Birmingham City Council Regular Meeting - December 17, 2024

The Birmingham City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. in the Council Chambers. The meeting opened with an invocation by Rev. Ennis Gaddis Jr. and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Councilor Hunter Williams. Mayor Randall L. Woodfin and the Council recognized the A.H. Parker High School football team for winning the Class 6A state championship (28-17 over Saraland on December 6, 2024), presented a proclamation for Virtue Inc. Day (September 20, 2025), and welcomed the Phillips Academy middle school football champions. The consent agenda was approved with routine items and budget amendments. Key discussion items included mental health leave for police, interlocal agreements with federal agencies, a microtransit expansion grant, and a lease-purchase agreement for a fire/police facility. The meeting adjourned at 11:28 a.m.

Consent Calendar

• Approved 130 consent items, including:
  • Items 2–7: Declared six inoperable vehicles at 914 Buffalo St. as public nuisances.
  • Items 8–24: Fixed special assessments for weed abatement on numerous properties (costs ranging from $221.68 to $2,576.43).
  • Items 25–30: Budget amendments transferring and appropriating funds: $364,741.58 for opioid litigation settlement; $9,162 for Highland Park Golf HVAC repairs; $7,000 for library educational programs (donation); $49,999.92 for Alabama Workforce Stabilization; $20,239,066 for Recompete Grant; $596,434.34 for Birmingham Zoo tax rebate.
  • Items 35–36: ARPA subawards to Birmingham Board of Education: $277,500 for an on-site grocery store; $134,013.65 for athletic and after-school programs.
  • Items 37–45: BOLD Program agreements (12-month terms): Be Kind Birmingham ($86,350), Better Basics ($36,634.65), Breakthrough Birmingham ($81,342), Bundles of Hope Diaper Bank ($140,000), The Flourish Alabama ($150,000), Hispanic & Immigrant Center ($95,240), MedsPLUS Consulting ($116,495), Momentum Alumnae Program ($68,250), Step by Step Foundation ($68,000).
  • Items 46–51: Recompete Pilot subawards (through Sept. 30, 2029): BJCTA ($1,000,000), Ed Farm Operations ($213,471), Lawson State Community College ($2,295,757), Prosper Foundation ($5,549,945), YMCA ($888,793), Builders and Backers Studio ($59,500 for one year).
  • Items 52–53: ARPA funding: $200,000 for Sixteenth Street Baptist Church visitor/education center; $15,000 for Vulcan City Dental renovation.
  • Items 54–56: Agreements with Birmingham Police Athletic Teams ($150,000), Growing Kings ($50,000), Moe’s Original BBQ Lakeview ($155,288.03 including ARPA and sales tax rebate).
  • Item 57: Authorized joining the Publix opioid settlement.
  • Item 58: Approved 2025 Legislative Agenda (Glock switch ban, land bank reform, nuisance authority, opt-out from Jefferson County Personnel Board, housing trust fund, vacant property standards).
  • Items 59–93: Ordered demolition of 35 unsafe structures.
  • Items 94–101: Accepted bids for flooring, supplies, furniture at recreation centers, and police firearms/ammunition (multiple vendors, one-year terms).
  • Items 103–107: Approved payments for tarps, flooring, trucks, furniture ($541.80 to $613,612.00).
  • Items 108–112: Authorized refunds ($46,563.84) and approved expense accounts for officials and employees.
  • Items 113–130: Adopted FY2024-2025 budgets for multiple funds (General, Capital, Neighborhood Revitalization, etc.).
• Councilor Moore added that items 54 and 55 (Birmingham Police Athletic Teams and Growing Kings) are funded from District 4 dollars.
• Councilor Abbott requested a list of budget requests granted/denied by the administration; Mayor Woodfin committed to providing it.

Discussion Items

• Item 1 & Addendum 131: Liquor license transfer and dance permit for The G Spot (3912 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd N). Moved to defer two weeks after the city discovered delinquent taxes; council voted to delay to December 31, 2024.
• Item 31 (Ordinance): Authorized an interlocal agreement with Jefferson County for orthophotography and planimetric mapping services, three years, not to exceed $99,427.65. Passed unanimously.
• Item 32 (Ordinance): Added Section 2-4-17 establishing paid Mental Health Observance Leave for full-time classified Birmingham Police Department officers, corrections officers, and recruits. Accrual begins Jan. 1, 2025 (8 hours per month); maximum 16 hours per month; must be used within calendar year plus 31 days. Passed unanimously.
• Item 33 (Ordinance): Authorized three-year interlocal agreement with TSA for participation in the National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program. City provides certified canine teams; TSA provides training and reimbursement. Passed unanimously.
• Item 34 (Ordinance): Authorized three-year interlocal agreement with ICE for reimbursement of Birmingham Police Department resources provided to Homeland Security Investigations task forces. Councilor Abbott questioned whether officers would be involved in immigration enforcement; the city attorney confirmed the agreement excludes such activities. Passed unanimously.
• Item 46 (Resolution): Authorized a Recompete Pilot subaward to Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) up to $1,000,000 through Sept. 30, 2029, to consolidate and expand bus routes 23 and 40 and scale microtransit (Via) in North Birmingham and Pratt-Ensley. Councilor Williams expressed frustration that BJCTA is not allowing microtransit to cross municipal boundaries, creating barriers for commuters. Mayor Woodfin noted the issue can be raised at the BJCTA committee. Passed with Williams voting no.
• Item 85 (Resolution): Declared building at 514 19th St. (aka 526 19th St., Ensley) unsafe and ordered demolition after owner failed to obtain permits for repairs. Passed.
• Item 102 (Resolution): Rescinded previous lease-purchase agreement (Resolution 1619-24) for the Former Buffalo Rock Building (34 W. Oxmoor Rd.) and authorized a new 7-month lease (Jan. 2 – July 31, 2025) at $45,000/month with option to purchase for $7,000,000. The change corrected the interest rate (5% to 6%) and extended the term. Councilor Abbott and Pro Tem Alexander clarified the city is still proceeding. Passed.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda: Approved with all items (except those removed) passed by voice vote with one opposing vote (Councilor Williams on item 46).
• Town Ordinances: Items 31–34 all passed unanimously on final passage.
• Deferrals: Items 1 and 131 (liquor/dance permits) deferred to December 31, 2024.
• Resolutions: Items 46, 85, and 102 adopted; item 46 passed 7-1 (Williams opposed).
• Upcoming Meetings: Committee of the Whole canceled (Dec. 18); next regular meeting moved to Monday, Dec. 23 at 9:30 a.m.; transportation committee meets Dec. 23 at 2 p.m.; budget and finance meets Jan. 13, 2025.