Birmingham City Council Regular Meeting – July 8, 2025

The Birmingham City Council held its regular meeting on July 8, 2025, beginning at 9:30 AM in the Council Chambers. The pre-council meeting scheduled for 9:00 AM was canceled due to a lack of a quorum. The meeting was called to order with an invocation by Elder Cedric King of New Direction Ministries Church and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Councilor Hunter Williams. Council President Darrell O'Quinn presided. The meeting adjourned at 11:54 AM.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes: The minutes from March 4, 11, 18, and 25, 2025 were approved. Minutes from April 1, 2025 through July 1, 2025 were noted as not ready.
• Item 2: Resolution approving a First Amendment to the Master Contract for Public Safety Services with Alabama Power Company (APC) for video surveillance equipment. The amendment increases the total contract amount not to exceed $9,756,565.62 and adds approximately 20 months to the term. Funding is from a DOJ BJA FY24 Real Time Crime Center grant. (Approved)
• Items 5-16, 18: Approved without discussion. Included RISE grants for Hardy Automotive, LLC ($15,000, 2 jobs) and McClelland Enterprises/Cricket Wireless ($10,000, 3 jobs); an amendment for homeless prevention consulting with Juniper and Myrtle, LLC ($85,000); rescinding a previous UKG Kronos agreement and replacing it with a new amendment; amending election vendor language; accepting a Jefferson County proposal for Floyd Bradford Road improvements ($46,729.79); software purchases, and approved expense accounts for various officials and city employees.
• Item 4: A resolution for on-street parking management services with Gtechna USA Corporation ($395,239.89) was withdrawn from the agenda.

Public Comments

• Willie Jenkins: Spoke about community events, including the Carver High School Alumni picnic, and asked the Council to consider renovating the old Carver High School building.
• Public Hearing on 20th Avenue South Closure: Residents Susan Barney Castle, Trish Portrays, and John Barney Castle (all of 20th Avenue South) spoke in strong support of the proposed gate to close the street to vehicular traffic. They expressed concerns about safety and traffic from a neighboring commercial development and thanked the Council for the action.

Presentation

• One Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center: Executive Director Rebecca McWilliams presented an update on domestic violence in Jefferson County and Birmingham. She highlighted concerning statistics including 12,000–14,000 domestic violence calls for service annually in the county, nearly 400 strangulation cases responded to by BPD in the last 18 months, and 723 protection from abuse petitions filed this year. McWilliams explained the center's coordinated community response model and its Camp Hope program for children exposed to trauma. Councilmembers Tate, Clarke, and others discussed the need for perpetrator accountability, restorative justice approaches, harsher penalties for strangulation, and male victim support. McWilliams noted the center's budget is approximately $1.1 million, sourced primarily from private philanthropy and federal grants, with no direct city or county funding.

Discussion Items

• Item 1 – Happy Hour Hangout License Revocation: A public show cause hearing to consider revoking the business license of Happy Hour Hangout. Councilmember Tate moved to defer the item for two weeks to the July 22, 2025 regular meeting as the attorney for the business was unable to attend. Motion carried unanimously.
• Item 3/Ordinance 25-99 – Closing 20th Avenue South to Vehicular Traffic: An ordinance authorizing the closure of 20th Avenue South approximately 190 feet from Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. South to vehicular traffic. The item was initially voted on but was reconsidered by the Council to conduct a required public hearing. Director of Transportation James Fowler described the plan to install a secure metal gate with a pedestrian and cyclist path and emergency vehicle access. Councilmembers inquired about aesthetics and accessibility. After public comment, the ordinance was adopted unanimously.
• Item 17/Ordinance 25-98 – Local Emergency Due to Hazardous Vegetative Overgrowth: The Council declared a local emergency effective July 8, 2025 in response to unprecedented rainfall (May 2025: 11.56 inches, June 2025: 7.09 inches, rain on 43 of 61 days) causing widespread hazardous overgrowth. The emergency authorizes immediate engagement of private contractors for cutting on public rights of way and nuisance lots and temporarily waives certain notice requirements for imminently hazardous properties. Mayor Woodfin presented extensive data: the city has nearly 15,000 tax-delinquent properties; 3,583 properties are already declared nuisances; PEP contractors have cut 1,691 private lots and 4,036 city acres this year. Councilmembers Abbott, Clarke, Moore, Alexander, and Tate engaged in extensive discussion on the scale of the problem, the inability of the city budget to fully address private overgrowth, the need for stronger lien enforcement against absentee landlords, and the role of heirs' property. City Chief Mitchell and Chief Sparks outlined a logistics plan involving a multi-department blitz, adding up to 16 contractors, and providing daily updates to the Council. The emergency declaration is effective for 45 days unless extended or terminated by the Council. The ordinance was adopted unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Deferred: Item 1 (Happy Hour Hangout business license revocation) was deferred to the July 22, 2025 regular meeting.
• Adopted: Ordinance 25-98 (Declaration of Local Emergency for hazardous vegetative overgrowth). Ordinance 25-99 (Closure of 20th Avenue South to vehicular traffic).
• Withdrawn: Item 4 (Gtechna USA Corporation parking management contract).
• Approved: Consent agenda as amended (Item 2, Items 5–16, Item 18). March 2025 council minutes.
• Directives: The Administration committed to sharing daily logistics updates during the vegetative overgrowth blitz with the Council and public.