Latest news with #KylePike
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Morgan County-Decatur Farmers Market grand reopening a success
DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) — The Morgan County-Decatur Farmers Market had its grand reopening on Monday. The celebration comes one year after controversy over temporary locations nearly threatened its future. Renovations coming to Toyota Field after Madison City Council decides on plan 'We're here today with a beautiful building that people are going to be proud of for another one hundred years,' said Ray Long, Morgan County Commission Chairman. It's a new beginning where the farmers market started on Second Avenue almost 45 years ago. 'We talk a lot about how every city does a quality of life, and this is certainly something that feeds into that,' said Decatur City Councilman Kyle Pike. As part of the updates to the market, they have a brand-new facility with outdoor cooling and heating vents, which will make shopping there great year-round. Plus, they'll now have space for up to 25 vendors. Huntsville City Schools to offer free meals to children during summer learning activities After complaints and threats of a vendor walkout, the Farmers Market board changed course, keeping the market in the temporary space on Second Avenue until the new market was completed. 'Anytime you build a new market somewhere where people frequent, it can cause a lot of issues logistically,' Pike explained. 'This site was special to a lot of people, and they wanted it to be here, and we wanted to keep it here in downtown Decatur.' Marilyn Champion of Champion Farms told News 19 that it's been a long road for her and her family. Her mother was the first vendor at the market in 1980. 'Glad to be here and see the old customers and making new customers and the support from the community,' Champion said. 'Thank you to everybody that anything to do with this new market going up. My mother would have really appreciated everything that was done.' The grand reopening is the first day as a vendor for Veronica Robinson and Equally 'I absolutely love being at the Decatur Morgan Farmers Market,' said Robinson. 'These folks are supporting local home-grown businesses and supporting the families behind those businesses.' For more information about the Farmers Market, you can visit its website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Three win small business awards at annual Chamber event in Decatur
May 15—Larry Little, Kyle Pike and Megan Schwindling were all winners of small business awards Wednesday from the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce. Little is the founder, CEO and executive coach for Eagle Consulting, which was established in 1999 and includes Eagle Counseling and Eagle Center for Leadership. He was named the Raymon Baker — John Cook — Ralph Jones Small Business Person of the Year. "Life is about relationships, and I believe business is about relationships," Little said. "I've devoted my life to studying relationships, to helping people grow stronger relationships personally and professionally. When I think about growing a business, it starts and stops with those relationships." Little is a seven-time author of relationship-based books that have reached over a million people. He leads a team of counselors, coaches and support staff who have a mission of making a difference in others' lives. Little has worked worldwide through his business. He is married to Melanie and has two children. The chamber held its annual Small Business Awards Celebration on Wednesday at the DoubleTree by Hilton Decatur Riverfront. The award recipients were chosen for their leadership, creativity and commitment to the local business community. Kyle Pike is the business development manager at Fite Building Co. and the Decatur City Council District 2 councilman. He was named the Arthur Orr Young Professional of the Year. Pike said he lives by three things: faith, family and community. "None of this is possible without having a strong faith and relying on the Lord and the blessings he gives us," he said. "Your family is the backbone of your support system. I'm fortunate enough to have a large family that will support me in a lot of things I do. Specifically, my time in office. And the community is where I spend a lot of my time, and I couldn't do that without the support of the first two." Pike previously served as president of the Decatur Jaycees and has held roles with the Decatur Kiwanis Club, One Decatur, and the Decatur Morgan Hospital Foundation. He is married to Patricia and has two children and is expecting a third. Maegan Schwindling has been the facilitator of the nonprofit Decatur Morgan CEO program, which started in 2019, for five years. The program mentors and assists young people in starting their own business. Schwindling was named the Lynn C. Fowler Nonprofit Professional of the Year. "I think the most important thing we can do as adults is invest in younger students and college students to ensure that they stay in Alabama and start businesses here in Decatur and Morgan County," she said. "We might have the valedictorian from Decatur Heritage (Christian Academy) with a student that hates school from another high school (in the CEO program). It's a weird mix of kids, but they all end up learning to work together. That, I think, is the most valuable thing we can give them, and how to model for them, is just how to work with people who are different from you." Schwindling started out in social work and later launched the North Alabama office of Lifeline Children's Services. In her work with the CEO Program, she has helped over 50 students start their own business, while connecting them with more than 60 local business mentors. There was a national documentary done on the program that showcased the program's success. Schwindling is married to TC and they have three children. — or 256-340-2460.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Second phase of Sixth Avenue streetscape project approved
Feb. 20—The Decatur City Council this week approved the second and most visible phase of the Sixth Avenue beautification project, which will begin this spring, and also upped the pay for the next mayor and council members. The City Council voted 2-1 to approve the $8.07 million contract with Grayson Carter & Son Contracting Inc. for the streetscape project at Monday's meeting. Councilmen Hunter Pepper and Kyle Pike were absent. The aim of the $10 million project is to beautify and improve the safety of the 1-mile stretch of Sixth Avenue between the Hudson Memorial Bridge and Prospect Drive Southeast at Delano Park. The project includes moving utilities underground, new sidewalks, landscaping and traffic signals. Cement barriers will be installed that would change traffic patterns and eliminate three left-turn lanes along the route. Moving utilities underground was the first phase, and Council President Jacob Ladner said the next phase would likely begin in April. The project is expected to take about 18 months, city Director of Development Dane Shaw said. Councilman Carlton McMasters said he supports the project, but pointed out his concern is they make sure the city can easily care for the planned landscaping. Councilman Billy Jackson voted against the resolution. He has been against the project since the beginning. A $7.15 million bond is funding most of the proposed project, with the remaining $918,901 being funded with a combination of a state grant and city funding. With the help of state Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, the city received a $640,000 Transportation Alternatives Program grant from the Alabama Department of Transportation to help with the project. — Election raises A unanimous City Council approved raises for the next mayor and City Council when their term starts in November. State law requires the council to set the pay for the council and mayor six months before the municipal election. The council approved increasing the mayor's salary by 7%, council president's pay by 32% and council members' pay by 31%. Mayor Tab Bowling, who is not seeking reelection, makes a $106,631 annual salary, with a $5,700 car allowance. The approved resolution raises the mayor's annual salary — including car allowance, which doesn't change — to $120,000. The council president's annual pay increases from $18,127 to $24,000, 20% of the mayor's salary. The rest of the council members' pay goes from $15,995 to $21,000. "The group just felt like we needed to approve the raises for various reasons," Ladner said. "One, there's a lot of work involved and trying to keep up with the requirements of the job. There's also the candidate pool. We want more candidates to come in and run for those positions. Maybe if there's more pay there, you get more and better-qualified candidates." Chief Financial Officer Kyle Demeester, who was absent Monday, presented the proposed ordinance change at a called meeting the council held last week. He said the increases put Decatur's city officials in line with other like-size cities in the state. Decatur's mayor and council salaries have not changed since 2012. The Gary Hammon-led council increased mayor and salaries by 3% and set these pay rates for a four-year term. Previous mayors and council members received 2% annual raises, beginning in 2008. However, these city leaders could and often did decline the raises as city finances struggled because of the recession that began in 2008. — or 256-340-2432
