OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Mobile City Council Meeting - September 30, 2025

City Council Meetings — Tuesday, September 30, 2025
BodyMobile, Alabama
SessionCity Council Meetings
DateTuesday, September 30, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 53:13

Transcript — Verbatim
1:20

This is the regular meeting of the Mobile City Council Tuesday, September the 30th.

1:24

Please stand for our invocation, led by Dr.

1:26

Bobby Morton, public safety chaplain, and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:34

Almighty God, as we come before you, we just thank you for this day and a day that you have created for each and every one of us in the time for us to come together.

2:08

And just guide our steps in a way that would be pleasing to you this morning and just give a piece about this place.

2:14

And we ask this in Christ's name.

2:16

Amen.

2:17

Amen.

2:18

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

2:23

And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible.

2:37

Roll call, President Small.

2:39

Here.

2:39

Vice President Gregory here.

2:41

Council Member Penn.

2:42

Here.

2:43

Council Member Carroll.

2:44

Here.

2:44

Council Member Wynells.

2:46

Here.

2:46

Councilmember Dave.

2:48

Here.

2:48

Council Member Woods.

2:49

Here.

2:50

Statement of rules.

2:51

And good morning, everyone.

2:52

Morning.

2:52

It's good to see everyone this morning.

2:54

Welcome to our September 30th, 2025 meeting.

2:57

At this meeting, we do have rules.

2:59

At this time I ask if anyone have any type of electronic device, including cell phones, please at this time put on the off or the vibrator position.

3:07

The off or the vibrate position.

3:11

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

3:20

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

4:10

I'll cry aloud.

4:19

Good morning.

4:19

Good to see everyone.

4:21

Thank you for being here.

4:30

Yes, okay.

4:31

Just want to make sure.

5:01

And it will be one of the keys to getting things done.

5:05

So really, really appreciative of that.

5:08

This four million be supporting the improvements along the downtown waterfront to helping strengthen the infrastructure, extending the bulkhead.

5:17

And when I say extending the bulkhead, that'll be extending it from the convention center going north into the area where the proposed hotel would be located just on the north side of the convention center.

5:29

And also building a connecting boardwalk coming south down into Cooper Riverside Park.

5:51

Probably in 2020, we're granted 16 million dollars from Gomeza for Brooklyn by the Bay, and then another 15.5 came from the State Economic Development Fund.

6:04

So over the last several years, Governor Ivey has done an incredible job of directing funds to major projects in the City of Mobile.

6:14

And for that will have benefits for generations to come.

6:18

And so we're tremendously grateful for her continued interest in the City of Mobile.

6:25

So the second uh announcement has to do with the downtown street optimization project.

6:31

Last week, Warren Street and a section of Deer Dearborn Street were converted from one way to two-way traffic.

6:38

I'm proud to report that the traffic's moving smoothly in both directions using a yield flow model where vehicles can still park on either side of the street.

6:46

The goal, uh the goal of these changes to slow traffic, improve pedestrian safety, and make businesses more accessible.

6:55

Uh this week crews are installing a new curb ramp and sidewalks along Royal Street.

7:00

You'll see the construction cones and see where the concrete's been knocked out.

7:04

Uh all of that's uh being done as part of uh ADA, some of the ADA compliant compliance that we have to do.

7:11

And the downtown uh alliance is working proactively with us to make sure all that's being done in the manner it should be.

7:19

Uh, if you want to find out more information about that work that's going on, you can go to the CityMobile.org or the city social uh media websites.

7:28

Um just pick it up on social media.

7:31

The last one has to do with the 27th annual Dolphin Street Beer Festival.

7:36

Tickets are still available for the 27th annual Dolphin Street Beer Festival this sat this Saturday, October 4th from 6 o'clock to 9 p.m.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural██████████████████████████26%
Fiscal Sustainability███████████████████████23%
Public Engagement██████████████14%
Public Safety███████7%
Education██████6%
Economic Development█████5%
Animal Welfare█████5%
Zoning And Land Use████4%
Parks and Recreation████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Mobile City Council Meeting - September 30, 2025

The Mobile City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at 9:36 AM, with all seven council members present. The meeting included mayoral announcements, proclamations, a monthly finance report, public comments, and several resolutions. The meeting recessed at approximately 11:30 AM to reconvene at 12:00 PM for the canvassing of the September 23, 2025 election results.

Proclamations & Recognitions

  • Mayor Stimpson proclaimed September 24, 2025 as Mercy Day in Mobile, honoring Mercy Life of Alabama, the only PACE program in the state. Councilman Penn recognized their work in District 1.
  • Councilman Carroll recognized the Bishop State Community College first women's flag football team, highlighting the growth of women's flag football and its inclusion in the 2028 Olympics. Bishop State's enrollment was noted at over 4,500 students.

Mayor's Announcements

  • Downtown Waterfront Improvements: $4 million in state funding will support extending the bulkhead from the convention center north toward the proposed hotel site and building a connecting boardwalk to Cooper Riverside Park. This follows previous grants of $16 million (GOMESA) and $15.5 million (State Economic Development Fund).
  • Downtown Street Optimization Project: Warren Street and a section of Dearborn Street were converted from one-way to two-way traffic using a yield flow model. Crews are installing ADA-compliant curb ramps and sidewalks on Royal Street.
  • 27th Annual Dolphin Street Beer Festival: Scheduled for October 4, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, featuring 48 craft beers and 12 local bars/restaurants. Tickets are $35.

Monthly Finance Report (August 2025)

Presented by Mr. Collins:

  • Beginning balance: $194,703,982; Reserve fund: $58,626,210; Operating balance: $116,565,408.
  • Ending balance: $188,868,701; General fund operating balance: $109,569,670.
  • Year-to-date sales tax revenues: $184,905,099 (net of $1 million in refunds); prior year-to-date: $186,449,866; budget: $188,181,466.
  • Business license year-to-date: $55,011,846 (up from prior year $52,494,074; budget $52,730,507).
  • Total revenues: $331,858,391 (prior year $326,148,389; budget $325,987,325).
  • Total expenditures: $249,000,661 (prior year $245,000,438; budget $287,888,071).
  • Net surplus: $29,379,653, which will be carried over to balance the FY26 budget, consistent with the Zobi Act.
  • Discussion on collapsing cost centers: The finance department will lead consolidation of 73 divisions into fewer cost centers. The fire department will be the first large department to consolidate, with no net budget impact. Councilman Reynolds expressed concern about losing granularity, but Mr. Collins noted division-level detail would still be available.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Savannah Jones and Victoria Howell (Miss Juneteenth America Scholarship Pageantry Program) requested support for their trip to Galveston, Texas, the birthplace of Juneteenth. They highlighted their community service and leadership development, asking for donations to offset costs.
  • Unnamed resident (self-described as "old mobile with humble roots") expressed dissatisfaction with city transparency and accountability. Specific complaints included: $9 million overrun on a parking garage, $2 million overrun on Civic Center demolition, $400,000 for a bronze Jimmy Buffett statue, drag shows in front of the Catholic cathedral, pornographic/gender grooming books in the library children's section, and election irregularities (precinct changes, tabulator breakdowns, voters marked inactive in runoff). She demanded answers. Mr. Collins responded that the Civic Center demolition was under budget (original estimate $8 million, actual about $6 million), and parking garage overruns were covered by contingency funds. The Clerk explained that inactive voter status was a Secretary of State issue and that all precinct changes complied with legal requirements, with voters receiving mailed cards.

Discussion Items

  • Resolution 01-1247 – Port City Transit Pension Plan Amendment: Authorized an amendment to the pension plan agreement. Councilman Reynolds opposed, stating the city should address the long-standing pension issue and not add costs given a $1 million monthly overspend on public transit. The resolution passed 6-1, with Reynolds voting no.
  • Resolution 27-1267 – Canvassing of September 23, 2025 Election Results: Moved to the end of the agenda after public hearings. The meeting recessed before this item was taken up.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously (all resolutions and ordinances not individually discussed).
  • Appeals (Noise Ordinance Waivers): Approved for events on October 4, 18, November 15, and January 31 at various locations.
  • Public Hearings: Opened and closed for rezoning at 813 Lakeside Drive (B3/I1 to B3) and demolition costs at 2002 Good Street and 1416 Old Shell Road.
  • Ordinance 34-047 – Vapor Products Tax and License: Rules waived; adopted immediately to levy a local excise tax and require business licenses for consumable vapor products.
  • Resolutions 31-1232 through 27-1267: Approved en bloc, including grant applications (ASPCA $60,000, DOJ $1 million for school violence prevention), ABC license recommendations, demolition costs, honorary street renaming, weed removal assessments, and employee bonus.
  • Meeting Recessed: The council recessed at 11:30 AM to reconvene at 12:00 PM for the canvassing of election results.

Meeting Transcript

This is the regular meeting of the Mobile City Council Tuesday, September the 30th. Please stand for our invocation, led by Dr. Bobby Morton, public safety chaplain, and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Almighty God, as we come before you, we just thank you for this day and a day that you have created for each and every one of us in the time for us to come together. And just guide our steps in a way that would be pleasing to you this morning and just give a piece about this place. And we ask this in Christ's name. Amen. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible. Roll call, President Small. Here. Vice President Gregory here. Council Member Penn. Here. Council Member Carroll. Here. Council Member Wynells. Here. Councilmember Dave. Here. Council Member Woods. Here. Statement of rules. And good morning, everyone. Morning. It's good to see everyone this morning. Welcome to our September 30th, 2025 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 off or the vibrator position. The off or the vibrate position. Any person that desires to address the Mobile City Council must sign in, indicating a resolution, the ordinance or public hearing agenda item before entering the meeting. When addressing this council, you must the speaker must give his or her name. I'll cry aloud. Good morning. Good to see everyone. Thank you for being here. Yes, okay. Just want to make sure. And it will be one of the keys to getting things done. So really, really appreciative of that. This four million be supporting the improvements along the downtown waterfront to helping strengthen the infrastructure, extending the bulkhead. And when I say extending the bulkhead, that'll be extending it from the convention center going north into the area where the proposed hotel would be located just on the north side of the convention center. And also building a connecting boardwalk coming south down into Cooper Riverside Park. Probably in 2020, we're granted 16 million dollars from Gomeza for Brooklyn by the Bay, and then another 15.5 came from the State Economic Development Fund. So over the last several years, Governor Ivey has done an incredible job of directing funds to major projects in the City of Mobile. And for that will have benefits for generations to come. And so we're tremendously grateful for her continued interest in the City of Mobile. So the second uh announcement has to do with the downtown street optimization project. Last week, Warren Street and a section of Deer Dearborn Street were converted from one way to two-way traffic.

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