Birmingham City Council Regular Meeting - May 19, 2026

The Birmingham City Council held its regular meeting on May 19, 2026, at 9:30 AM in the Council Chambers. Mayor Randall Woodfin presented the proposed $615 million FY2026-2027 operating budget, which includes increased funding for neighborhood revitalization, public safety, youth programs, and employee compensation. The Council unanimously approved a resolution setting a public hearing on the budget for June 3, 2026, at 5:30 PM, and adopted the consent agenda and several other items. The meeting adjourned at 10:34 AM.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes from February 3–24, 2026; minutes not ready for March 3–May 12, 2026.
• Approved resolutions for alcohol license transfers (Star Food Mart, PK Groceries, Retro, LA Catrina, Ralphs Listening Room, ArMoney’s).
• Granted an Operating Authority Permit with one Certificate of Public Necessity and Convenience to On The Mark, LLC for non-emergency medical transport.
• Authorized abatement and removal of six inoperable motor vehicles (Mercedes Benz, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Celica, Cadillac Escalade, GMC van, Buick Enclave) as public nuisances.
• Approved a $50,000 CDBG forgivable loan to Honeycutt Jr. Enterprises, LLC for façade improvement at 5812 1st Avenue North.
• Authorized an agreement with HouseProud Atlanta Inc. for up to $50,350.75 to implement the District 6 Housing Rehabilitation Program.
• Approved a $5,000 agreement with Jefferson County Greenways Foundation for maintenance of Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve.
• Authorized repurchase of property at 4626 Avenue V from Black & White Photography, Inc. for $25,000.
• Allocated $3,500 (amended from $2,000 with an additional $1,500 from District 7 discretionary funds) to Grace Club CDC for back-to-school supplies.
• Declared 62 structures as unsafe public nuisances and ordered their demolition (properties listed in agenda items 24–85).
• Accepted bids for city-wide demolition of condemned housing: Bostic Trucking & Excavating, Inc., CJ’s Ventures, LLC, Cornerstone Roofing, and Swanson Enterprises, Inc. dba S/C Construction.
• Amended Resolution No. 155-26 to remove 1700 Slayden Avenue from weed abatement assessment due to owner proof.
• Approved payments: $36,293.55 to EBSCO for library books; $13,713.00 to H3 Mechanical LLC for VFD drive repair at Negro Southern League Museum; $21,983.50 to Wittichen Supply Co. for HVAC parts; $25,374.41 to Jefferson County Health Department for permit fees; $10,266.75 to Mayer Electric for smoke alarm batteries; $41,665.33 to Midwest Tape for digital library access; $17,050.00 to Williams Fire Apparatus for three fans.
• Approved itemized and advanced expense accounts for appointed/elected officials and city employees.
• Declared 262 properties as having noxious weeds and set a public hearing for June 23, 2026.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Rob Burton (1907 5th Street South) and Donald Smith, representing the Citizens Advisory Board (CAB), presented a resolution requesting:
  1. Increase the neighborhood fund line item (031-TERFRS) from $198,000 to $990,000 per year (0.16% of the FY2027 budget).
  2. Add a $5,000 line item for travel expenses for NUSA Board members.
  3. Reinstate funding for neighborhood flyers.
• They requested meetings with the Council and Mayor’s staff to further discuss these proposals.

Discussion Items

• FY2026-2027 Budget Presentation (Mayor Randall Woodfin): The proposed $615 million operating budget focuses on:
  • Neighborhood revitalization: $19.3 million combined for street paving ($12M), weed abatement ($3M), demolition ($1.5M), traffic calming ($500K), and critical home repairs for seniors ($1.53M).
  • Youth and education: $2 million for Birmingham Promise, $1 million for mental health in schools, $1 million for conflict resolution, $625,000 for Safe Havens, $500,000 for Youth Sports League, and additional funds for Cradle to Career.
  • Public safety: Doubled community violence reduction funding to $3 million; increased Black Male Initiative funding to $500,000.
  • Homelessness: Doubled funding to $3 million for housing strategies, plus $800,000 in CDBG funds.
  • Transportation: $11.5 million for BJCTA (increase of $500,000), $3 million for express BRT, $2.5 million for microtransit, $300,000 for ClasTrain.
  • Employees: $10 million for salary adjustments (merit/longevity), additional $5 million for health benefits, one-time $500 premium pay per full-time employee. Employees will see up to $32/paycheck increase in health insurance premiums (employer absorbs 79% of healthcare costs).
  • Deferred maintenance: $1.5 million additional for city facilities.
• Resolution Setting Budget Public Hearing (Item 1): Councilmember Smitherman introduced Resolution No. 1003-26 setting the public hearing for June 3, 2026, at 5:30 PM in Council Chambers and online via WebEx.
• Item 9 – Junk Dealer’s Permit for IQAP dba EZ Pull N Pay: Planner Roger Glore confirmed the condition (resurvey of two lots) was satisfied. No public speakers. Council voted to approve.
• Item 18 – Interlocal Agreement with Birmingham Airport Authority: Councilmember Williams moved adoption of Ordinance No. 26-56 authorizing a three-year agreement for Birmingham Fire and Rescue Services to manage airport fire station and provide aircraft rescue/firefighting services. BAA will reimburse fully burdened salary and overtime costs. Adopted unanimously.
• Withdrawn Items: Items 16 and 17 (ordinances amending parking fines and administrative adjudication) were withdrawn at the Mayor’s request.

Key Outcomes

• The FY2026-2027 proposed budget was officially presented and referred to the Budget and Finance Committee. A public hearing is scheduled for June 3, 2026, at 5:30 PM.
• The consent agenda (Resolutions 1004-26 through 1100-26) was adopted unanimously (8-0).
• Resolution No. 1101-26 (Junk Dealer’s Permit for IQAP dba EZ Pull N Pay) adopted unanimously (8-0).
• Ordinance No. 26-56 (Interlocal Agreement with Birmingham Airport Authority) adopted unanimously (8-0) after unanimous consent for first reading.
• Items 16 and 17 were withdrawn.
• Public comment from CAB will be considered during budget deliberations; no immediate vote taken.
• Next regular council meeting and further budget discussions will follow the public hearing.