainment
Live performances will take place on Dublin Soccer Field One:
- 5 to 7p.m. – Calypso Vision will kick off the event with upbeat, high-energy music.
- 7 to 9 p.m. – Groove, a Huntsville based dance band, will headline with a mix of funk, R&B, soul, pop and party music.
Food and Family Activities
- Food trucks will be stationed in the lower parking lot from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Inflatable attractions for children will be set up on Dublin Soccer Field Two.
For more information, contact Madison Parks and Recreation at 256-772-9300.
Infrastructure Update
Infrastructure Projects on Track for August Completion
As summer progresses, so do several key infrastructure projects across the City of Madison – including the Mill Road stabilization effort and the new roundabout at Huntsville-Browns Ferry and Burgreen Road. Despite a rainy season, both projects remain on track for completion by August 1, in time for the start of the school year. Here are the details:
Mill Road Improvements
Progress is highly visible along Mill Road, where three segments of a new retaining wall system are taking shape to support long-term stability and accommodate roadway improvements:
- Wall 1 (West Segment): Fully completed and backfilled, this section extends up to the entrance of the Millstone subdivision.
- Wall 2 (Middle Segment): Roughly 80% complete, with remaining work focused around a water service line and final rows of block and backfill.
- Wall 3 (East Segment): Crews are currently wrapping up the foundation work while navigating around an existing sewer main.
Once all three walls are backfilled, contractors will proceed with repaving the road surface along with the multi-use trail that runs alongside Mill Road.
In addition, the Mill Road sidewalk extension project is nearing completion, offering a new pedestrian link from County Line Road to the Bradford Creek Greenway trailhead.
Huntsville-Browns Ferry & Burgreen Roundabout
Crews are also making significant headway at the intersection of Huntsville-Browns Ferry and Burgreen Road, where a new traffic roundabout is under construction.
- Storm drain structures are nearly finished, with final work wrapping up this week.
- Demolition and earthwork for the roundabout are already underway as the layout begins to take form.
Once complete, the roundabout will ease traffic flow, improve intersection safety, and better support the growing community along Madison’s western corridor.
The City of Madison appreciates your patience and cooperation during these important infrastructure improvements.
Contractor Storm Debris Disposal Reminder
Residents are reminded that contractors must dispose of storm debris from their contracted work. The City of Madison Public Works Department will continue collecting eligible residential debris placed curbside in accordance with existing guidelines .
Storm Debris Clean Up Continues
A New Trail for Madison
Madison Recreation Advisory Board Use
June 25, 2025
Madison Greenways & Trails
• Partnering with the city of Madison and serving on its Recreation Advisory Board since 2004
• Key stakeholder in the development of Bradford Creek Greenway and Rainbow Mountain Preserve
• Run by a five-member board, two dozen active committee volunteers, and a membership of ~150. Our newsletter distribution is ~400.
• Hosts quarterly library nature education talks, which average 65 attendees • Leads a half-dozen local guided hikes each year with the Land Trust of North Alabama (March 9: “Over the Rainbow” hike – full with 20 hikers) • Exhibits at several educational and festival events each year, including the Madison Street Festival, Newcomers Fair, Volunteer Fair, Earth Day Celebration • State community services grant for $4,000 for nature education with our partner, the Madison Public Library.
• Hidden Treasures of Madison Walking, Hiking, and Biking Promotion grant for $1,200 from Madison Visionary Partners
• A trailcare partner of the Land Trust of North Alabama
• City allocates $12,000 annually to the Land Trust to maintain Rainbow Mountain Preserve and support area preserve and trail planning
• MG&T works closely with Land Trust
Our Most Recent Trail Build
• In 2023-2024, we built the Rainbolt Trail in Rainbow Mountain Preserve
• City, MG&T and Land Trust joint effort
• First new natural/dirt trail in our city in over 10 years • Over 700 hours of labor in first 18 months, 30+ volunteers • Work continues with the Land Trust to rehabilitate the 3.5 miles of legacy trails
• Over 200 hours of additional labor to date biweekly with a small crew, much step building/rock work
• Impact
• The 0.5-mile trail provides a new access to the preserve from Eastview Drive area
• New trailhead parking reduces parking problem at the top, parking lots overflow every weekend in spring/fall
• Allows hundreds of area homeowners to walk into the park without driving to the top of the mountain
Trail Builds
Renovations, Step Building – Spring Trail
– Wild Trail
New Rainbolt Trail
Rainbow Mountain Preserve Status
• Madison’s only nature preserve, only natural/dirt trails • Very heavily used, fully developed with 4 miles of trails • Saturday, March 1, 3 PM:
• 42 cars at the two Rainbow trailheads, overflowing the Stoneway parking lot.
• Easily 100 – 120 folks (and dogs) in the park during that hour • And it’s not peak spring hiking season
• Nearby greenspace is so important to our community’s health, property values, and quality of life.
• We need a new local preserve and new trails in another part of the city: “Mill Creek Preserve”
A New Trail in Mill Creek Preserve
• Madison On Track 2045 Comprehensive Plan
• Low impact development of natural areas, low cost to the city • Identifies two major undeveloped city properties as new preserves
• Madison Quarry – A wonderful 100+ acre property, but requires master plan, Madison Utilities agreement, so no near-term development
• Mill Creek / Betts Springs – surveyed by MG&T/Land Trust in 2024 • Ready for trail development
• Proposing a new trail in northwest section of Mill Creek • Easy 0.5-mile trail, family friendly, a wooded hilltop
• Partner with Madison History Association
• Adjacent to, compliments historic Gray Cemetery being restored • Working name: “Old Providence” Trail
• Providence was the name of the 200-year-old settlement
• Trail plan developed with Land Trust support
• Trail plan with the Mayor’s office (Steve), Planning Dept (Mary Beth), Maura, and Rec Dept. (Kory, Kelly, RAB).
• June 28 start date – part of MVP Madison Big Day of Service
Balch
Storage
Balch Road
Entrance – Service
Road
“Old Providence” Trail
Historic Gray Cemetery Providence Church Location
Chelsea Park Row
Historic Gray Cemetery
Mill Creek Area Map
Central Betts Springs area is wetlands, includes
Madison Utilities property, problematic
Southern section of future greenway is narrow,
in floodplain, requires further study
Northwest/northeast sections are ideal for near
term trail development, on city/LT prop.
Historic Gray Cemetery
“A Vintage Vignette: William and Eleanor Gray” by John P. Rankin Madison County Record – April 18, 2007
“As either the bravest or the most foolhardy of men that I have researched, William Gray stands out among the pioneers of the Madison area. While he was a soldier from Virginia during the American Revolutionary War, that is not the reason for the prior statement.
His most outstanding act was to get his wife, Eleanor Wardrobe Gray, sister of Lord Wardrobe of Scotland, to move with him onto Indian lands.
He convinced a woman who had been raised in the castles of Europe to live in the American frontier of the early 1800s, with no “modern” conveniences or access to fine stores and society. No doubt Eleanor lived out her married life with little ability to stay in touch with her family back in Scotland, much less to have access to the creature comforts.”
“… the family cemetery became the burying ground for the Providence Cumberland Presbyterian Church that bought the 5 acres containing the cemetery from [son] David in 1838.”
Mill Creek Preserve
Long-Term Plans
Historic Gray Cemetery
New Trail – “Old
Providence” Trail
Land Trust/ MG&T – Mill Creek Area Trails Concept
Future Greenway –
OnTrack 2045 master plan – paved/natural
Future Greenway –
OnTrack 2045 master plan – natural trail?
Mill Creek Greenway –Existing Spotted Fawn Trailhead
Madison on Track 2045 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 8 – Connecting Place: Madison’s Mobility Network Figure 8.17 Existing and Proposed Multimodal Facilities
Mill Creek / Betts Spring Area
APPENDIX
Mill Creek Watershed Property Map Annotated
• //
Mill Creek – Betts Spring Area Land Trust Jan 2025 Trails Concept
LT Mill Creek Trails Concept 2010
It’s Election Season!
The Madison Municipal Election will be on Tuesday, August 26th. Our Communications Department (with a special shoutout to Deidre Brisco!) has compiled a fabulous wealth of information here Elections.
I am very thankful and blessed to be unoopsed this term. I think this is a reflection on the hard work we have done since 2016 and the information that we have provided. Even though I don’t have an opponent I still plan to walk my district this fall. So if you have voted in either the Municipal Election in 2016 or 2020 or either of our special elections I look forard to seeing you!
There will be three forums where you can meet the candidates. The first was held on Thursday, July 190th. This was cohosted by the Madison Chamber of Commerce and All Things Madison. It was a fabulous event with over 175 attendees! You can read our bios and comments that we made here: go-vote/
The next event will be on Tuesday, August 12 (my birthday!) and it will be held at 6:30 at Movement Church, 1469 Browns Ferry Road just west of our new Community Center. It is sponsored by the Republican Women of Madison. This is their Facebook page: RepublicanWomenofMadisonAL & this is their website: rwmadison.
The last event will be held on Tuesday, August 19 at 6:15 qt Madison City Hall. It is sponsored by I Vote Madison, The League of Women Voters of Tennessee Valley, and the Greater Huntsville Chapter of 100 Black Women. Information will be posted at these sites: ivotemadison, tennesseevalleyal.lwv. and ncbw.
Please mark your calendar and plan to attend. I look forward to seeing you there!
Mayor Finley’s Updates
Happy Friday,
As many of you have noticed I have not done a weekly message in a while. I will most likely pick up where I left off after the municipal election…..
With that said I wanted to make sure I high lighted a couple of events that have occurred during that time.
- Our Star-Spangled July 4th celebration was a huge success. The weather was awesome, and our Recreation team simply knocked it out of the park. And we are not about to forget Public Works, Madison Fire and Rescue, our Madison Police, and the numerous volunteers who helped our community with a patriotic celebration. Our office has heard nothing but happiness and positive feedback…..THANK YOU!
- Along the same lines our city is recovering from a F-2 tornado that went completely across our city from west to east. A lot of damage…..absolutely. Could it have been worse…..oh my gosh yes. When bad things happen, good people gravitate to help. Out community immediately jumped into action with full support and leadership from Public Works, Madison Police, and Madison Fire and Rescue. Recreation and Facilities Management had a lot to take care of too. Now, code enforcement, building, and inspections start to get busy with remodels and fix up. Again, our job is to support and guide our community through times like this, and I am proud each of your departments has been prepared.
I know many, many more activities, events, and successes have occurred during this time, and I thank each of you for your efforts.
Madison, Alabama is an incredible city, and our City of Madison team is a big, big reason why.
Hope everyone has a great weekend.
Proud to be your Mayor
Respectfully,
Mayor Finley
September 21st to 28th
City of Madison Team,
Now that all elections are over, I wanted to go ahead and restart my weekly message. Here are a few of the highlights from last week.
- Council passed our FY2026 budget. Thanks to Roger Bellomy in Finance and Connie Spears as Finance Chair for their many hours getting it ready.
- Council also passed our updated Fund 38 project list, adding projects including our City Hall renovation, and fully funding the Bradley Street project, Phase 1 of the Royal Drive extension off County Line, and the Hughes Road/Old Madison Pike interchange improvements.
- Our Court team opened 77 cases, closed 67 cases, and issued 37 warrants.
- Madison Fire and Rescue responded to 145 incidents, 111 of which were EMS-related.
- Our Building team shared that they created 247 permits, issued 121 permits, and the inspection division performed 347 inspections.
- Code Enforcement created 41 new cases and removed 40 signs from the right of way.
- Madison Police responded to 930 calls for service, made 28 arrests, issued 29 citations, and gave 47 warnings.
- MPD held its first wellness family night at the Public Safety Annex. Multiple officers and their families were in attendance.
- Our Public Works team has completed the additional parking lot at the Community Center and connected the walking path from the Community Center to the Bradford Creek Greenway.
- Sunshine Oaks hosted a disc golf tournament on Saturday, September 27, 2025.
- We will start our 4th Civic Awareness Academy this week with another full class. 5 of our 7 incoming City Council members attended one of the classes.
- The Parks and Recreation app had 93 new downloads this week. There have been 4844 total downloads to date.
- Youth basketball already has a waitlist for some age groups due to a lack of coaches. Staff is in the process of recruiting additional coaches.
- Revenue shared that sales tax collected in August 2025 decreased by 2.9% compared to August 2024. The year-to-date collections have decreased by 3.67% compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year.
- Congratulations are in order, Garrett Gillott from IT, who has earned a bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity from WGU…..Congratulations Garrett.
- Our Madison Chamber of Commerce held its official ribbon cutting for its new building on Hughes Road.
- Madison County was named the 7th best County to live in the United States by Niche……pretty solid!
I am excited to get back into sharing all the good things you guys do for our community and employees. Madison truly is an incredible place to live, and I am so thankful to be on the City of Madison team leading the way. Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!
Sincerely,
Mayor Finley
Should I continue to publish this blog?
I haave prided myself on communication via my Facebook page and engagement on Next Door (not a favorite tbh). Sadly, I have been told by Mayor Finley that he is not going to publish his semi monthly reports anymore. He told me that I was the only one that read them! This makes me a bit curious. If you are reading this message and want to see me continue to provide information, please shoot a text to 256.337.2408 with your name and District number. If you aren’t sure which District is yours please click here: CouncilDistrict Map.
If there is a reasonable amount of demand I will continue to publish this quarterly blog.As you can imagine it is quite time intensive. I never receive any feedback so I am not sure if anyone is reading this? You may just be following me on Facebook? MauraforDistrict1. If you are uncomfortable sending me a text then please send me a Facebook message. If I get at least ten people responding by the Municipal election on August 26th that they read my blog and find it valuable I will continue to publish.
In Closing
As always, I will be updating this blog every couple of weeks. Please check back during the the second quarter of 2024 for new information. You can also provide your email address in the box below for a subscription and be notified when the blog is updated I can be reached at Email Maura or 256.337.2408. Thank you again for your continued support!