Birmingham City Council Regular Meeting – May 20, 2025: Mayor's Budget Presentation and Approvals
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Birmingham City Council Regular Meeting – May 20, 2025
The Birmingham City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. in the Council Chambers. The meeting featured a detailed presentation of the Mayor's proposed $591 million General Fund and Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026, followed by a public hearing resolution, and action on numerous consent agenda items including budget amendments, contracts, and licenses. Several items were removed from the consent agenda for discussion, and all votes were approved.
Consent Calendar
- Approved routine items including license transfers, special event licenses, vehicle abatement resolutions, nuisance abatement liens, and multiple budget amendments (Items 2–6, 8–17, 22–26, 29–32, 34–45, 47–50) by a unanimous vote of 8–0 (Councilor Moore absent for the initial consent vote).
- Items 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 27, 28, 33, 46 were removed from the consent agenda for separate discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were made during the meeting. The public hearing for the budget was set for June 4, 2025, at 5:30 p.m.
Discussion Items
-
Presentation of the Mayor's Proposed FY2025-2026 Budget: Mayor Randall Woodfin presented a $591 million operating budget, highlighting $21.8 million for neighborhood revitalization (including $15 million for street paving, $3 million for weed abatement, $2 million for demolition), $6 million for police rolling stock, $1.5 million for community violence intervention, $1.8 million for the HART program (homeless outreach), and $2.5 million for Birmingham on Demand transit. Additional investments included $5 million for education initiatives (Birmingham Promise, mental health, financial literacy), a 5% merit pay increase for employees, and a 1% COLA. The budget also included $250,000 for City Walk maintenance via an ADECA grant, which sparked discussion about the city's role versus state responsibility.
-
Item 18 – City Walk Maintenance Grant: Councilor Clark raised concerns about the city assuming responsibility for state property. The mayor clarified the grant was a one-time partnership requested by ALDOT. The item was initially tabled then approved 8–0.
-
Items 19, 20, 21, 24 – Donations to Parks: These items appropriated $10,000 for safety cameras at Memorial Park, $5,000 for physical activities, $10,000 for equipment at MLK Recreation Center, and $5,000 for Harrison Park renovations, all from Jefferson County Commission donations. Councilor Smitherman abstained on each item. Approved 7–0–1.
-
Item 27 – IMS Budget Transfer: A $4.72 million transfer from Information Management Systems to the Capital Improvement Fund for ongoing projects including cloud migration, Wi-Fi upgrades, and computer deployments. Councilor Williams questioned the lack of documentation and the use of non-capital equipment funds. The item was tabled until CFO Diana Bolden clarified that funds would otherwise lapse. Approved 7–0.
-
Item 28 – Capital Projects Transfer: A $1.5 million transfer from Capital Projects consulting fees to the Capital Improvement Fund for emergencies and planned projects. Approved 7–0.
-
Item 33 – Change Order #1 for 25th Street North Infrastructure: A $445,241.74 change order for water main repairs and utility conflicts encountered during construction. Councilor Abbott questioned the lack of documentation and the responsibility for the break. Director Denise Bell explained the unknown shallow utility. Approved 6–0.
-
Item 46 – Carpentry Tools for Fire Department: Deferred for one week at the request of Councilor Abbott to obtain an explanation from the fire chief.
-
Item 51 – Show Cause Hearing for Happy Hour Hangout: Set a public hearing for June 10, 2025, to consider revoking the business license. Approved 7–0.
-
Items 52 and 53 – Right-of-Way Vacation Hearing Date Changes: Changed hearing dates for two property consolidations (June 17 and June 24, respectively). Approved 8–0.
-
Item 54 – Emergency Asbestos Abatement at F.D. McArthur Elementary School: Authorized an emergency contract up to $178,500 for asbestos abatement at the former school. Councilor Williams questioned the plan and cost, while Councilor Abbott noted the building has been a long-standing hazard. Approved 8–0.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1 – Resolution setting a public hearing on the Mayor's proposed budgets for June 4, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. Approved 9–0.
- Consent Agenda – Approved 8–0.
- Item 7 – Junk dealer license application referred back to Public Safety Committee. Approved 7–0.
- Item 18 – ADECA grant for City Walk maintenance approved 8–0 after being tabled.
- Items 19, 20, 21, 24 – Park donations approved 7–0–1 (Councilor Smitherman abstaining on each).
- Item 27 – IMS budget transfer approved 7–0 after being tabled.
- Item 28 – Capital projects transfer approved 7–0.
- Item 33 – Change order approved 6–0.
- Item 46 – Deferred one week.
- Item 51 – Show cause hearing set for June 10, 2025. Approved 7–0.
- Item 52, 53 – Hearing date changes approved 8–0.
- Item 54 – Emergency asbestos abatement contract approved 8–0.
Meeting adjourned at approximately 11:30 a.m.
Meeting Transcript
We're ready. Good morning, Birmingham. This is the regular meeting of the Birmingham City Council. Today is Tuesday, May 20th. This morning our invitation will be delivered by Elder Wim Wendell Brantley, Associate Pastor of More Than Conquerors Faith Church, and our Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Councillor Clinton Woods. If you're willing and able, please stand. Good morning. Bow our heads for a word of prayer. Father, we thank you right now. We are amazed that you allowed us to be here today. We thank you that your mercies are new every morning. And great is your mercy toward us. We pray for this great city. We pray for our mayor, this head of the council, this administration in its entirety, God, and we pray, Lord, that you would bless them, that you will give us single-mindness, and that we will come together on one accord. We ask for your guidance, your blessings, and we ask for your direction. And we pray that that will be unity and strength in this city. We bind anything that would hinder the growth and the development of this city, and we thank you for great economic development to come. And Lord, we thank you that as they administer these meetings today, that you will just get in the midst of it. Join us together, bind us together in love, fix our minds and our hearts towards you. And for all of this, we'll be so careful to give you the praise, give you the honor, and we'll give you the glory. And it's in the matchless name of Jesus we pray, and let it be happy and glad heart say Amen. Councilmember Clark. Thank you. Council, the minutes are not ready for the February fourth, twenty twenty-five through May thirteenth, twenty twenty-five meetings. At this time we'll have a presentation from the mayor on the proposed general fund budget. Good morning to the entire council. It's good to see all of you all this morning. Also, good morning to the uh general public. It's a process to get to this point. And to the general public. With that said, I want to start by thanking Diana Bolden, who leads the Department of Finance for the City of Birmingham, along with her team, Lalicia Coleman, Derek Gray, Gornita Eskrich, Dorothy Mall, and Lindia, because I got to get her first name right. Ms. Stenson, they're here, seated here, and they put in some impressive work and time to get us to this point. So I wanted to publicly acknowledge them and everyone else, Chaz Mitchell and all of the other chiefs and everyone else who's had a hand in this budget. I think you all just receive the 2026 proposed budget. There are a couple things I wanted to share as it relates to this operating budget. First of all, the 2025 26 operating budget builds on our continued momentum in resurfacing our streets, which continues to be a top priority, not just for the council but for the general public, as well as advancing a public safety strategy that you all have continued to support, which includes recruiting more police, as well as investing in our youth. This proposed 2026 budget is 591 million dollars. Again, this proposed 2026 budget is 591 million dollars. Starting with neighborhood revitalization, this proposed budget combined is for neighborhood revitalization is 21, 21.8 million dollars, which is a three quarters of a million increase from last year. That includes 15 million for street paving, weed abatement three million dollars, which is up a quarter million, demolition or two million, which is up a half a million, and sidewalks again at one million, traffic calming again at a half a million, and recycling at 300,000. Please note as it relates to since FY19, we have budgeted more than 100 million dollars in street resurfacing. FY19 had 15.9 million, FY20 was 10 million, FY21 was 10 million, 22 was 8.4 million, and then FY22 again was 10 million from the surplus that was approved March 29, 2022. FY23 had 15 million, FY24 was 14.5 million. Current budget we're in now that ends June 30th, that you received the paving list for 2025, is also a 15 million, and then it's proposed budget again to you is 15 million. Wanted to shift to public safety and violence reduction. This budget invests um six million enrolling stock with the commitment of additional million dollars for police vehicles. This is on top of the money. This is in addition to the money you approve for the retention recruitment plan. Now, in partnership with the council, you all know that we launched again the 15.8 million dollars for recruitment and retention in October, and it's shown positive results.
openpublica.com