So they're mostly case if you case for that shot.

So maybe I feel like she's not looking at the near one which has been one of these up just one time that there's a lot of you.

I think we're in the time of the whole friend is actually all basically as a building.

So we can have one side.

But did you have the one must be a ship?

Yeah.

And then we got all the falls for all that's a good idea.

When I was going to do it, it's not even streaming because we get some folks that we're saying to something that's going to be something more than something.

Yeah, it's very simple.

Okay, so there's something good.

Yeah, ready to go.

Yes, man.

I need to ready to pay.

Oh one, five.

I've brought to your bags.

And so when you go out of a finger building, you know how we do we we'd be like okay, or we won't be watching.

There you go.

So I was playing.

But basically look at Prague.

Until we won't have to put no I got you.

Yeah.

But I know you know how to use it.

That's why they say it does that would be like we would pay it too.

Oh, yeah.

Some of us say it's two stars.

Oh, okay.

So yeah, long time, huh?

I thought it's called client used to be.

I thought there was a way that used to be so you can't.

Yeah, I think it's one six.

Okay, okay.

No, okay.

Which is close.

You got to be sure.

I'm not going to use it.

That's what I think.

So I can't.

Oh, just talk about women.

Get off the plane.

What is that?

Okay.

I'm going to keep opening it up.

And then they're going to put that on the hell.

So I have a couple of pick for the hotels.

Do we want to send us a US currency or currency?

They asked for us a specific account number, which is the I think we don't have to convert.

They gave us two account numbers.

And they want us to use the one that's in the county bird.

So they were on the name.

Oh yeah.

So with the subject.

Yeah.

Should I choose it?

Yeah, they're right.

I use them as a piece of four sixteen streets or another for my thing.

I have one of the well.

Oh yeah, I feel like they have fun alternative methods.

Okay.

So you can get by the one.

No, it's a little bit of a little bit of a little bit.

So here we go.

Right up the brain.

Which is on the word.

I don't know.

Oh yeah.

She's not going to be able to do it.

Oh, she's actually that was convenient.

Yeah.

Extra water.

So I guess I think that's a warping ish day.

I agree with it.

That's good.

Just enough.

We did a whole class here.

Um free for us.

Yeah, where's that?

Where's that?

Yeah, we'll start working on the other.

Yeah, or you're playing down.

Hey, actually, you've got one.

I need to sit right.

Yeah, so we're just going to do it.

Oh yeah, we're exercising.

Oh yeah, should we have a lot of people?

I don't know, because we just don't know.

Carl.

Oh, yeah.

We do that.

No, we can make it harder in the case from the same.

Yeah, you are there, right?

Oh yeah, yeah.

Okay, so you're gonna say that when I say massive point to manage the last one.

Yeah, we're supposed to take it to the same thing.

So we are not carrying it.

Yeah.

Wait.

I don't have to call it that on the shirt.

Oh, I think it just has straight out.

The whole issue is probably this.

So I was supposed to be a little bit more.

Okay.

Well, yeah, that's what you can do.

So that's okay.

So we're told I was going to do it.

Maybe I don't care.

I'm here everything.

I already have like third and speaking with it.

Oh, where's it?

Uh-oh.

I have a third.

Yeah, it's worse than what they probably say.

So they need to see our car.

We're ready.

Oh, can see what you gotta do.

Good morning, Birmingham.

This is the regular meeting of the Birmingham City Council.

Today is Tuesday, September second, twenty twenty-five.

This morning our invitation will be delivered by Reverend Dr.

David Craig, pastor of Pilgrim Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church, Fairfield.

And our Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Councillor T Latani Tate.

If you're willing and able, please stand.

First of all, let me say congratulations for those of you that won re-election and for those that are leaving.

Thank you for your service.

And let us pray.

Father, we come now in the name of Jesus.

We honor you and we praise you to God for who you are.

We thank you for this wonderful city of Birmingham.

Lord, you bless us so many years, and we thank you now, Lord, for a rich history.

And now, Lord, we thank you for a bright and promising future that we'll build a better Birmingham.

And so now, Lord, as we gather here in this city council meeting today, I ask you to guide our counselors and the mayor as they deliberate over the affairs of the city.

Pray now to God you would give them wisdom and knowledge and understanding that they may govern with righteousness and with love.

Now, Lord, we commend this meeting to you.

It's in the mighty and the powerful name of Jesus Christ, I pray.

Amen.

Praise God.

All right.

Oh, special to my counselor.

Morning and Gazana District Number 7.

Bless us on your dear, thank God for you.

Serve well.

Okay.

Please call the roll.

Councilmember Abbott.

Councilmember Clark.

President.

Councilmember Moore.

Good morning.

Good morning, Councilmember Smithman.

Good morning, Councilmember Tate.

Good morning, Councilmember Williams.

Councilmember Woods.

Good morning.

Council President Pro TM Alexander.

Good morning, President.

Good morning, and Council President O'Quin.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Council, the minutes are not ready for the April 1st, 2025 through August 26, 2025 meetings.

At this time, we'll have communications from the mayor's office.

Chief.

Good morning, Mr.

President.

Good morning, Madam Pro Tim.

Good morning to the members of the council.

Good morning to the members of the public, all those under the sound of my voice.

A few brief updates and a couple of presentations on the mayor's behalf.

As a reminder, uh since city offices were closed yesterday due to the Labor Day holiday, Monday's trash pickup is today, September the 2nd.

And all other pickup routes this week are delayed by one day.

So again, for all of those listening, due to the Labor Day holiday, Monday's trash pickup is today, September the 2nd.

And all other pickup routes this week are delayed by one day.

Critical repair applications to open this week.

The City of Birmingham's Department of Community Development will open its critical repair program application window for two days only.

That's September the 4th and 5th.

Through this initiative, 100 eligible homeowners can receive up to $30,000 to address urgent needs, such as roofing, plumbing, or electrical repairs.

Community development hosted a series of information sessions last month in preparation for the app for this application event.

For details, please visit www.critical repair beham.com or call 205-581-3117.

At this time, I would like to invite Miss India Johnson with the Birmingham Sister Cities Commission with the Birmingham Sister Cities and any guests that are with her to please join me at the podium.

Good morning, everyone.

Good morning, Council members.

Okay.

My name is India Johnson, and I serve as the program administrator for the International Dual Enrollment Academy or Idea under the Birmingham Sister Cities International Education Committee.

The International Dual Enrollment Academy is an innovative program that offers Birmingham High School students the opportunity to pursue college-level coursework while gaining valuable international experience.

Launched in April 2024 by Birmingham Sister Cities in partnership with Birmingham City Schools and Miles College.

Idea focuses on fostering global competency, leadership, and academic achievement by combining traditional education with immersive cultural exchanges.

This program prepares students to become global ambassadors, equipping them with the skills and experiences necessary to navigate the interconnected world.

The idea program is highly competitive.

These students are selected based on academic excellence, leadership potential, and passion for global issues.

This rigorous process ensures that those chosen are not only strong scholars, but also future leaders prepared to engage in meaningful international dialogue.

As program administrator for IDEA, I have the privilege of working with some of Birmingham's brightest young people.

Today I am honored to introduce you to the scholars who are prepared to represent our city abroad.

These students earn the highest overall scores in our evaluation process, demonstrating their readiness to serve as global ambassadors for Birmingham.

Erica Adcox.

She goes to BCS Virtual Academy of Learning.

Camille Maiden, Kennedy Jones, they go to Carver.

Carlos A.

Smith, Maya Lovejoy, and Zachia Anderson go to Huffman.

Griselda McCants, Carmen McCantz, Sabrea Cargill, and Raymond Young go to J O.

Caden Mansfield, JC Wilson, Carlise Robinson, and Jonathan Davis go to Ramsey, and Madison Brown goes to Winona.

Through this immersive experience, they will connect with Birmingham's two sister cities in Ghana, Winneba and Apaso, building bridges of cultural understanding and deepening educational ties.

This visit is more than a trip.

It's an opportunity for students to serve as citizen diplomats for Birmingham, gain firsthand and understanding of global history and culture, and bring back lessons that enrich not only their lives, but also their schools, families, and communities.

Our efforts through this program seek to broaden perspectives, encourage economic development, and contribute to a more peaceful and prosperous world.

Ghana holds a unique place in this exchange.

It offers living connection to both deep cultural traditions and modern innovation.

For many African Americans, Ghana is also a place of profound ancestral significance.

Ghana, for many African Americans, this journey allows our students to connect with the vital part of history, making that must be remembered, honored, and shared.

As with all our initiatives, this program supports the mission of Birmingham Sister Cities to connect Birmingham with the world through engagement, enrichment, and exchange.

Through partnerships built since 2009, we have collaborated with Ghanaian communities to create libraries, support education, preserve cultural traditions, and foster true friendship across continents.

Council members, the students you see here today are not only the future of Birmingham, they are the living proof of what happens when we invest in global learning, cultural exchange, and community.

On behalf of Birmingham Sister Cities International and the Idea Program, thank you for your continued support to making these opportunities possible.

Together, we are preparing the next generation of leaders who will represent Birmingham on the world stage.

Thank you.

Mr.

President and members of the council, certainly on behalf of Mayor Whitman, we absolutely want to celebrate this dynamic group of young people.

Thank you, Ms.

India.

We have a significant number of our communities leaders who are here.

I'm certain that he would want a Commissioner Tyson to come up and have a few words.

We see Ms.

Gwynn and Pastor Hamlin, several of our leaders, and so this is how we build the next generation of leaders.

Commissioner Tyson.

I would like to thank the City of Birmingham and the City Council for investing in these young people.

It is so important, not only for them to travel abroad to Ghana, but other countries.

And it opens your eyes to so much that life had to offer.

So when they asked me to assist them, it was an automatic yes.

It really didn't matter to me where the children came from, who was actually on the board.

But long as I could find a way to invest in the children in their future.

And I know they don't want me to call them children, but they babies to me.

Because you just it's something about you that you can just share so much love to where you can't explain it.

Hooks and kisses is not enough.

We've got to invest in our young people.

And thank you so much for the city of Birmingham and City Council and the mayor.

Council Clark.

I just want to congratulate everyone and commend the Sister City Commission.

Ghana is one of my favorite places I've ever visited in the world.

And you know, what the Ghanaians taught me, well, it's great that they speak English, but what they taught me is that you don't need a lot of material things to be happy.

They are the happiest people you'll ever meet, and they don't have a lot of material wealth like we enjoy.

So that's one of my lessons.

I feel very rich around Ghanaians, and I'm sure you will too.

Um take some things to trade, like little things, uh, because things that you don't value much.

Well, I I know Dr.

Imamu, I mean Mrs.

Amamu will give you all the tips you need, but the places you'll visit are not places that I visited, but uh now you've got me curious, so I'll be interested to know about the places you all visit if you all will come back and share with us.

Um just want to congratulate you.

It's gonna be really exciting.

And as Commissioner Tyson said, um, you know, exposure is everything and having a world view.

So maybe you all have traveled the world already, but if you're just starting out, uh it's it's life-changing.

So congratulations to you and represent us well.

Council Moore.

Go ahead.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh, I just also too wanted to say congratulations to you all.

Um, I know that this will be a transformational experience for you uh to be able to go and see, you know, how uh Ghana operates, how the people in that country live, um, and to just be able to learn from them.

Um I know that in 2019 they had the year of the return, uh, where a lot of um African Americans here in the country were going back to Ghana to invest in the the country uh because of I think 2019 made the 400-year mark that the first slave had been taken to Jamestown, Virginia.

Um and so you all are going to be able to be a part of you know that history in terms of being able to step foot on you know the motherland, like the soil, um, and that's a big deal because everybody doesn't get that opportunity.

And so um I pray that you all really soak that in uh and you bring that experience back home with you.

Uh I know that you all are gonna represent us well.

Um I'm glad to see that there are so many schools that are represented.

Um I will say I do want to make sure that the next time we have somebody from Woodlawn to be a part of it, uh, because I know that the airport is right here in District 4, uh, and that's what you all are gonna be flying out of.

So uh yeah, we want to make sure we take care of D4, but um congratulations to each one of y'all.

All right.

Council Smithman.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Will they be interacting with students that reside in Ghana?

Okay.

Is it a situation where maybe they will have like roommates at some point with the students in Ghana?

No, ma'am.

Last year they had home stays when we went to Japan, but Ghana is set up differently.

They will be in hotels to tour room for the duration in every city we're gonna visit.

Okay.

Um says before I studied abroad in Brazil in college, and and actually the last week we stayed with a Brazilian student, and so I thought that was a different experience, really, and we actually stayed in their dorms, and so it was actually a really good experience to see um their lifestyle, what their campus was like.

Um, but I'm really excited for them because I was 21 and they're like what 14, 15, 16, 17 going.

So I hope that you guys will come back and tell us your experience that somebody will act like as a historian, maybe, and come back as a present, give us a presentation showing us.

We definitely have that planned, so maybe we could just come.

Yeah, I would love to see that, but have fun, be safe and represent us well.

Thank you.

All right.

And there is almost no other better way to gain perspective than to you know travel to some place that you've never been.

And folks do things differently around the world, and so it's great to be to have an opportunity to be immersed in another culture, just um, you know, even walking around in another city um seeing how you know they operate, how their cities are constructed.

There's just a huge amount to be gained.

Um, you know, not even speaking of the cultural uh things that you guys are gonna learn.

So congratulations, and uh I agree with Councillor Tyson, I mean Commissioner Tyson that this will be an experience that you will you know will be significant for the rest of your life.

Um I'm saying that now, but you know, you guys uh a year from now will really uh appreciate the the so congratulations.

Thank you, Mr.

President, members of the council, and again, God speed to you all praying for safe travels.

Finally, Mr.

President, Madam Protein, members of the council.

At this time, I would like to ask guests, ask our guests with UAB's Lifespan Comprehensive Sickle Sales Center and their foundation members to please join me at the podium sickle cell is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States.

A group of inherited hemoglobin disorders, sickle cell affects over 100,000 people in the United States.

Would like to bring about awareness of this disorder with a special proclamation that I will read on the mayor's behalf in part, and it reads whereas sickle cell disease affects over 5,000 people in Alabama, and an estimated one in every 11 black or African American child is born with sickle cell trait.

Carries of the S C D gene abnormality.

SCD can result in the multi-organ dysfunction, significant pain, and early death.

And whereas sickle cell disease is chronic but treatable.

Treatment options are different for each person depending on their symptoms symptoms and complications.

Acute pain episodes called crisis are a common manifestation of SCD and should be considered a medical emergency and treated appropriately in the emergency department setting.

And whereas in partnership with the Lifespan Comprehensive Sickle Sales Center, housed on the campuses of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Children's of Alabama, the City of Birmingham hopes to make a difference by bringing awareness to others through education, research, and improved treatments in an effort to one day find a cure.

Now, therefore, I, Mayor Randall Woodfin, mayor of the city of Birmingham, Alabama, do hereby proclaim September 2025 as sickle cell awareness month.

And in the city of Birmingham, and I encourage all residents of Birmingham to recognize the importance of sickle cell awareness.

At this time, I'd like to bring up Ms.

Sharon Lightholes, who will give comments and then we will conclude the mayor's report.

Good morning.

My name is Sharon Lycos.

I'm the community outreach coordinator at UAB Lifespan Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center.

And on behalf of our hematology care team at UAB and Children's City Council, I thank you and Mayor Woodfin for taking giving us space to acknowledge this month.

The most important thing is that this is the month where we give our patients and families a voice and allow them to share their stories of resilience and strength.

I have the front row seat along with all of our hematologists, our nurse practitioners, our social workers, child life specialists, education specialists on the adult side and the pediatric side of meeting these families every day.

And their stories, next year we're going to have one of them here to share their story.

I realized that on my way here this morning.

But it is incredible to be a part of this care team here in the state of Alabama.

Life span means that our adult and pediatric program touches every part of care from infant into adulthood.

That addresses sickle cell crisis, pain crisis.

It also provides a transition program becoming an adult with sickle cell disease.

That process starts at the age of 12.

We have an incredible team that walks with our families every step of the way.

Some of the fun things that we're going to do this month to bring together our families is we will we have partnered with Children's Harbor, and this weekend we have over 25 families attending ages 8 through 14 for a sickle cell family retreat.

And then we have a group of 20 uh volunteers of our staff that will be there and medical team on hand.

We will partner also with UAB Arts and Medicine, and they are part of this to provide listening sessions, art therapy with our families, but also just to enjoy those everyday camp experiences of boating and fishing and hiking and things like that.

We also have our off-site clinics across the state.

One of the most important things it's education and improving access to care in the state of Alabama.

Our off-site pediatric clinics are in Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Opalica.

And it is important for us to have a presence in those communities so that our families know you know we're here to care for them, but we also meet them where they are when needed.

I think that is about what I want, everything I wanted to say.

I thank you and look at our social media channels for patient stories, and thank you so much.

Good morning, Council members and Office of the Mayor.

My name is Sophia Lieberson.

I'm the executive director of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Central Alabama chapter, and we serve 13 counties in Alabama, including Jefferson County.

In addition to affecting all of those across the African diaspora, sickle cells does affect other populations like Hispanics, Asians, and also Europeans.

Your recognition of the struggles that our warriors and their families go through goes a long way.

There will be a lighting up of City Hall as red in recognition for sickle cell awareness from September 2nd to September 14th.

So I want to thank all of you for that effort, as well as invite you to our open house, which we are hosting at our facility on 3813 Avenue I on September the 9th from 5 to 7 p.m.

All of you are invited.

It's a fun family-friendly event where we invite our clients, we have client testimonials.

There are spaces for everyone to interact, to share stories, and also to become more educated on the disease if that is what you wish.

Her husband built an event center to her.

So we will be having an event out there as well.

We'll also have a red ribbon day on the lawn where we will assemble a red ribbon to honor all of our sickle cell warriors, both living and deceased.

So I wanted to say thank you so much for your commitment to this cause, and we really look forward to future partnerships with you all.

Thank you so much for all you do.

God bless thank you.

The president and approximate members of the council that concludes the mayor's report.

All right.

Thank you, Chief.

Kinda.

Madam Clerk.

All right.

Good morning.

Morning.

Thank you.

Forgive my attire.

I'm not supposed to be here.

Thank you, Chief Sparks.

And by the way, this guy is probably not going to like what I'm about to do, but I want to wish you happy birthday.

Today's his birthday.

I guess.

But the reason I wanted to come before you, and I thought it was important that I be here is I thought I had more time, but I don't.

There's a young man here who I want to come up now.

Griffin Lasseter.

So this is one of my favorite team members of bias.

But I don't mind publicly saying how my affinity towards him goes well beyond his official title capacity and what he does for the city of Birmingham.

He is a person that I admire, that I look up to and I value.

And I'm actually really sad that he is retired.

If I had a magic wand, I would like make him state or something to make him think he wants to stay.

It doesn't work like that, so please forgive me.

But I'm gonna read something in a minute.

But before I read it, I do want to publicly say in front of the council and to the general public, all of our employees and the public that are listening, how much I value you and appreciate you.

Your 25 years of service to the city of Birmingham, various administrations.

It's due to this young man that would never brag over never say anything or toot his own horn, but I'm gonna toot it for because he deserves it.

And I just want to express to you how grateful I am.

So I have something that I'm gonna read.

I'm not gonna give it to you yet, but I'm gonna read it.

And it states whereas Griffin Lasseter has faithfully served the city of Birmingham with dedication, integrity, and unwavering commitment to public service.

And whereas throughout his career, Griffin has exemplified the spirit of leadership and teamwork, always striving to make Birmingham a stronger, more vibrant city for its residents.

And whereas his work has touched countless lives, leaving a lasting impact not only on the departments and colleagues you've worked with, but also on the people of Birmingham who have benefited from your efforts.

And whereas Griffin has approached his role with humility, professionalism, and a heart for our community and city, setting a standard for others to follow.

And whereas as he retires, the City of Birmingham recognizes and celebrates his many years of service, his contributions to the growth and progress of our city, and his legacy as a trusted colleague, mentor, and a friend.

Now, therefore, I Randall Elwood and Mayor of the City of Birmingham, along with the Birmingham City Council.

Do hereby congratulate Griffin Lasseter on your retirement.

And I encourage all residents to join me in expressing gratitude and appreciation for his service and wishing him joy and fulfillment in his future and next endeavors.

Signed by me.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um I'm Griffin Lasseter.

I serve as the senior project manager and IO.

I'm always supposed to get on to I'll just take a moment, but thank you so much.

Uh the term it takes a village is no more true than what I've been doing.

Uh it takes the council.

Several councils before you.

Uh the mayor's staff, I uh IO, legal finance, I'm leaving people out, but it's a true team effort.

And um, we've had some good times, we've had some success a few times we wish we could have done better.

But thank you very much.

Council Williams.

You know, I um I've known Griffin for um for most of my life.

We grew I grew up um in the same church that Griffin attends.

Um I interned uh when Larry Langford was mayor at economic development with Griffin.

Um and I've really enjoyed the opportunity to have somebody that mentored me, be able to work with me here at City Hall, and then finally chairing economic development and getting to work with you in that space.

Um it's rare that you have someone that mentored you that you end up getting to work with, and so that's been really special to me, and so congratulations and thank you for your insight and everything that you have given me personally, but also the citizens of Birmingham.

Thank you, Council.

Counselor Abbott.

Well we've been here a long time.

That's right, but but you have one more year than I do.

Yeah, but I you know, I just want to say congratulations on your decision to retire.

I know that people say that when you're ready to go, you know it.

So obviously, you knew it.

But uh the city of Birmingham is going to miss your knowledge and your demeanor, the way you conduct yourself.

I'm sorry that we haven't seen much of you since in this term, but we used to see you a lot.

Um, but um, I wish you well, but I have to say you're one of my favorite people at City Hall.

Because you're always kind, and if I try to stop you in the hall, you're not looking over your shoulder to see if anybody's gonna catch you.

And I think that's cute because once you become an adult, it's like what you're gonna do to me if you catch me.

So congratulations, we will miss you and the whole city of Birmingham.

I hope you leave your phone number.

So somebody can find asking someone.

So people can ask you some questions like, how the heck did you do that?

Well, but congratulations.

Thank you.

Council Clark.

Well, I'm about to tear up.

I haven't seen much of you, as Councillor Abbott said, but just seeing you today brings back so many memories of so many deals.

The ones we got and the ones we didn't get.

And um, I'm glad you used everything I taught you.

No, but uh we learned so much, and you know, you had already had a career when you got here.

So to give us 25 years, I mean, it just says something about who you are, and just to uh make you laugh a little, you know.

I was just sitting here thinking about barbed motor sports, retaining automobile dealers downtown, going to the shopping centers conference in New Vegas and Trinity Hospital, you know, losing that, and then the digital hospital madness with the IDB.

That's crazy.

But anyway, you know, and then um meeting with Lloyd's on 280 about that annexation.

Do you remember that day?

So Griffin got me indoors.

I couldn't have gotten in otherwise because the people didn't want to meet with me.

So he was my white altar ego to get me in some and some doors and then some conversations with people who didn't want to talk to me.

But uh but anyway, just really love you and appreciate all you've done for the city, and uh, I think our crown jewel is barber motor sports, right?

Thank you, counselor.

You you did a wonderful job.

My director, she was my boss for a while.

I learned a lot.

Thank you, Griffin.

Thank you very much.

Thank you for your time.

All right, Madam Clerk, do we have any announcements of sir?

Um, just wanted to follow the mayor's uh directive to come up and speak on behalf of the department.

I am Corey Ate Hauser.

I currently serve as the interim director for innovation and economic opportunity and Griffin was a first person that I met with when I started with the city five years ago to just talk about uh how I can support him and help him, and he gave me uh three things to remember.

I won't say all of them uh publicly, but he told me three things to remember in this work, and I have carried that with me ever since.

Uh if you don't know, Griffin is a comedian.

Uh we everybody laugh in the office because he always has a morning joke uh every single time for every last one of us, so not just the whole office, but he has a joking nature with every last one of us, and he calls us all nicknames, and he tries to get involved in everything that the city does and the department does.

So we're so very thankful for your willingness to serve all of us and learning from so much history and expertise that you have.

There's a lot of times to counselor Clark's point, Griffin can come up with an incentive in like two minutes, and I'm like, how did you get that that quick?

But it's because of his dedication uh to Birmingham and his love for Birmingham and making sure that not only our residents but our businesses thrive here in Birmingham.

So just wanted to say on behalf of the entire team and what you've done to help us grow as a team, but also what you've done to help the city grow.

Thank you so much for your service.

Thank you, Gwen.

Thank you very much.

I'm sorry, Mr.

President.

This is quick.

This is like 60 seconds, actually, it's 30 seconds or less.

I want his entire team to be here to show him some love to the um in front of the council and the general public as well.

And you're right.

I will be calling him personally.

Thank you all so much.

Love you like a big brother.

Congratulations.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

All right.

Madam Clerk, do we have any announcements of vacancies for boards and agencies?

Yes, sir, we do.

Uh the first board is the cooperative district of the City of Birmingham Southern Research Institute.

We have Greg McCormick and Lakeisha Mack.

Both of their terms expire October 23rd, 2025, and it falls under the budget and finance committee.

Okay.

Next, we have the Birmingham Planning Commission.

We have Stephen Schrader and Sharon Deep Nelson, whose terms expire October 6th.

These are six-year terms.

And we also have two ex-officio members whose terms are going to be expiring October 28th.

That's Councillor Abbott and Councillor Tate.

And of course, these terms are based on the length of service.

Next, we have the Birmingham Parking Authority.

That's also Lakeisha Mack.

That term expires October 31st.

It's a four-year term, and it falls under Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

And lastly, we have the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board.

And that falls under the community development committee.

And that's what we have for October.

Okay.

Thank you.

Welcome.

All items designated as consent are routine and non-controversial and will be approved by one motion.

All items on the consent agenda will be announced by reading the item numbers only.

No separate discussion of these items will be permitted unless a council member or the mayor requests the item be removed from the consent agenda.

Additionally, a citizen interested in addressing the council with respect to an item on the consent agenda designated for public hearing may request the item be removed from the consent agenda to hold the hearing on the item.

Any items removed from the consent agenda will revert to its normal place on the agenda order of business for remaining matters, all matters of permanent operation will be read and all public hearings will be announced.

Please read through the items on the consent agenda.

Yes, sir.

The consent agenda starts on page two with items one, two, three, and four.

On page three, we have items five, six, and seven.

Excuse me.

Page four, we have items eight, nine, ten, and eleven.

Page five, we have items 12, 13, 14, and 15.

Starts on page two with items one two three and four on page three we have items five six and seven excuse me page four we have items eight nine ten and eleven page five we have items twelve thirteen fourteen and fifteen page six we have items sixteen seventeen eighteen and nineteen on page seven we have items twenty twenty-one twenty-two and twenty three page eight we have items twenty four twenty-five twenty-six twenty-seven page nine we have items twenty eight twenty-nine thirty thirty one page ten we have items thirty two thirty three thirty four page eleven items thirty-five thirty six thirty seven page twelve items thirty eight thirty nine and forty page thirteen items forty one forty two and forty three page fourteen items forty-fourty five forty six and forty seven page 15 items 48 49 50 and 51 and page 16 items 52 and 53 that completes the consent agenda do any members of the council wish to remove any of the items from the consent agenda councilor abott yes on page 11 would like to remove item 35 on page 12 I'd like to remove item 38 on page 14 I'd like to remove 45 and 47 and on page 15 item 15 okay I'm gonna go back through those on page 11 item 35 on page 12 item 38 on page 14 items 45 and 47 and page 15 item 50 are all those correct counselor abbot yes okay okay we have items two through 33 that are public hearing items uh included on our consent agenda do any members of the public wish to remove any of those items items two through 33 from the consent agenda seeing none we are ready for a motion on the consent agenda second all in favor let it be known by saying aye aye all opposed all right the consent agenda is approved item 35 please okay item 35 is on page 11 a resolution amending resolution number 359-25 adopted by the council on March 18th 2025 under which the council of the city of Birmingham Alabama authorized the mayor to execute an equipment finance agreement with Navitas Credit Corp under which Navitas will provide financing to traffic and parking control company inc doing business as TAPCO for parking equipment that will be used by the Birmingham Municipal Court located at 8017 Street North Birmingham Alabama 35203 to assist with parking lot access controlled and payments for a term of three years and an amount not to exceed 34565 dollars amount financed only to correct the amount not to exceed to three hundred ninety one thousand four hundred twelve dollars and eighty eight cent which is the amount finance plus loan interest I move the item second all right counselor abott

doing business as TAPCO for parking equipment that will be used by the Birmingham Municipal Court located at 8017th Street North Birmingham Alabama 35203 to assist with parking lot access control and payments for a term of three years and an amount not to exceed 345,665 amount financed only to correct the amount not to exceed to 391,412 and 88 cents, which is the amount finance plus loan interest.

I move the item.

Second.

All right.

Councilor Abbott.

My microphone seems to be really working well.

Um I wanted someone to explain what we're doing here.

This seems like an excessive amount of money for a gate arm to come up for people to go into municipal court.

And I wondered if we treat all places where we have parking access with a financing deal.

This just seemed odd.

I don't remember ever seeing anything like this on the council before.

So what are we doing?

Yes, present.

Ms.

Chief.

Yeah.

Uh Council Abbott to your question.

So what's before the council is to basically take care of the antiquated parking system that we have at the municipal court at the David Van V building?

So we're upgrading, which can cause a lot of just not just installing a gate that goes up and down, but also the parking sensors that are underneath the concrete.

So that's why the amount is so excessive.

So to your other point about other facilities that have this type of mechanism, but we don't have many because most of our parking desks are controlled by the Birmingham Parking Authority.

So we don't have any other surface lots that have gate control access other than municipal court.

Maybe we should let the parking authority handle this too.

I don't know, it just seemed like a lot of money.

I can't imagine that we collect that much money from parking fees.

Well, if you if you recall that system is a coin-based operation, it's been installed for longer than I've been here, and probably you too.

So we're just trying to modernize it where people can use credit cards, swipes, coins, dollars to collect more revenue.

Yes.

Yeah, instead of coins, do they make coins anymore?

Okay, well, I just wondered because $400,000 was a lot of money for parking.

Thank you.

All right.

Um Council Clark.

I just had a question about the financing part.

How and why?

I mean, what is that about instead of paying it outright?

So this is a better choice for us to base off of what we were presented by the company that we kind of involved to get us to this point.

Um, like I said, the it's more than just installing, it's a lot of digging and a lot of just kind of capital project type of movement with the installation of this process because what's there is very antiquated and it's kind of like trying to revamp the entry and exit points for that uh particular site.

Okay.

So this is kind of like a one one-type turnkey solution.

Okay, so we're dealing with Navitas, and they're gonna deal with TAPCO.

Yes.

Okay.

Councillor Smith.

Thank you.

What's the funding source for this?

Is this in their budget?

So it was actually approved in the last budget budget.

Okay, I was just making sure.

All right.

And this is just like a one-time purchase.

Do we have like this is one type one turnkey?

That's it.

Okay.

All right.

Councilor Abbott.

I would just ask respectfully that if we have a financing source, we put it on the council agenda.

That would just simplify our lives so much.

And it seems like a relatively easy thing to accomplish.

Then no one would have to ask the question.

That's all.

Okay.

Thank you.

We're ready for the vote.

All in favor, let it be known by saying aye.

Aye.

All opposed.

All right.

Item 35 is approved.

Item 38, please.

Okay.

Item 38, which is on page 12.

Locating at 710 20th Street, North Birmingham, Alabama, 35203, and authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract with Bright Future Electric LLC and substantially the form contained within the bid documents and in accordance with said bid, providing that the total compensation payable under that contract, not exceed the appropriation.

Second all right, Councillor Abbott.

I just wanted to ask what we're doing exactly.

What is included in City Hall exterior lighting?

Is this the colored lights that shine on the building when we have weeks of celebration?

Or is it does it include the lighting around the building?

Ms.

President.

Yes.

Chief Mitchell.

Yeah.

Council Abbott, to your point.

Yes, that we see the color light as just an add-on, but these are just the exterior lights for City Hall.

It has to come out outdated and antiquated where we can't find any more parts for them.

So we just want to upgrade them so we can have vibrant lights for City Hall at night.

Okay, so it's decorative lighting, not necessarily for us to give it's the traditional lighting, but it does have the add-on feature for the color lights.

It glows.

The glows.

So will we improve the energy efficiency when we do this project?

Absolutely.

Good.

Thank you.

All right.

We're ready for the vote.

All in favor, let it be known by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed.

Item 38 is approved.

Okay, that next item would be 45.

Item 45 on page 14.

A resolution accepting and approving the bid of MAK Environmental LLC, Northport, Alabama, for asbestos.

Abatement as needed at the unit prices on file of the office of the assistant purchasing agent for a period of one year, contingent upon council approval for the planning, engineering, and permits department.

This being the lowest lowest, most responsive bid submitted.

Move the item.

Second.

All right, Councillor Abbott.

Why does nobody want to bid with us?

It's the lowest, most responsive bid because it's the only one we got.

The last bid that we just talked about, it's the only person that bid on it.

What is our what is our issue at the city with people not wanting to do business with us?

Should we look into that?

Well, I think we do.

It's a difficult question to answer.

Sometimes it's product, sometimes it's turnaround, so we just accept the bidders that we get.

Councillor Abbott.

Um don't know if that answers your question, but but our finance team consistently does look into when we only receive one.

Sometimes they look at the specs that we've placed out, they looked at the competitive bids that we've put it out.

So we're always analyzing that because we asked that same question.

I mean, this isn't a new thing, but a lot of times we only get one bid, so if they said that it was going to cost us a million, you know, I'm sure we wouldn't say yes on this one, but it just seems odd.

But the real question was now that we have this agreement.

Does that mean we can go ahead and demolish all of these buildings on the demolition list that we keep on telling people we can't tear down because they're full of asbestos?

Does that mean we're gonna move on them now?

For the ones that we can, yes, for the ones that may have asbestos, we do take those extra steps to protect both the employees that are going in and those contractors, but for the ones that we can, yes, we do to your question.

We are gonna go ahead and demo those.

Okay, but this contract is for asbestos abatement.

The abatement, right?

So when you say go ahead and demo them, we do have to make sure that we take those extracts.

These people have to get the asbestos out before we can demolish them.

Right.

But the ones that have been lingering for five and ten years waiting to be demolished, are they gonna move into the queue now that we have this contract?

Yes.

Yes, ma'am.

They're gonna move quickly, right?

Yes, ma'am.

That's the plan.

Good.

Thank you.

Just wanted to confirm you remember the council's the one that gets the complaints.

Okay.

That's all, Mr.

President.

Thank you.

We're ready for the budget.

All in favor, let it be known by saying aye.

Aye.

All opposed.

Item 45 is approved.

Item 47, please.

Item 47.

Also on page 14.

It's a resolution approving payments of myovision technologies incorporated, Ontario, Canada, in the amount of $13,476 for myOVision Video Collect unit, which aids in traffic data collection and management solution for the City of Birmingham Transportation Department in accordance with Section 3-1-7 of the Birmingham City Code.

Second.

All right, Councilor Abbott.

Okay, so I just wanted to know what the MyOvision Video Collect Unit is collecting and how it works.

We have Mr.

James Fowler who will come in and answer questions that you may have.

My name is James Fowler, and I serve as the director of the city's Department of Transportation.

So we actually already have one of these units.

And it's got a long pole that comes out of the top of it with a camera on it.

It allows us to collect footage at an intersection, and then we can take that back and watch that in our offices upstairs, and we can count traffic and look for uh potential safety hazards.

Uh we've been using the one that we have, and it's great, uh, but we realized in some of our bigger studies that we need two of them.

Um so that's what this is.

It's uh a really great technology.

So that's wonderful.

Thank you.

See how easy that was Councilor Smithman.

And a related but unrelated question.

Um, I know I have gotten a lot of questions about traffic calming updates.

Um is there any way, especially with this new purchase that we're about to make, we can get updated list on that for all nine districts.

And I ask that because at neighborhood meetings, since the department has done come, is basically the counselors and our staff that kind of have to answer those questions.

Uh thank you for that uh question.

So as you all know, traffic calming has been a really popular topic.

So we're excited we've started that program here in Birmingham, and I think some of our surrounding municipalities are looking to us now as kind of the leaders in that.

Um we've got a list of uh recommendations for how to streamline our program.

We're reviewing those uh now with the mayor's office, and so um be on the lookout for some of those recommendations, which we think are really gonna help uh clean up the process and then also allow us to scale up our efforts and what we're doing.

So uh more is forthcoming and we're uh reviewing that now.

Okay, thank you.

Because it's been a minute since we got on the list, like update on certain streets, like being in the um data data collection phase or the petition phase.

And so I just want to be able to answer questions of my constituents ask because a lot of times they'd be like, oh, I want this for speed bumps, and then we tell no, uh, your street hasn't finished the petition yet, so just really arming us with that information would be great.

I think we can provide that yeah, joint chiefs.

Thank you.

That is one of the things that we've um requested uh from the mayor's office for the September 17th committee of the whole meeting.

Um so we'll wait on confirmation as to whether or not uh that'll be part of our agenda.

All right, um we're ready for the vote.

All in favor, let it be known by saying aye.

Aye.

All opposed.

All right.

Item 47 is approved.

Item 50, please.

Item 50 on page 15 a resolution approving payment to Sansom Equipment Company Inc.

Birmingham for the purchase of miscellaneous vector and elgin sweeper parts and supplies as needed for a period of one year for the Department of Equipment Management in accordance with source we are purchasing program two two one-vTR.

Second.

All right, Councilor Abbott.

Yes, last question.

Um the street sweepers, these are parts that we need to get our street sweepers ready for fall.

Is that what we're doing?

Because the street sweepers have been missing in a lot of our neighborhoods that they used to travel.

So I'm assuming it's because they're all broken.

Ms.

President Chief, um, Councilor Abbott will provide the council with a list of the the dates of when street seepers go out.

But in totality, we have five that are currently active in this item that's before the council will help us get one back on the street because we need more parts for it.

But well, that's good because the reason that our storm sewers stop up, the biggest reason is they're full of leaves.

And if our street sweepers were working routinely, then maybe our sewers wouldn't be stopped up.

So it's one problem solving another or something like that.

Okay.

And and we also need to remind people in the neighborhoods that if your streets don't have curves, the street sweeper can't sweep.

So if you live on a street with no curves, you're not ever gonna see the street sweep.

And while we're on that topic, um, once upon a time, um public works published a schedule for the sweepers, and that was important because residents then knew okay, the street sweeper is coming through my neighborhood today.

Um I need to park off the street so that the sweeper can come down and clean the curbs.

Um I don't know that that's the case, uh, been the case recently.

So if we aren't currently doing that, uh then you know, I'd encourage us to do that so that again residents can know when to anticipate those street weep sweepers coming through.

Counselor Smithman.

And I know it's costs, it's not cost effective, but um even if we have to do it every other month, I think when we send out mailers letting people know, because we do have older residents and they're not on social media.

Um I don't even think we do robo calls anymore.

So I think that would be really helpful if we sent that out to people.

Um, because I know I've gotten a lot of questions about when the street sweepers are going, they don't come on my street, even though I know that's not true.

Um, but just letting people know, and for all nine districts counselor Clark.

I just wanted to ask if the if the vacuum trucks when they service the inlets, can they remove large obstructions like concrete?

Is there anything we can do?

Because we know the concrete caps break into the channel and we need we need the channel to be carrying water.

So councilor Clark, the vacuum trucks don't have the capacity to do it because most of the time when DPW goes out on those particular uh issues, sometimes they have to do it by hand or have a different type of equipment to alleviate those type of claws per se, because if they're not leak-related, it can be something else that can be people throw into the gutter or throw going to the sewer that requires more of some type of equipment that will kind of alleviate the issue outside the vacuum trucks.

A tag team with capital projects and PEP on those, because generally they have to run a camera through the line to see exactly what it is, and if it requires a different kind of machinery, sometimes that's not what those trucks are built to do.

Okay, I was just wondering if we were addressing it, because I know on just cleanups, the stuff I've pulled out, you know, suitcases, basketballs, but but then I see those concrete things crumble that we build and put on the top.

So I feel like with the kind of rain events we have, we gotta get better at removing obstructions because you know, as the mayor says it costs too much to upgrade the system, but if we could just get it working optimally, and I'm glad to know there's a process, but I think as much of that sort of ongoing preventive maintenance that we can proactively do and get our system performing as well as it can.

I think it will help relieve a lot of um issues for our um citizens, at least you know the impact of the rain events will be lessened somewhat.

Okay, ready for the vote.

All in favor, let it be known by saying aye.

Aye, all opposed.

Right.

Item 50 is approved.

Um item 54.

Item 54, uh page 16 is notice to the city council pursuant to section 12-14-15 code of Alabama of the mayor's grant of pardon to Dwayne Flowers for his 1996 conviction and municipal court case number 00596 1861.

Uh I know that Council Williams.

I understand that that is just a communication from the clerk, and it and it's does it.

I guess we don't vote on that.

But what what is what's going on?

This is just a notice requirement by law for this type of action.

So no action is needed by the council, but this is required.

But we don't have any supporting um information on this.

So does the clerk know what the conviction was for that we're parting?

I'll make sure that you get all the information.

But it is for the case number is on here.

Okay, thank you.

Well council, I believe it should be on your attachments.

Yes.

Okay.

All right.

Sir, did you have an item that we need to reconsider?

Yeah, item 20.

I just see my address down.

Yeah.

Okay.

Um motion to reconsider item 28.

All in favor, let it be known by saying aye.

Aye.

All opposed.

All right.

Uh so we'll reconsider item 28.

I assume we don't need to read it again.

No, sir.

Item 28.

That is on page 8.

Some or page 9, I'm sorry.

All right.

Uh, yeah, go ahead and read it for us.

Okay.

A resolution authorizing the abatement and removal of the following inoperable motor vehicle as a public nuisance existing on the filing property, and the costs of removal should be assessed against the register owner of the vehicle and the hearing about interested parties.

This was a four-door Cadillac deville color silver tag 5348A2.

Uh the VID number was unknown, and it's located at 2948 30th Street Southwest, 35211, parcel ID number 012 90 203 015 011 000.

Right, move the item.

Second.

All right, sir.

Um, can come tell us what you need to tell us.

Well, I got the date tag on it, and um I pay insurance every month, but it's I got to get it fixed.

Okay, and you're the property owner.

I'm the clamp broad next.

Okay.

And do you reside at this address?

Yes.

Okay.

Um, Chief, do you guys have any conflicting information or no?

We'll we'll just request a one-week delay while uh code enforcement reviews it and get with the property owner.

And if we that we have a resolve, we'll put it back on.

If not, we'll keep it off.

Okay.

Motion for a one week delay.

All in favor, let it be known by saying aye.

Aye.

All opposed.

All right.

So be delayed one week.

And uh please see staff to coordinate.

Thank you.

All right.

All right.

That brings us to um our announcements.

Councilor Woods.

Would you like to start us off?

Yes, sir.

Good morning.

Uh a few announcements.

The Apple Valley Neighborhood Association.

Uh, their meeting for this week has been canceled.

The Spring Lake Neighborhood Association will meet on Thursday, September 4th at 6 30 p.m.

That meeting is at the library of Huffman High School.

There's also a virtual option available if needed.

The Echo Highlands Neighborhood Association will also meet this Thursday, September 4th at 7 p.m.

That meeting will be held via Zoom.

Also want to thank the uh Black Warrior River Keeper and the UAB Honors College as well as other volunteers who uh came out last week for the B litter free cleanup.

Uh together we're able to remove over 700 pounds of litter uh from the area, and so thankful for all those uh supporting.

If you have not had the opportunity to participate yet, uh stay tuned.

We'd love to get you involved uh for more events coming up this month.

The Huffman Transit Station open house.

Wanted to just shout out everybody who came out uh to learn more about that ARPA funded project.

We're excited to kind of see what a plan for that area could be.

And so we'll continue working through that and continue providing updates as we go.

Thank you all.

All righty thank you, Councillor Tate.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Wylam Neighborhood Meeting Association.

We meet tonight, 6 p.m.

at the Wylam Library, located at 4300 Seventh Avenue.

Thomas Neighborhood Association meeting is held tonight at 6 30 at the Great Greater St.

Thomas Baptist Church.

That's located at 115 1st Street Thomas Pacific Oak Filling Neighborhood Association meeting is Wednesday, September the 30, 53 at the Civico Plant Community Room located at 1500 32nd Avenue North.

North Birmingham Neighborhood Association meeting is Monday, September the 8th, 6 p.m.

at the North Birmingham Library located at 2501 31st Avenue North.

The next public safety meeting will be held on Tuesday, September the 9th at 1 p.m.

in the council chamber.

Please submit your items by email no later than Wednesday, September the 3rd, no later than 12 noon.

To Gregory.sef is at Birmingham AEL.gov.

If you have questions or concerns, feel free to contact the office at 254 2302 and 2096.

That concludes my announcements, Mr.

President.

All right, thank you.

Council Williams.

Thank you.

Um Eastwood neighborhood will be meeting Thursday, September the 4th at 6 30 at their regular place, which is Habitat.

Um economic development and tourism is 11:30 today in conference rooms D and E for those folks and other do we still have a committee of the whole today?

Yes, we have a committee on the whole meeting at one.

Okay, so we'll try to get that done real quick.

All right.

Okay, and thank you, Council Williams.

Uh Pratim Alexander.

Thank you very much.

These are announcements for District 7.

We have one neighborhood association meeting this week.

The Jones Valley Neighborhood Association will meet at 4 p.m.

at the Powderley Library.

I'd also like to congratulate the newest members of the Leadership Birmingham Class 2026.

They will uh start their journey for the next few months on Friday.

And I want to congratulate the newest member, Councillor Clinton Woods.

So hope you have a great time.

I know it's a very valuable experience, so glad to see you among that group.

And also I received a um newsletter from uh as your being a unum uh cohort member and the success on your project.

So congratulations.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, Councilor Smithman.

Thank you, Mr.

President, and congratulations to Councilor Woods.

I was a part of Leadership Birmingham as well.

Falling behind um ma'am present is a really great experience.

You gain some really good friends, so I look forward to hearing about your experiences.

Uh neighborhood meetings, Oakwood Place is today at four at um Harrison Park Rec Center.

Mason City is today at 4 30 via teleconference.

North Titusville tomorrow at 5 p.m.

at Memorial Park Rec Center.

The next budget and finance committee meeting is scheduled for this Monday, September 8th at 3:30 p.m.

And then the West End Manor is also this Monday, September 8th at 5 p.m.

at New Hope Church.

And I wish everybody a safe and productive Tuesday.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Councilor Abbott.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

The uh first I want to congratulate all of the people who won their elections last week and for the ones in runoffs, Godspeed, and renewed energy because those next three weeks will be fun.

The next planning and zoning committee meeting for this month is September 10th at 3 30 p.m.

here in the council chambers.

The neighborhood association meeting for tonight is Forest Park South Avondale at 6 30 p.m.

in the Avondale Library.

If you have concerns or issues with anything you see that you think is wrong in the city besides police issues, you can call 311 or better yet, download the MyB Him 311 app so that you can attach photos and the description of your choice.

And we ask residents of District 3 to please continue to visit our website for real-time updates and additional information, and that is WWW dot Beham District 3.com.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

All right, thank you.

Councilor Moore.

Yes, uh, want to say congratulations to Council Wood as well on being conducted in Leadership Birmingham.

Uh let me see, Fairmont Neighborhood Association will take place this Tuesday or tonight at 6 p.m.

at Mount Carmel Christ Church.

Um we also have the Brummit Heights Neighborhood Association that will take place on Thursday at 1 p.m.

at the Brownsville Heights Community Center.

Uh Inglenook Airport Highlands, Woodlawn, and Roebuck will all take place on Monday at 6 p.m.

Uh, so make sure if you are in either of those neighborhoods that you please attend those meetings.

Um we will not have community development committee today.

Um again, I repeat we will not have community development committee today.

Uh you are welcome.

Uh and the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board will meet tomorrow at 9 a.m.

at Legion Field.

Um I did have a couple of questions for uh the chiefs that are here.

Um I know that I've been getting a couple of calls about the lights along the Norwood Boulevard.

Um I know that one light, a solar panel light was put up to be able to just kind of test it out, but um still waiting to see when the rest of those lights will be going up.

Um so I don't know if you all have any information about that.

Yeah, so uh councilmore.

So we're working with Park and Rec on that initiative.

I've worked with Miss Bennett on the actual the funding shortfall for it, so we're it's progressing.

So we'll give you a better update once I talk to her and make sure that we're still on track for the installation.

Got you.

And then I know uh wanted to get upon those vista stormwater update as well.

Um I know that project was something that you know uh just needed funding, and so we'll follow Ms.

Denise Bell.

I know that she did provide kind of a status update.

We'll make sure we get back to you and also follow up with the neighborhoods on that.

We'll get you there.

Okay, all right.

And then the uh last one was the West Boulevard.

Uh I know a couple weeks I reached out uh and made mention about the flooding that takes place uh with those different culverts uh over by our road golf course and those areas, and so never did get a follow-up on that, but if y'all could give me an update on that as well.

Yes, sir.

We'll do.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

All right, thank you, Councilman Moore.

Councilor Clark.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh, in District 8, we've got a few neighborhood meetings uh this evening.

The Fairview neighborhood will meet at 5 30 p.m.

via conference call.

And you can contact our office for the dial in information.

Also, the Thomas neighborhood will meet today.

They gather at um not Mount Hebron, but another church.

Let me just see if I can find it right quick.

Uh it's uh it's Fifth Street Baptist at 153, Thomas.

So that's at 6 30 p.m.

tonight.

Also uh next week, Monday, September 8th, the Tuxedo neighborhood will meet at 5 p.m.

at Mac Alpine Rec Center, and the Rising West Princeton and Ansley Highlands neighborhoods will both meet that evening at 6 p.m.

Rising West Princeton meets at the Rising Community Center, and you can call our office for the location of the Ansley Highlands neighborhood meeting.

Join the Birmingham Museum of Art and thank you books for a special installment of literary art featuring Alabama Poet Laureate Ashley Jones as she launches her much anticipated fourth poetry collection, lullaby for the grieving.

Through landscapes of Alabama, the Middle Passage, the Underground Railroad, and personal reflections of love and loss.

Jones weaves an elegy for her father and a powerful celebration of resilience, healing, and life itself.

A conversation and book signing will follow.

The event takes place on September 14th from 2 p.m.

to 4 p.m.

at the Museum of Art.

Also save the date for the third annual Blues at the Ballpark.

That's happening on Sunday, September 28th.

You can come out for some free uh excellent down home blues featuring Mississippi Delta Blues great Gary Burnside and the legendary Bobby Rush.

The gates open at 2.

The show starts at 3.

You can bring your lawn chairs and dancing shoes for a great time at Rickwood Field.

On a somber note, I want to publicly express condolences to my neighbor Orville Eiffel on the sudden passing of his wife Joan.

Funeral arrangements.

Tomorrow, September 3rd, there'll be a viewing from 1 to 5 at Arrington Funeral Home, located at 520 Cotton Avenue Southwest.

And then the funeral service will take place Thursday, September 4th at 10 a.m.

at St.

Paul's Cathedral downtown.

That's 2120 Third Avenue North.

And that concludes my remarks.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Council, I want to remind you guys that we have a special call committee of the whole meeting at 1 p.m.

Um our only agenda item is to discuss the proposed municipal lien foreclosure ordinance.

So we'll meet here in the council chambers for that.

Forest Park, South Avondale will meet at 6 30 p.m.

at Avondale Library, and Wahoma Neighborhood Association will meet on Thursday at 6 p.m.

at the East Lake Library, which has been reopened for a few months now.

The next Transportation Infrastructure Committee meeting will take place on Monday, September 8th at 2 p.m.

Uh here in the council chambers.

Agenda items can be submitted to Kimberly Phillips at Camberly.phillips at Birmingham AL.gov.

And this is our final announcement of the taking applications for the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority Board.

If you would like to apply, please send your resume and letter of interest to Kimberly Phillips at Kimberly Phillips, Kimberley.phillips at Birmingham AL.gov by tomorrow, Wednesday, September 3rd at 5 p.m.

If you have any questions, please contact my office at 205-254-2679.

Want to uh acknowledge that the BCRI in conjunction with the Ballard House project are commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act to remember and honor Birmingham champions who fought for for the right to to vote.

This is going to take place Thursday, September 4th.

Thursday, September 4th at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute starting at 5 p.m.

with a reception followed by community conversation and a panel at 6 p.m.

For more information and to register, please go to www.bcri.org.

The Jones Valley Teaching Farm will on Saturday, September 6th from 4 to 7.

We'll be having an event called Roots on the Ground.

It's an afternoon picnic at the downtown farm located at 701 25th Street North to support the community garden project fund.

The event includes buffet food and beverages featuring 10 local chefs from popular Birmingham restaurants, line dancing lessons by Desi Keith of D2 Line Dancing.

Excuse me.

And children's activities led by the education team.

Tickets can be purchased at www.jvtf.org.

The District 5 and District 9 annual Safe Summer Series concert will take place on Sunday, September 14th at Legion Field.

And my staff is telling me to tell everyone to get your boots ready for this for this trail ride, Southern Blues Concert.

I think it's going to be a lot of fun.

We got a good lineup.

Alright.

And finally, just want to remind folks to take advantage of our two farmers markets every Saturday morning at Pepper Place and the East Lake Farmers Market at East Lake United Methodist Church.

And that concludes the District 5 announcements.

Madam Clerk, we have some folks who have signed up for our speakers list.

Yes, sir.

The first person is Antoinette Halsey.

Antoinette Halsey.

Our next person is Ricky Green.

Ricky Green.

And our last person is Elodie Miller.

Hi, Miss Miller.

As you approach the lecture, and please remember to state your name and address.

Yes, sir.

Good morning, everyone.

My name is Alodia Miller.

I live at 3745 Pine Avenue Southwest.

And I want to ask first of all, are photos allowed to be passed so that you all can see them?

Is that allowed?

Yes, ma'am.

This is my first time.

To whom do I?

Okay.

Yes, sir.

So pleasant to see you.

As I stated, my name is Alodia Miller, and I'm a citizen of Birmingham, Alabama.

The first photos, hopefully, that you all will see front and back.

Is a it's about illegal dumping in my area.

At the starting at the very ninth street and Mineral Avenue.

I live on the I live in the Riley Travelic side across is Graysella Heights, Winona, etc.

Uh you will see February the 5th.

These are designated days by the city that told us that they would pick up February the 5th, March 6th, March the 20th.

And May 15th.

And I've called prior to Easter.

This is before Easter.

And we've called after.

Furniture.

And it's we cannot get that trash or that particular item.

All of that picked up.

This has been since February the 1st.

And we this is now what?

September the second.

The next is a fire hydrant.

I've never seen this in our neighborhood, and I just took the photos last week.

It is directly at 39th Street and Gray Avenue.

And everybody, uh Jefferson Avenue is a well-known street.

Jefferson Avenue in our district.

It turns into it drive.

You can take Jefferson Avenue, go all the way into Bessemer.

The next is a paved alley in my neighborhood.

And it's at my property.

3921 Walnut Avenue.

I am 5'5.

You look at it.

The weeds have grown through the pavement, and it's taller than I am.

And uh it's some it's in my calendar.

I didn't get a chance to put that down.

But it's directly.

Uh the alley is between Walnut Avenue and Willow Avenue.

That's walnut and willow.

Then you will see the fire truck.

That particular fire truck got stuck in April of 2021.

We have asked some of my neighbors have passed away.

Asking the city to widen and to get that street better.

The street is narrow, but yet two cars, two automobiles can go down there.

There was once a county truck.

They had just bought that truck.

You could tell it was new.

And either gentleman went to make a left turn at that exact same intersection where you see the truck.

And he messed up something on that truck, and they could not pull off.

And I realized that it cost a lot when those when the record has to come and hook up and pull out.

But it hurts when you ask sometimes, and I had to get myself together before I came back in.

I stepped out for a moment.

Ten years.

Can we get something done?

The gentlemen come through, they will bypass sometimes.

They bypass, they will go and get brush, and we realize that besides brush, you're dealing with derby.

But they are cordial to us when I approach them.

They're very cordial.

They're just doing their job.

But I don't think it should take this long for us to keep asking that brush and trash be picked up.

And I appreciate you all listening.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Mrs.

Miller, thank you for bringing this information and bringing the pictures to support the things that you're seeing along these areas.

I know in some cases we have had the opportunity to escalate some of these, but I know that we have residents that are along that path, Jefferson Avenue, that, and I agree with Ms.

Miller.

We do have a problem with picking up and being consistent and how the bulk trash is picked up in that area.

I know along Bessemer and Gray Avenues.

Um there's been work there in the past, but those areas need attention.

So if you all could do anything to assist Ms.

Miller and those residents, it would be greatly appreciated.

Once again, thank you all.

Thank you.

Chiefs, um, just a question on the illegal dumping issue.

Is it when public works goes out to clean up those sites?

Um, do they try to collect any information?

Um, you know, especially when it involves household waste, then there may be you know pieces of mail or other things um included in that that indicate where that comes from.

Do they document the so they do?

And two things.

Thank you for um Miss Miller's comments.

She's she met with um Josh Ace prior to come in, so we'll make sure we do some tracking on those.

So, yes, and there's a coordinated effort between both Public Works, BPD, and our code enforcement crews when they do go out to these illegal dumb sites to try to gather data and then coordinate as much as they can with either our DMAT team or follow up on what we can legally engage on based on what we learned.

So, yes, they do collect that.

Now it's just the methodology of how we do enforcement of those folks once we find out who's doing what.

But yes, they do.

Mr.

President.

Okay, thank you.

All right.

That concludes our public speakers.

I want to thank Officer Square for being with us this morning as always.

Um, and Council Williams.

All in favor, let it be done by saying aye.

I all opposed.