Council Member Michelle Watkins
Michelle Watkins is a proud native of Huntsville, deeply committed to her community and dedicated to giving every voice a platform. She believes that true leadership involves understanding the concerns of her neighbors and actively advocating for solutions that benefit all residents.
Michelle’s journey to the City Council is marked by perseverance and a lifelong dedication to making a difference. With eight years of experience on the Huntsville City School Board, she is eager to drive positive change within the district and beyond.
As a lifelong resident of Huntsville, Michelle graduated from James Oliver Johnson High School before pursuing higher education at Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, a Master’s in Secondary Education, and an Education Specialist Degree. Her commitment to leadership is further exemplified by her graduation from Leadership Huntsville Focus Class 27 and her certification as an Oracle Instructor.
Huntsville extends contract to develop MPO bike plan
May 8, 2025
Work continues on developing a bicycling plan for the Huntsville area as the City extended its contract with Alta Planning + Design. The extension restates the end date as Sept. 30, 2025. The City and Alta have worked together since December 2023 on constructing an enhanced bicycling plan for the Huntsville area as part of the Huntsville Metropolitan Planning Organization. The project collected extensive input from bicycling enthusiasts last year through public [more]
Read MoreTraffic engineers seek safety and consistency in speed limit changes
May 8, 2025
A section of Balch Road, between Balch Road/US Hwy. 72 to Capshaw Road, dropped from 45 to 40 miles per hour (MPH). This matches the speed limit along other sections of Balch Road under Madison County jurisdiction. At the East-End of I-565 where the road continues as US Hwy. 72, the City requested the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) adjust the speed limit to 55 MPH along the controlled access road [more]
Read MoreHuntsville moves to protect established residential neighborhoods
April 24, 2025
The City of Huntsville has changed the zoning in certain neighborhoods from Resident 2A (R2A) to Residence 2 (R2) to help protect these long-established, single-family neighborhoods. This change means new multi-family housing (like apartments) can no longer be built in these designated areas that are already fully developed with single-family homes. “We’ve seen more attempts to turn traditional neighborhoods into multi-family housing,” said Thomas Nunez, Huntsville’s Manager of Planning Services. “That kind [more]
Read MoreCity invests $2.7 million to continue rental, utility assistance program
April 10, 2025
The City of Huntsville reaffirmed its commitment to affordable housing with a $2.7 million grant to Huntsville Housing Helps, a rental and utility assistance program serving residents in need. At its meeting Thursday, the Huntsville City Council approved a resolution to transfer $2.7 million in U.S. Treasury funds to the Catholic Center of Concern, which administers the Huntsville Housing Helps program. Launched in 2022, the initiative, created by the City of [more]
Read MoreCity of Huntsville approves $300,000 in grants to help most vulnerable residents
March 27, 2025
Nine local agencies serving Huntsville’s most vulnerable residents will receive about $300,000 in Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds from the City. The City approved nine resolutions authorizing Community Development to administer the grants from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA). Under the conditions of ADECA’s 2024 ESG Program, Huntsville Community Development Manager Scott Erwin said the City could only distribute funds to nonprofit organizations that provide services to the [more]
Read MoreSee More Posts: City Council Archive District 1 Archive