Birmingham City Council Regular Meeting – November 19, 2024
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Birmingham City Council Regular Meeting – November 19, 2024
The Birmingham City Council met on November 19, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, following a pre-council meeting that was canceled due to lack of a quorum. The meeting was called to order with an invocation by Major Robert Lyle of The Salvation Army and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Councilor Valerie Abbott. Mayor Randall Woodfin presented announcements on the Safe Haven program and the city’s holiday tree lighting. The Council adopted a large consent agenda with several modifications, approved two removed items after discussion, set public hearings for two zoning changes, confirmed appointments to boards, and entered an executive session. The meeting adjourned at 11:14 a.m. (Councilmember Clarke was absent; all votes were 8-0 unless noted).
Consent Calendar
- Items 1 & 2: Resolutions authorizing abatement of nuisances (weeds) on 236 properties (Item 1) and 286 properties (Item 2), with costs assessed as liens. Item 1 was amended by withdrawing property #220 (710 New Hill Circle) after a citizen requested removal; the administration withdrew that parcel. The rest of Item 1 and all of Item 2 were approved as part of the consent agenda.
- Items 3 & 6-15 & 18-30: Routine resolutions including an agreement with Help 2 Others Foundation ($2,000 for water/sewer/plumbing assistance); a settlement with Root Insurance Co. ($25,000); joining the Target opioid settlement; settlement with USAA ($16,811.34); settlement in Vincent vs. Jones ($65,000); condemnation for Hooper City Phase V street improvements ($12,083); acceptance of construction bids for Montclair Road Drainage ($188,485), Germania Park Upgrades ($234,685), Wiggins Park Renovations ($452,798), Willow Wood Recreation Center Renovations ($227,485), Hagood Drainage ($337,243.50), and BRT & District 3 Sidewalk Improvements ($1,464,935.25 and $115,616 – see discussion); purchase of mattresses, tractor parts, fire truck repairs, LED lights, landscape trucks, and payment of solid waste fees ($40,000); and approval of numerous employee expense and advance accounts.
- Items 4 & 5: Withdrawn by the administration. These agreements with Daniel Payne Legacy Village Foundation (community health store and meal subscription service) were pulled entirely.
Public Comments & Testimony
- A citizen, Delouis L. Brown, addressed the Council regarding property at 710 New Hill Circle (Item 1, property #220), expressing fear and requesting removal. The administration withdrew that specific property from the resolution, and the citizen did not further speak.
Discussion Items
- Items 16 & 17 (removed from consent): Councilor Abbott questioned the scope of the BRT and District 3 sidewalk improvements. Denise Bell, Director of Capital Projects, explained that Item 16 combines remaining BRT route repairs with District 3 sidewalks along 6th Avenue South, Long Avenue, and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Item 17 was corrected to be for Lewis Park Renovations (District 5), not District 3 sidewalks. After clarification, both items were approved 8-0.
- Item 31 (ZAC2024-00001): First reading of a resolution setting a public hearing for January 7, 2025, to rezone 2510 & 2530 Balco Road from D-3 Single Family to QI-1 Qualified Light Manufacturing. Approved 8-0.
- Item 32 (ZAC2024-00008): First reading of a resolution setting a public hearing for January 7, 2025, to rezone 1000 Avenue W from R-3 Single Family to QD-4 Qualified Medium Density Residential. Approved 8-0.
- Item 33: Confirmation of six appointments to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Board (Ryan K. Faught term to 2025; Dr. Melvin L. Love, Alesia M. Jones, Zhaundra Jones, Maria Underwood, Dr. Monique G. Witherspoon terms to 2027). Approved 8-0.
- Item 34: Appointment of three members to the Private Educational Building Authority for Birmingham Southern College (Brandon M. Cleveland to 2025, Sonja Q. Smith to 2027, Camille Spratling to 2029). Approved 8-0.
- Item 35: Notice of final judgment in Edwin Jones vs. City of Birmingham for $387,443.24 (including attorney fees and interest), to be satisfied from General Ledger account 001-028-01600-534-013. No vote required; filed as information.
- Executive Session: The Council voted 8-0 to enter executive session at 10:11 a.m. to discuss legal ramifications of potential litigation per Alabama Code § 36-25A-7(3). The meeting reconvened at 10:58 a.m. Councilor Moore arrived during the session. Councilor Woods was absent upon return.
Key Outcomes
- All consent agenda items (as modified) were adopted by an 8-0 vote (unanimous).
- Items 16 and 17 (BRT/District 3 sidewalk improvements and Lewis Park Renovations) were approved 8-0 after separate votes.
- Two zoning public hearings were set for January 7, 2025, 9:30 a.m. (Items 31 and 32).
- Six appointments to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Board and three to the Private Educational Building Authority were confirmed unanimously.
- The Council entered and completed an executive session from 10:11 a.m. to 10:58 a.m.
- The meeting adjourned at 11:14 a.m.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning, Birmingham. This is the regular meeting of the Birmingham City Council. Today is Tuesday, November 19th. This morning, our invitation will be delivered by Major Robert Lyle of the Greater Birmingham area. He's the Greater Birmingham Area Commander for the Salvation Army of Greater Birmingham. And our Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Councillor Valerie Abbott. If you're willing and able, please stand. Good morning, let us pray. Father, it's not in the elephant or the donkey, but it's in the lamb that I present this prayer. I pray, Lord, that we will continue to be the vessels that you would use to change this wonderful community. Father, we thank you for every man and woman that's in this room, everyone that's holding a post of leadership. We pray for an anointing upon them, Father, because we live in one of the greatest cities. We serve some of the greatest people, and there's one of the greatest needs that is here. So, Father, teach each of us to be good stewards of the time and the positions that you place us. Lord, we pray from the mayor through the city council. We thank you, Lord, for the uh law enforcement, the fire department, the medical technology that we have in this great city. Father, we pray for the schools. We pray for the teachers who are underserved quite often and underappreciated. Father, we thank you for those teachers who will go in and take on a classroom where there's not much respect. Because Father, they know that there could be one diamond in the rough that's in that class. So, Father, we thank you for all that we have. We thank you for this great country that we live in. We thank you for the freedoms that we have for every veteran who has served and is even now serving, Father. We thank you for that. We thank you, Lord, that at the end of this day we will know that you've given us these 24 hours to be the best we can for your glory. So, Father, your psalmist declares that it's better as one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere. And Father, we also know that from your word we find this, that the words of your mouth, our mouth, and the meditation of our heart be acceptable in your sight, oh Lord, you are our strength and our redeemer. Amen. Through the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Councilmember Abbott. Councilmember Clark. Councilmember Moore. Good morning. Councilmember Smithman. Good morning. Good morning. Councilmember Tate. Councilmember Williams. Good morning. Good morning. Councilmember Woodson. Good morning. Council President Pokemon Alexander. Good morning, President. Good morning. Council President O'Quinn. Good morning. Council, the minutes for the September 3rd, 2024 through November 12th, 2024 meetings are not ready. This time we'll have communications from Mayor Woodfin. It's good to see everybody.
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