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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Mobile City Council Regular Meeting - September 16, 2025

City Council Meetings — Tuesday, September 16, 2025

BodyMobile, Alabama

SessionCity Council Meetings

DateTuesday, September 16, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:20:45

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:08

This is a regular meeting of the Mobile City Council.

0:10

Tuesday, September the 16th.

0:12

Please stand for our invocation led by Reverend Tom Heard, Public Safety Chaplain, and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence following the pledge.

0:26

Let us pray.

0:29

Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, send down upon those who hold office in this city.

0:35

The spirit of wisdom, charity, and justice, that with steadfast purpose, they may faithfully serve in their offices to promote the well-being of all people.

0:46

Oh God, you have bound us together in a common life.

0:50

Help us in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth to confront one another without hatred or bitterness to work together with mutual forbearance and respect.

1:00

And as always, we ask our blessing upon all your children as we bless and magnify your holy name.

1:08

Amen.

1:26

I'm going to ask everyone to please remain standing for a moment of silence for a long time serving as sexual band member of Frank Punkinette.

1:34

Just a moment of silence.

1:58

Roll call, President Small.

2:00

Here.

2:04

Councilmember Carroll.

2:06

Here.

2:06

Council Member Reynolds.

2:08

Councilmember Dave.

2:09

Here.

2:09

Councilmember Woods.

2:10

Here.

2:11

Statement of rules.

2:12

And good morning, everyone.

2:14

It's good to see everyone this morning.

2:16

Welcome to our meeting.

2:17

At this meeting, we do have rules at this time.

2:19

I ask if anyone have any type of electronic device, including cell phones, please at this time put on the offer to vibrate position, the offer to vibrate position.

2:30

Any person that is desiring to address the Mobile City Council must sign in indicating the ordinance, the resolution, a public hearing agenda item before entering the meeting.

2:40

When addressing the council, the speaker must give his or her name.

3:00

Anyone who has not given a proper note to the city clerk office and wishes to speak on a non-agenda item would not be allowed to address this council.

3:08

Each speaker is allowed three minutes to address this council.

3:11

A bell was signed to indicate the end of two minutes.

3:14

One minute remain for summarizing.

3:16

The second bell indicates that your time has expired.

3:19

When addressing the council, there'd be no personal address to any individual council members.

3:24

All statements are to be made to the chair who will recognize any council member who wishes to respond.

3:29

To maintain the quorum, there will be no undue applause and or public outcry allowed.

3:37

Approval of minutes from August 27th.

3:40

So moved.

3:41

Second.

3:44

All in favor?

3:45

Aye.

3:46

All opposed.

3:47

Minutes approved.

3:48

Communications from Mayor Stimpson.

3:50

Good morning.

3:51

Good to see you.

3:52

Thanks for taking time to come join us today.

3:54

Several announcements and a couple of presentations today.

3:57

The first announcement is just to remind you that Airbus is their 10th anniversary.

4:03

It's hard to believe that it was 10 years ago that uh we had the ribbon cutting.

4:07

Um, but anyway, when you think about their impact, they started off with 300 employees ten years ago, and they have over 2,000 today.

4:16

Um, and they're more in the pipeline as they continue to ramp up their production.

4:22

You know, the final assembly lines were referred to as fouls.

4:26

We built a foul the first time.

4:28

Now we're completing actually almost complete uh construction of the third foul, which will increase the production further from where it is today.

4:38

During that period of time, we've had more than 30 suppliers have opened uh businesses in Mobile to support those Airbus operations.

4:46

Um I would say that the their success is uh hard work, collaboration, and answers to prayers.

4:52

And when I say collaboration, that means with the city, the county, the state, and the federal partners.

5:00

So we're tremendously grateful for the participation in their success.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Procedural█████████████████████21%

Transportation Safety█████████████████17%

Public Engagement██████████████14%

Public Safety███████████11%

Budget Equity Analysis████████8%

Economic Development████4%

Disability Rights████4%

Community Engagement████4%

Tourism███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Mobile City Council Regular Meeting - September 16, 2025

The Mobile City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. The meeting included presentations, public hearings, discussion and approval of a new transit contract, adoption of the fiscal year 2025-2026 budget, and multiple public comments on election integrity and transit services.

Consent Calendar

Approved the minutes from August 27, 2025.
Adopted the agenda.
Approved requests to waive the noise ordinance for events on November 1, October 18, October 31, December 31, March 28, and October 11 at various locations.
Approved consent resolutions including reappointments to advisory committees, declarations of structures as public nuisances (1109 Adam Street, 313 Calhoun Street, 1205 Gent Street, 1966 Halls Mill Road), honorary street renamings (Collins Avenue to Douglas and Mary F. Banks Way; portion of Esau Avenue to James Petway; intersection of Jones Avenue and Carlton Avenue to Woodrow and Nettie Curtis Avenue), and approval of a water special bonus to the firefighter of the month.
Approved several purchase orders for security cameras, surveillance parts, fire pumper engine overhaul, and a fund transfer for the Langon Park Dredging Project.

Public Comments & Testimony

Renee Cade (property owner at 1720 Northview Drive) questioned the scope of work and requested information on demolition costs; referred to city staff after public hearing.
Jabaria Dent (Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama) presented the Bridges to Great Futures program for middle school students, citing statistics: $161,000 per year to incarcerate a youth vs. $4,725 per youth for the program; $14 return for every dollar invested. Expressed support for additional funding.
Lindsay Blankenship (Dedicated Dentist Inc.) requested $10,000 in support for a free dental day on October 11, 2025. Noted 41.6 dentists per 100,000 residents in Alabama and poverty rate over 15%.
Sabrina Mass expressed distrust in the recent election process, citing precinct confusion, lack of public notice, and safety issues at polling places located in schools. Supported candidate “Prime.”
Eva Lee (senior and Wave bus rider) opposed any reduction in bus service and advocated for improvements, including better shelters and driver training. Referenced Akron, Ohio’s transit system as a model.
Denise Martin (Wave rider) reported missed bus routes and driver shortages, urging council to improve pay and service for riders.
Albert Abrams (Wave employee, union member) asked the council to protect employee sick time, personal time, pension, and insurance in the new transit contract. Councilmember Penn clarified that employees would keep insurance, be paid for sick days, and have vacation honored.
Reggie Hill criticized the proposed transit contract as downsizing service while increasing costs, questioned budget allocations (referencing $697,000 for towing, $400,000 for police fines), and called for more spending on stormwater, housing, and violence prevention. Councilmember Penn responded that federal law prevents downsizing and that the new contract actually adds service.

Discussion Items

Transit Contract with Via Transportation (Resolution 21 1149): Extended debate on the contract to operate the city’s transit system. Amendments were introduced: (1) to require cost-saving measures (Section 1.2.1), (2) to change the contract term to 3+1+1+5 years (Section 3.1(B)), and (3) to ensure all non-management service employees are transferred to Via (Section 4.1.3c). Council members noted that the first nine months would see no route changes, with public hearings to follow. The amendment passed unanimously. The contract was then approved.
Adoption of Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget (Resolution 091169): Councilmember Days offered budget-neutral amendments: decreasing transfers out to grants by $28,750; decreasing Visit Mobile allocation by $219,658; increasing operational expenses in permitting ($17,800), planning and zoning ($37,350), and municipal enforcement personnel ($193,800). The amendments passed unanimously. The budget was then adopted. Councilmember Dave praised the transparent process and timely approval before the September 20 deadline.

Key Outcomes

Vote on Transit Contract: Approved with amendments (all in favor).
Vote on Budget: Approved with amendments (all in favor).
Public Hearings: Closed for nuisance declarations and demolition cost fixes; one speaker addressed the council and was referred to staff.
Appeals (Noise Ordinance Waivers): Approved.
Call for Public Hearings: Scheduled for October 21, 2025 on a conditional use permit at 2316 Hillwood Drive West and a PUD modification at 550 Providence Park Drive East.
Election Reminder: Councilmembers Reynolds and Woods encouraged voter turnout for the September 23 runoff election, noting 152,000 registered voters in Mobile and only 41,481 voting in the last city election. Councilman Woods announced a district 6 community meeting on September 18.
Next Meeting: Changed to Wednesday, September 24, 2025 due to the Tuesday election.

Meeting Transcript

This is a regular meeting of the Mobile City Council. Tuesday, September the 16th. Please stand for our invocation led by Reverend Tom Heard, Public Safety Chaplain, and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence following the pledge. Let us pray. Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, send down upon those who hold office in this city. The spirit of wisdom, charity, and justice, that with steadfast purpose, they may faithfully serve in their offices to promote the well-being of all people. Oh God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth to confront one another without hatred or bitterness to work together with mutual forbearance and respect. And as always, we ask our blessing upon all your children as we bless and magnify your holy name. Amen. I'm going to ask everyone to please remain standing for a moment of silence for a long time serving as sexual band member of Frank Punkinette. Just a moment of silence. Roll call, President Small. Here. Councilmember Carroll. Here. Council Member Reynolds. Councilmember Dave. Here. Councilmember Woods. Here. Statement of rules. And good morning, everyone. It's good to see everyone this morning. Welcome to our meeting. At this meeting, we do have rules at this time. I ask if anyone have any type of electronic device, including cell phones, please at this time put on the offer to vibrate position, the offer to vibrate position. Any person that is desiring to address the Mobile City Council must sign in indicating the ordinance, the resolution, a public hearing agenda item before entering the meeting. When addressing the council, the speaker must give his or her name. Anyone who has not given a proper note to the city clerk office and wishes to speak on a non-agenda item would not be allowed to address this council. Each speaker is allowed three minutes to address this council. A bell was signed to indicate the end of two minutes. One minute remain for summarizing. The second bell indicates that your time has expired. When addressing the council, there'd be no personal address to any individual council members. All statements are to be made to the chair who will recognize any council member who wishes to respond. To maintain the quorum, there will be no undue applause and or public outcry allowed. Approval of minutes from August 27th. So moved. Second. All in favor? Aye. All opposed. Minutes approved. Communications from Mayor Stimpson. Good morning. Good to see you. Thanks for taking time to come join us today. Several announcements and a couple of presentations today. The first announcement is just to remind you that Airbus is their 10th anniversary.

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