Yes, please stand for our invocation led by Patricia Evans, public safety chaplain, and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Let us buy a head for a word of prayer.

Most gracious and loving Father, we thank you, Heavenly Father, for waking us up this morning, starting us on our way.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for bringing us together once again to gather together for this meeting.

And Father, we just ask, Lord, that you will cover our police officers, God, our firefighters, God.

And we ask God that you will just guide the mayor of this great city.

We pray for the council members here today, Lord God.

Let them make right decisions in the name of Jesus.

And so, God, we thank you.

We pray for everyone that has gathered here today.

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Pledge allegiance to the flag in the United States of America and to the Republic for which he stands, one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Okay, thank you.

Roll call, President Small.

Here, Vice President Gregory, Councilmember Penn.

Here.

Councilmember Ingram.

Here.

Councilmember Reynolds.

Here.

Councilmember Philamine?

Here.

Councilmember Woods.

Here.

Statement of rules.

And good morning, everyone.

Morning.

Hey, good morning, everyone.

It's good to see everybody this morning.

Welcome to our January 20th, 2026 meeting.

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

I asked if anyone have any type of electronic device, including cell phones.

Please at this time put on the off for the vibrated position, the off or the vibrating position.

And the person that designed to address the Mobile City Council must sign in the um indicating the resolution, the ordinance of public hearing agenda agenda item before entering the meeting.

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

Any person that designed to address the council on a non-agenda item must contact the city clerk office no later than two o'clock p.m.

the third so prior to the council meeting.

The subject that he or she wishes to express the Mobile City Council must be identified and pertain to the city of Mobile Business.

Anyone who has not given a proper note to the city clerk office and wish 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 with sound to indicate the end of two minutes, one minute remain for summarizing the second bell indicates that the time has expired.

When addressing this 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 decorum that would be known to applause or public outcry allowed.

Madam Clerk.

Approval of minutes of January 13th.

So moved.

Second.

Probably move and second.

Any discussion.

All in favor.

Aye.

All opposed.

Minutes approved.

Communications from Mayor Chair Goddess.

Good morning, everyone.

Morning.

Anyone who attends a city council meeting is special to me, but I do have a few special guests with the last name Chair of Goddess and some of their classmates here today.

And uh I want you to know that Daddy is watching and be on your absolute best church behavior, okay.

All right.

Um I wanted to highlight a few things today.

Uh the city, we are very excited to highlight a new partnership with an incredible group coming up this Mardi Gras season.

That's the special needs assistance station for you.

They go by SNASI.

Uh SNASI will help make Mardi Gras more accessible for individuals with special needs, as well as the families and friends who are caring for them.

Beginning uh with our first parade on January 30th, SNASI will have a comfort station in Mardi Gras Park featuring an ADA accessible trailer, an adult changing stations, a climate controlled tent and seating areas and refreshments.

Uh families can pre-register for free reserve parking at Fort Conde, and Snazzi will assist with safely crossing to the park.

Uh services will be available before every scheduled parade during this 2026 season.

Uh, I want to invite Dale and Lindsay Jackson, the founders of Snazzi, to come up and share a few more details with us.

Uh let's see, Dale and Lindsay, come on up.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Yeah, right there.

Thank you very much, Mayor Spiro.

Sorry if I'm don't get the last name.

Uh it is a pleasure to address the council and mayor.

We finally get to meet face to face.

We've been conversing uh offices for a while now, lining everything up.

Snazzy is something that was created out of necessity.

I have a 17-year-old son that wears a diaper.

And when you have an adult with a diaper, that completely changes everything about your life.

And so out of necessity, I started creating a program that enabled my family and so many other families to be able to participate in large outdoor events.

And we are official partners with Auburn University.

And because of that, we have served so many of your local families.

And the message that I want to convey back to the council and to the mayor's office is that the families of Mobile have really placed a lot of trust in you.

Because when they received our services at Auburn University, the very first thing they said was, you've got to come to Mobile.

I know the City of Mobile will support this and get behind this.

And I am here today, grateful that you have gotten behind this.

Whether or not you're just learning about this this morning, the people, the businesses, the city staff have really gotten behind what we're trying to do and serve families and to facilitate families being able to attend something as wonderful as Mardi Gras.

And it is not that easily done if you have a loved one that requires special needs.

And I would like to uh convey just one minor uh kind of a point of view because as I travel the country and I have spoken to a lot of large uh groups as of this.

Uh a lot of people hear me go on and on for hours.

I promise not to do that today.

But there's a there's a thought in the back of their head that they don't like to say out loud and they never have said it out loud.

But as they hear me talk about my 17-year-old son that wears a diaper, in the back of their head, they're kind of thinking, well, gosh, I'm glad I don't have a 17-year-old son that wears a diaper.

And the likelihood of anybody in this room waking up tomorrow and being surprised that you now have a 17-year-old son wearing a diaper, that's pretty slim to none.

But I want to convey this.

Most everybody in this room could receive a phone call by their mother or their father and learn that their father or their mother or their grandfather is now battling Alzheimer's.

And within a year or two, your father, your grandfather, might be wearing a diaper and might not be able to communicate with you, just like my 17-year-old son can't communicate with me.

And so that's the reason why I'm so overwhelmed almost with emotion that how the city of Mobile, even though many of you probably don't have a loved one that requires these services, have responded and opened up this city and provided these services.

And so I look forward to working with the city of Mobile, working with the people of Mobile, and helping y'all better understand the services we need.

And we have some really big plans that I can't wait to kind of slowly roll out.

I've learned that when you're dealing with the city this size, things go slow.

It's okay.

Um, but I'm looking forward to kind of expanding on what we're doing this year, learning from what we're doing this year, and really implementing a lot of amazing things for 2027.

Thank you very much.

And I will answer questions, but I'll also sit down and be quiet too.

Well, I just want to thank you, Dale.

Not just for the love that you show your son, uh, but the love that you show individuals with needs and the families that support them.

So often the families are in the background, and we think of the individuals with special needs, but we want to support those families that are supporting those individuals too.

Uh so I want to thank you for that.

I thank you for what you're doing.

This is this is a need that exists in our community, and I've heard that not just from you, but from many.

And so I thank you for stepping in, filling in this gap and creating a situation where uh Mobile's Mardi Gras.

We're the home of Mardi Gras.

And we want to make sure that all of our citizens can enjoy it.

And so I thank you for making that possible, not just for you, your family, but but every family who faces similar challenges.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

All right.

Um Mobile.

Uh, and one thing I will say, we don't like to say things happen slow.

We like to say they take time.

Um things that are taking time or the street downtown street conversions.

I want to give an update on that.

There are more changes uh coming to our downtown streets as we continue to make the area safer for pedestrians and drivers.

Uh, tomorrow night, January 21st, Scott and Bayou Streets between government and Congress will move from one-way traffic to two-way traffic.

North Jefferson Street between Spring Hill and Congress will be converted at that same time.

Drivers can expect the new two-way configurations to be in place just the next day, January 22nd.

So we're going to do that quickly, trying to limit the disruption, but do be aware of that.

So that you know you don't get uh bulldozed out of the way after the conversion on street parking will be allowed on both sides of the street.

Please note that the sections of Bayou, Scott, and Jefferson Streets that intersect St.

Louis will remain closed until February 18th.

That's to accommodate the the larger St.

Louis Complete Streets project that we're accomplishing in that area.

Um I do want to remind everyone that we are hosting a community meeting tonight.

Uh that community meeting uh will be discussing the traffic safety and infrastructure upgrades that are coming to Dolphin Street.

Um this project will reduce congestion near the I-65 corridor and eliminate opportunities for collisions.

Uh we want safer streets where less wrecks happen, and and if they happen to occur, they'll be small and limited in damage.

So we're this will be a huge step forward in that area.

Um the we'll also be upgrading street lights, curbs, gutters, and the road surface uh and much more.

6 p.m.

tonight, councilman penn, councilman Fleming will be joining me along with the project team to walk through the plans, answer any questions that residents might have.

We'll be meeting in the fellowship hall at Dolphin Way Baptist Church.

Uh again, that's at 6 p.m.

this evening, and I hope everyone can join us who's interested in that project.

If you can't be there, we'll be streaming that meeting on the City of Mobile's Facebook page.

So be feel free to tune in there.

You can also learn more about the project on our website, uh City of Mobile.org.

Uh now I do have a few special recognitions today.

Uh let's see.

First, I want to start by uh by recognizing some of our outstanding first responders.

I'm thankful to have had a chance to sit with both of our uh award recipients today.

We've got truly incredible people serving the City of Mobile, keeping us all safe.

And so I'm glad we get to honor some of them today.

Uh let me start by inviting Chief Randy Jackson to the to the podium uh along with Officer Tony Wahid.

Good morning.

Thank you, Mayor, staff, counsel for having us here today.

Um, with me, as he said as Officer Tony Wahid.

He's been here a little over three years, three and a half years.

He works patrol in the third precinct.

Um, Tony is very proactive.

He's really finding his niche about what he's doing.

He's really learning uh skills that he has built over the last three and a half years.

In the past in the month of December, uh Tony had 115 calls for service and 15 calls of backing.

He made numerous drug arrests of of many different types of drugs, nothing, no one specific.

Uh recovered guns, made arrests for felony and misdemeanor warrants.

Uh he had 12 felonies and 37 misdemeanors.

And also, he doesn't just provide services as a patrol officer, he's also waiting to leave here because he's he's in motor recertification school.

So he'll be one of the motor drivers that you see every night bear Mortigral.

Uh, he helps us with all of our uh events where we need motorcycles.

So for that, also Tony Wahi, congratulations, Chief.

All right, Chief Antonio, if you'll have a seat, I'm gonna come over there and snap my picture with you too.

But I'm gonna let I'm gonna call up Chief uh Glisten so that we can recognize firefighter of the month, driver Gregory Jones first.

Thank you, Mayor.

Good morning, council.

Good morning.

So today we're have the honor to um recognize Greg Jones, our firefighter of the month.

Um, but this recognition goes beyond just this month.

He is uh a 32-year uh veteran of this department, and 16 of those past years, he's been at Station 22, which is one of our busiest companies in the entire station.

Um, and tirelessly making runs.

They on average probably make anywhere from 15 runs up a day.

So he stays busy.

Um he also is a great mentor to other firefighters and drivers along the entire department and shows them what it that responsibility of of getting up and making the calls to answer these citizens.

He also goes out of his way with mentoring youth with uh at the local um at Mills Park, uh, where he's a football coach there and uh has done that and uh cherishes that outreach to the community members and the youth at large.

But for this, uh we want to recognize him as our firefighter of the month and uh appreciative of everything that he's doing.

All right, also just to show he brought his entire crew with him up here, so we'll have them come down and get a picture with the mayor as well.

Congratulations driver Jones is a real quiet leader who leads by example, and that can be seen by his whole crew coming down to celebrate him today.

Yeah, let's let's take one real quick.

Single that all right.

Now I do have two proclamations, and I swear we'll get to business after that.

Uh I'd like to call out uh coach, I'm gonna call him coach, Drew Fabianich, executive director of the senior bowl, and I believe Miss Molly Middleton is here.

Where'd the there's Drew?

Did Molly leave you?

Or she's hiding.

Yes, you are all right.

Uh proclamation from the Office of the Mayor, whereas the Senior Bowl is the longest continual running all-star football game in the United States, and it's taken place in Mobile, Alabama for 77 years.

And whereas elite draft prospects from around the country are selected to showcase their talent and connect with coaches and decision makers from all 32 NFL teams.

And whereas this past April, the senior bowl produced 106 total draft picks, representing 41% of the entire NFL draft.

And the phrase, the draft starts in Mobile is an iconic phrase associated with the senior bowl and has been nationally acknowledged in college and NFL football, helping to bring attention to the city of Mobile.

And whereas with Drew Fabianich serving as executive director and bringing decades of scouting and leadership expertise and experience, along with Panini as the new title sponsor, the senior bowl continues to build on its strong foundation and elevate its national profile.

And whereas throughout the entire year, the Senior Bowl participates in community programs such as Community Service Day during game week, Mobile Baldwin Athletic Partnership, the Turkey Bowl, the Mobile Touchdown Club, the high school charity ticket program, and the NFL Flag Football League.

And whereas the Senior Bowl supports the City of Mobile and local businesses by hosting the Senior Bowl Parade, free concert, jersey drops, and more leading up to the game each year.

Now, therefore, I Spiro in Charagottis, the 109th mayor of the City of Mobile in recognition of the Senior Bowl's 77th anniversary, do hereby officially proclaim January 31st, 2026 as Senior Bowl Day here in the City of Mobile.

Thank you.

First of all, thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Thank you to the city council and especially thank you to this community.

As I told you before, you know, I've embraced this community, and this community has braced me.

Um January 31st is the game.

That's all I can say about that.

Now I push practices back to 1 30 to 3 30 and 4 o'clock to 6 o'clock.

Now, what that helps with is now the community can get out there to see the practices which are free of charge.

And you know, you're done with work, you have at least an hour to get out there, get your child out there.

So please feel free to get out there and see some of the best prospects for this next year's NFL draft.

And the draft does start in Mobile and where players play.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Cool.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, last but not least.

Let's see.

We have several students from the Mobile County Public School system.

Um I would like for y'all to stand.

I don't know that we can all fit in here, but anybody with the gifted program in the city of Mobile School System, County of Mobile School System.

I know a couple of y'all.

Some of y'all have had to scold a few times, but um, you especially uh today we want to celebrate um gifted education day, and we have so many of these young people, they're not just great students, they're gifted students, and I'm thankful for the program that recognizes uh them and gives them that special education that that education that excites and ignites uh new thoughts, new avenues for success.

So thank you all for being here.

I think we have some treats for you after this.

We didn't give them donuts before council.

Uh y'all can have a seat after this.

We'll take a picture out front, but thank you to all the parents who helped us get people here today.

Um I'll try to make this quick.

Whereas Mobile's gifted children are among the city's greatest assets, whereas and whereas gifted children are found in all ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural groups and rep represent a vast resource for future leadership and innovation with our within our community, and whereas the city of Mobile is home to many gifted gifted and talented children whose full potential can be realized only through the cooperative efforts of education, community, and local government, and whereas gifted students have unique educational needs in the areas of intellectual ability, academic achievement, and creativity, and whereas providing appropriate rigor, challenge, and support for Mobile's gifted learners is essential to their intellectual, social, emotional, and academic growth, as well as their preparation for college, career, and civic life.

Now, therefore, I spiritual characteris, the 109th mayor of the city of Mobile, do hereby proclaim January 29th, 2026 as gifted education day in the city of Mobile.

Thank y'all.

All right.

Now I will stop talking so y'all can get back to the business of running the city.

Thank y'all for your patience.

Uh Mr.

President, uh Ms.

Woods.

Um, I do want to recognize a former teacher of mine, uh, Miss Sargent.

Uh I just wanted to point out that I've had the opportunity to be taught on this sergeant, and uh just want to make a point to say thank you.

And um really kind of the going through the program that you offer uh means a lot to me uh because really uh things like uh impressionist painters never would have got into that.

Uh studying Russia, I never would have got into that, but um, I do want to just take time to say thank you.

And I know your students love you, and as a former student, I personally love you as well.

So thank you.

Congratulations.

Adoption of the agenda.

So move second, promptly move and second in any discussion.

All in favor, aye, all opposed, agenda's adopted.

Appeals, we have requests for wave of the noise ordinance on January 30th through February 17th on South Bayou Street and Spring Hill Avenue, January 30th on through February 17th on Spring Hill Avenue and Broad Street, March the 28th in Mardi Graw Park, May the 8th on Doyle Park Park, February 28th on Wimbledon Drive West.

Second prompt and move and second in discussion.

All in favor, aye, all opposed, appear passes.

We have a request for wave of the noise ordinance on April 24th on St.

Francis Street Motion to lay everyone week, second.

Prop the move and second in discussion.

All in favor, aye.

All opposed.

Item laid off of one week.

Public hearing city is a public hearing to consider rezoning of property located at 909 government street from R01 and RB to RB.

Some move.

Second public hearing public hearing, yeah.

Just open up the public hearing for this particular sad item.

Is anyone present that would like to address the council on this particular public hearing?

If not, this public hearing is closed.

Presentation of petitions and other communications to the council.

My point.

Good morning.

Good morning.

I'm gonna be here with the drug education council that I have with me today.

Next one.

Okay.

Good morning.

I'm Bandalampier with the Drug Education Council.

And I have with me today our part of our youth council.

We're here today to invite you all to come to our youth summit that we're going to be having on Thursday at GovQuest, and it's going to be from 9 until uh 2.

We would love to have each of you come and be a part of it.

And we are grateful that you all give us the opportunity to serve as hosts for our youth council.

I have them with me, and I would like for them just to introduce yourselves.

We have a flyer that we will leave for you all so that you will be able to attend, and we would love to have you all there with us.

This um summit is going to be where they're going to be teaching about the dangers of vaping and what they can do, and then at the end of the day, they get together.

We have all our high schools from Mobile and Baldwin County come together, then they will set up and talk about what they can do to take back to their schools to make their campuses more of a hap uh healthy campus.

So at this time, I'll let them introduce ourselves, and we look forward to seeing each of you.

If you can't stay the whole day, if you can just drop by, we would appreciate it.

Thank you.

Good morning, everyone.

My name is Morgan Carroll.

I'm a senior at Miguel Tullen, and I'm representing District 2.

Good morning.

My name is Sam Hecker.

I'm a senior at McGill Tulin, and I represent District 7.

Good morning.

I'm Will Graham.

I'm a sophomore at McGill Toolin, and I'm representing District 4.

Good morning.

I'm a sophomore at Theodore High School.

My name is Kimley Folster.

I'm representing District 30.

Thank you all so much.

We appreciate it.

Thank you.

We have this office.

Thank you.

Monica Taylor.

Madam Clerk.

Derek Bulware.

Good afternoon, City Council, Council President, Mayor of Staff.

My name is Derek Bulware.

I'm the CEO of Hope for All Gulf Coast, formerly known as Housing First.

And it's great to be with you today.

I'll be meeting with uh most of you later on today.

But um, so Hope for All is the leading agency in Mobile providing housing and case management support for those that are um uh experiencing homelessness.

We've been in service to this city for over 30 years, and uh and so uh we're we have we run programs that are designed to help those that are uh veterans, military veterans, people with disabilities, families with children, youth.

Um, and this week is an important week for us because this is the single largest resource event uh for homelessness in the city of Mobile.

We're gonna hold it at the grounds.

Want to thank Councilman Woods and the support of the grounds uh board for allowing us to uh to have it at this at their uh at their location, but this is an opportunity for those that are experiencing homelessness to engage with resources.

The city's providing the court system.

We have volunteer lawyers, University of South Alabama will be providing medical assistance.

Uh Leah will be there to issue state IDs and along with 60 other agencies to provide those services.

I know most of you on this uh city council have attended in the past.

We appreciate that, and you know the significance, but for a lot of people, this will be their first opportunity to take that first step out of homelessness into uh the next stage of their life, which is by design to help them be successful and self-sufficient, which is true for all of our programs.

Next week on Tuesday will be the annual point in time count.

That's another uh event that we are tasked with, and so we'll count the number of homeless in Mobile in Baldwin County with the help of volunteers and supporters and our staff, but it's an it's a good opportunity for those that are interested in being part of the solution in Mobile to engage with our agency, volunteer for that event, and uh and participate.

It's a great way to understand what the situation is, and really it's a great way to understand what services and what resources are being applied to address this issue and to resolve it.

So, again, I want to thank you all for your support year over year.

This is the 12th annual Project Homeless Connect, and uh, we're proud of the uh the work we're doing.

We're we're proud of the service we can provide to the city, and we thank you for what you do as well.

Thank you.

Yeah, thank you so much, Dre Hall.

Good morning, good morning.

I'm gonna ask Cheryl Woods, our administrators, uh, and any of the library staff to come down.

Uh, good morning, uh, mayor and city council.

It's good to see you.

Um, you may know me, Jure Hall.

I'm the Mobile Public Library Director, and I have an exciting um, I guess just uh a little bit of information I want to share about something phenomenal that happened at our public library.

Um, I have a couple of packets that are gonna go to you in just a second.

The Mobile Public Library is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of four patrons who recently received their high school diploma or GED through collaboration and partnership with the Ben May Library Branch.

The library partners with Goodwill Gulf Coast to offer classes to patrons and members of the Mobile community.

Last year, 895 people took free adult literacy classes, GED preparation or English as a second language classes at Mobile Area Goodwill locations.

72 graduates earn their GED or high school diploma.

In addition to applauding the accomplishments of recent graduates, I wish to highlight one person in particular, Cheryl Woods.

She is formerly the security guard at the Ben May Library.

I think that that really, really deserves a little uh a bit of a pause and acknowledgement.

Her journey is unique in that she initially started working at the library as a security officer, and then learned that library had classes and eventually enrolled in in December, got not her GED, but her high school diploma.

And so I want to give a moment uh to say how proud we are, how proud the city should be in this moment, um, that we have resources all over the city of Mobile, 11 locations, including our book Mobile.

I had an opportunity to see uh some of you during the holidays, some of you I'm gonna see a little bit more in the community meetings coming up, but I definitely wanted to bring uh as we start a new year, new year resolutions that we also can commit to education uh in the community.

Just one more second.

I want to also acknowledge a new team in the library, our public service administrators.

We have with us Veronica McCoo, lead administrator, Carly Acres will be doing special projects, and Luann Noel, um, our three administrators that'll help uh with wonderful programs like this as well as any other programs.

And so um, any questions, any thoughts?

Question or comments from this council, Ms.

President, uh Mr.

Penn, um, Ms.

Hall, thank you so much for coming down and sharing the wonderful news and congratulations to you, Ms.

Woods as well.

Um, I think that's is the big testament of what the Mobile Public Library brings.

Um, this is an amazing story and so much resources that you all bring to our community as well, City.

I just want to tell you personally, thank you.

Thank you.

Yeah, thank you, Ms.

Hall, and also congratulations to you nearly.

Mr.

President, Mr.

I just want to echo the sentiments of my colleague.

Congratulations, continue to put those resources out for us, and congratulations.

We know that you're going to continue to do great things in our community.

Thank you.

I also want to acknowledge the family of Ms.

Woods here as well as any other library staff and supporters.

So thank you again for this opportunity and continue to lock us in in your newsletter.

Some of you are doing it.

Um want to continue to put the resources out there so you all have them for it for your districts.

All right, thank you so much.

Sure.

Good morning.

Good morning.

My name is Criola Ruffin, and I'm here to speak on behalf of the committee to celebrate and acknowledge Mobile Music Legends.

At this point in time, um, five nonprofit arts organizations in Mobile and the County of Mobile have come together to acknowledge and celebrate Mobile Music Legends by launching the first music um annual celebration of Mobile Music Legends and presenting the legendary Excelsior band, Joe Lewis, Jimmy Burfett Parrotheads, and Fred Wesley of the new JBs.

Fred Wesley has just received a honorarian as a member of the Alabama Museum of Music.

And that is very outstanding to say that he's originally from Mobile Alabama and a graduate of Central High School.

At this point in time, we feel it is essential that we honor Mobile Music Legends, and we have more than we can ever think about.

At this time, we are also asking the Mobile City Council, the City of Mobile, Mobile County Commission, to help us with this celebration and to also help us with funding of the legends that will be performing.

And the proposed date for this performance is July 26, 2026.

Further, there are other things that will be introduced in looking at the history of these legends and to prepare the city of Mobile for legendary landmarks of these legends.

And I think we have here Angela Montgomery from the Mobile Arts Council and Mr.

Raoul Richardson from Mojo, Mystic Art of Jazz Obsess, that can give you more light on what we can do to promote tourism and promote our legendary music musicians.

Good morning.

I'm Angela Montgomery.

I'm the executive director for the Mobile Arts Council.

On behalf of the Arts Council, we recognize that Mobile's musicians are vital to the city's cultural heartbeat, from gospel and blues to jazz, rock, and contemporary sounds.

They carry forward a deep musical legacy that's rooted in Mobile's community history and most importantly, storytelling.

Recognizing these musicians honors not only their created creativity and craft, but also can I give her one more additional minute?

Yeah, one more minute.

The role they play in shaping identity, inspiring future artists, and strengthening the broader arts community that makes Mobile such a vibrant city to live in.

Good morning.

All of you know me well.

The fact of matters, I'm going to get real simple.

The history, the legacy of music, the impact of education, the vitality represented in the tourism dollars that uh visiting Mobile CEO David has more often conveyed to this council, are all going to be further heightened within the context of the vision that is represented in all of your efforts to support the citizens of this great city of Mobile.

And finally, I'll say, since we're talking about legends, let's look at what happened when you had your legends of your sports fame.

Imagine the history represented for tourism as it relates to cruise ships, education, more than just Mardi Gras, all of those activities are going to be heightened and emphasized with this activity.

Support us, please.

No question or comments from this council.

Thank you all so much.

Thank you.

The next speakers are regarding resolution 37 1449.

Porter Taylor.

Please uh thank you again for the opportunity to speak in front of you all have always been very gracious and open to our uh dialogue.

Understand that there's three certificate of needs out there that are being considered, and there's also some um issues with the ordinances that need to be fixed today.

And I'm hoping that uh you guys are going to address that, and I think you will from our understanding.

We just asked that uh please know that we are seeking uh an opportunity to help the city, the other three services, other excuse me, other two services that have expressed the issues with the BLS calls.

We certainly want to come and help with that and lessen that burden.

Um we believe that offering another service to help with the fire department is going to definitely make a difference.

We're certainly going to come with full transparency and offering metrics to help resolve these problems.

We are here to stay.

We want to help.

We want to bring what we have learned in four other states and a lot of the metropolitan areas that we serve.

This is what we do every day.

And we want to offer that, and we just want the opportunity.

We thank you for your time and your consideration.

Have a good day.

Paul Reed.

Good morning.

I'd like to thank the uh council, President Small, the Mayor, Mayor staff for giving me this opportunity to speak.

I am Paul Reed, a vice president, chief nursing offer for Spring Hill Medical Center.

I'm here to speak on behalf of Acadian Ambulance Services, express our desire to have an issue that we are struggled with every day in health care in regards to transportation of patients out of hospitals.

Um it's a cyclic event.

I'm not really familiar with the EMS community as far as the 911 systems go and how well that goes, but I can speak um I can I can speak to the hospital transportation side of the bed.

Um it's a bottleneck issue when we don't move patients off the floor and transfer them to long-term care facilities, transfer them to SNFs and so forth where they need to go for that lesser level of care, the beds back up, which causes the uh ER to back up.

Um two weeks ago we were holding as high as 24 patients in the ED that have been in there greater than four and a half to five hours waiting on admissions uh beds to come available.

Um not every one of those was due to backups, but a percentage of those patients could have been placed sooner and faster had we had bed availability on the floor due to transportation issues.

Um I do believe this is an issue that dressed that faces our community.

Uh and the Spring Hill Medical Center would ask that you would consider giving Acadian the opportunity to come in here and support uh and help make it better for our community.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Kenneth, and I can't understand the last name, the print on the last name.

Kenneth.

Hi again, Corey Hughes, Medivac Ambulance.

I'm not gonna speak much.

Um problems are pretty small at this point.

We're still working on them.

We're still prioritizing everybody we can prioritize with the assets that are available and sustainable within this community.

There are still minor tweaks that can be made.

We're making them that's all I have.

I'm sorry, what is your last name?

Juice.

Sorry.

Oh, okay.

All right, thank you.

Okay.

Ordinance is held over.

64058.

Consider an ordinance to amend appendix A Downtown Development District of the City of Mobile Unified Development Code, Chapter 64 of the Mobile City Code 2022.

Second, promptly moving second and discussion.

Mr.

President, I would like to offer an amendment to read effective six months after the adoption and publication.

Second.

Prompt and moving second and discussion on amendment.

And the clerk has the amendment correct.

Yes.

Okay.

All in favor on the amendment.

Aye.

All opposed.

Amendment passed, going back to the original in a discussion.

All in favor?

Aye.

All opposed.

Item pass.

64001.

Consider the proposed rezoning of property located at 7125 Bellingraph Road from R1 to CW.

64002.

Consider the proposed modification of a previously approved plan unit development for property located at 3456 Hall's Mill Road and 2390 West I-65 Service Road South.

64003 consider a proposed modification of a previously approved planning approval for property located at 6710 O'Shell Road.

So moved.

Second.

All in favor.

Aye.

All opposed.

I don't pass this.

Resolution is held over.

37149.

Consider the application of a can't Acadian Amulence Service for a certificate of public convenience necessity to operate an ambulance service.

So move.

Second.

Proper movement second and in discussion.

Yes, sir, Mr.

President.

Mr.

Reynolds.

This is a complicated issue that we're trying to work through as a city.

Um we've had public hearings on it.

We've had discussions with our public safety professionals.

We've had discussions with hospitals.

We see that it's more complex than just one certificate of public necessity.

It's not effective.

And we sort of need to get our house in order and how we're going to address this issue holistically with a substantial modification to our current ordinance.

It's my understanding those discussions are ongoing with mobile fire rescue.

I'm sure these discussions will unfold here on the floor and in our chambers with the city council to try to come up with something that's going to provide a better outcome to our citizens in the long term.

Everybody's got competing interest.

And approving an additional provider, we just so the public knows.

We recently did this.

We we thought there was the public need, and this was going to resolve the problem.

This this was just a year ago or less, where these same arguments that we heard and same discussions we've heard in this process were brought to light.

So we went along with adding an additional provider, an additional certificate, thinking the public need was there.

It didn't do anything but make the problem worse, in my opinion.

Now we have seen substantial improvement in our BLS response by the current providers, where they're over they're responding to over 90% response rate, which is a substantial improvement, and maybe some of that's provoked by this certificate, as we've heard.

Maybe some of that is, but in order to maintain a high level of service going forward, we have to address our ordinance.

So I'm not going to vote in favor of this certificate.

Um it's not aimed at anybody in particular, it's just a recognition that we have issues with our ordinance that we need to address before we start adding additional providers because we've already put our hand on the stove one time and the result was not great, and the public the necessity wasn't necessarily there.

And in this case, I don't think the public necessity exists to add an additional service, knowing that the outcome will likely be what we've just recently had.

But every one of us on the city council and in the administration, fire department, hospitals.

We need to focus our attention to addressing this issue that you we can't just let it die on the vine, that we have to get to work and figure out what it's going to take to get the best outcome for our citizens, uh the citizens of Mobile, both financially and obviously the ability to respond in the uh when the need arises.

So I will not vote in favor of this today, Mr.

President.

Ms.

President.

Uh Ms.

Woods.

Um I stand with my colleague on this as well.

I I really kind of have struggled, and really this we've been working on this for going on, I guess the certificate for really going on six months.

And I I know we've been down the road with the previous administration, uh, kind of started doing uh working towards a solution.

Now with the new administration coming in, I know we we have to we have to figure out what it is.

Uh you know, just last week we heard from our our fire chief that you know at this moment there's really he he feels there's not a need, and I'm not I do have to trust that, uh trust his opinion, trust his facts.

Um, never wrote an ambulance, never never ran ambulances.

So I have to trust the expert that that we have here.

Um everybody I think uh can agree that that we do have an issue.

We we have an antiquated system of how we of how we we require BLS calls, and you know, the worst case scenario is is that we don't want to pull our ALS calls over to handle BLS calls, and then I do um just like the hospitals we heard from two hospitals um that said that they they have transport issues.

So I do know that there is a transport issue there as well.

Um, that being said, I I do stand with with my colleague, and I'll be not voting in favor of this.

I we have to get our house in order first.

I agree with that, and um, but also too, and uh you know, did the research and think thankfully uh got the answer.

You know, this does not prevent um the ambulance company from coming back and requesting uh another certificate um in the future.

There's not a there's not a time limit.

Um, but I I do want to challenge the mayor, administration, and then also the fire department.

Uh, hopefully sooner than later, see if we can we can get this uh get this ball rolling and and find the solution that that we know is a best fit.

So thank you.

Another discussion.

All in favor, all opposed, opposed item fail.

Not prevent um the ambulance company from coming back and requesting uh another certificate um in the future there's not a there's not a time limit um but i i do want to challenge the mayor administration and also the fire department uh hopefully sooner than later see if we can we can get this uh get this ball rolling and and find the solution that that we know is a best fit so thank you any other discussion all in favor all opposed opposed item fail madam clerk 01035 authorized agreement with echo South Services for Recycling Bin Rental and Hauling Services 01036 authorized amendment with agreement to agreement with Gorham Air Conditioning Company 13040 approved amendment to change order with watermark design group for Taylor Park Community Center Improvements 25041 authorized conservation easement for Pelican Coast conservacy for the purpose of permanently preserving and protecting the conservation values of the property 60042 authorized settlement agreement and release of claims 25046 authorized utility easement agreement with Alabama Power Company so moved second promptly move and second in discussion yes sir mr.

Mr.

Reynolds this conservation easement for Pelican Coast I think we've got somebody here from Pelican Coast thank you for being here and thank you for your willingness to take this this uh conservation easement on I think it's gonna produce a good outcome for us for a long time it was a hard fought fought battle to get to this point where we have over a hundred acres um to put into this conservation I wanted more I and I'm still gonna try my best to try to get more and I hope you're willing to take it if in the event uh the property owners agree to put it in there I think there's probably some some tax benefits for them to do it and you know I'm gonna be out selling it the best I can to try to get it expanded um so I'm excited that this is finally going to go into conservation in other discussion all in favor aye all opposed item passes ordinances being introduced 6400 four per council rules this will be laid over for one week consent resolutions being introduced 03047 through 60 zero fifty n move to waive the rules for immediate consideration of these resolutions as read prompt and move and second and discussion all in favor aye all opposed rules wave Madam Clerk 03047 appoint William S.

Stimson to the Mobile Airport Authority 37048 recommend approval to the ABC board for issuance of a retail beer table why an off premises only license to co coquit coquit on Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Avenue 58049 0500 51 are declaring we's not just authorized removal of weeds and assessing cost of removal of weeds group 1675 1674 and 97 6052 through 059 are determining appropriations to aerial holloway elementary school mobile museum of art the showers foundation coastal Alabama down syndrome society Kings Mill Homeowners Association Liberty Learning Mud Bottom Revival and the Village of Spring Hill serve a public purpose and approving payment so moved second promptly move and second in discussion all in favor aye all opposed item passes resolutions being introduced 01060 through 60 zero seven seven move to waive the rules for immediate consideration of resolutions 08 063 64 65 66 67 31073 and 60-077 with the rest being laid over for one week second proper move and second in discussion all in favor aye all opposed rules way to clerk 08063 approved purchase order to BNL cable construction for fiber optic cable 08064 approved purchase order to Civic plus for annual renewal of council agenda management software 08065 approved purchase order to gains utility construction company for storm drainage debris removal 08066 approved purchase order to safe haven for storm drainage debris removal 08067 approved purchase order to southern realty management for storm drainage debris removal 31073 authorized the mayor's design to file applications with the federal transit administration for federal authorization assistance so moved second prompt and move and second in discussion all in favor aye all opposed item pass 60 zero seven seven resolution calling for quarterly night meetings for the city council motion table second proper move and second in discussion yes mr penn thank you mr president um i was excited to of course put this um resolution i'm also excited that we came um to agreement as a council last my first term we haven't had the opportunity to do any night meetings um but talking to the council um we will um agree to start with one meeting um and i'm excited about that that's an opportunity to give people in our community um students who have to

Penn.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Um I was excited to, of course, put this on resolution.

I'm also excited that we came to agreement as a council last my first term.

We haven't had opportunity to do any night meetings.

Um, but talking to the council, um, we will um agree to start with one meeting.

Um, and I'm excited about that.

That's an opportunity to give people in our community um students who have to attend school, our take opportunity to participate.

So um thank you so much to my council.

In our discussion, Mr.

President, I would also like to echo um counselor penn's uh comments and the fact that this will allow for our constituents to be able to participate, but more importantly, for those that work and that are not able to, this gives them that opportunity.

So thank you for the sponsorship.

In our discussion, yes, sir, Ms.

President, Ms.

Runnels.

Um the way I see this uh meeting going, this annual meeting is it's sort of like a shareholder meeting for you know big corporations where they once a year have a shareholder meeting, and everybody who's got a stake or has some interest that they come to this shareholder meeting.

So we're we're gonna do it, and and I encourage everyone at this annual meeting to come and let us hear you, um, hear your concerns.

Although, you know, we meet weekly uh on Tuesdays, and if you have uh an agenda item that you'd like to speak on, our microphone is open for you to speak on it.

There are also community meetings that we're folks have um throughout their districts that you can engage with your government.

Um we televise or we put on YouTube our own meetings so you can watch the meetings there, but there's also ways to get in touch with us.

We have uh called to our clerk's office.

You can come, you can do it by way of call, you can do it by way of email.

Um and there's 311.

There's many ways for you to interact uh with your government, and I encourage everyone to continue to do that.

In other discussion, all in favor, aye, all opposed items paid.

Madam Clerk.

Call for public hearings.

41075, call for public hearing to consider the proposed conditional use permit for property located at 1356 Government Street, 120 Espejo Street, and 1356, 1358, and 1360 Contai Street scheduled February 24th.

41076, call for public hearing to consider the proposed modification of a previously approved plan unit development for property located at 6151 Marina Drive South, scheduled February 24th.

So moved.

Second, proper move and second in discussion.

All in favor, aye.

All opposed, public hearings called.

Announcements.

Uh District 6, Councilman Woods.

No announcements, Mr.

President.

District 2, Councilwoman Ingram.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I just want to thank all of our organizers, sponsors, and the entire community uh for their dedication and generosity and helping carry forward the legacy of Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Uh by honoring him in terms of your participation and your uh generous donations, it really allows us to uh move forward with a collective purpose, unity, and collaboration, and it inspires us.

So thank you for all who participated and look forward to the sponsorship and participation of next year.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

District 4, Councilman Reynolds.

Yes, sir, Mr.

President.

Just on our agenda is the appointment of our former mayor, Sandy Stimpson to the airport authority.

And I think it's fantastic that we're he.

I mean, he was on the airport authority board prior to this appointment, anyways, for a number of years, and he started the project.

I think it's I think it's a good idea to have his knowledge and skill, someone who who has the relationships to be on this board and see it through the finish line of the airport being relocated to Brooklyn Field.

So, Mr.

Mayor, I think you made a fine appointment, and I look forward to approving it.

I hope you already did.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm glad we were able to approve it for the city's sake today thank you, Councilman Reynolds.

Uh yes, sir, Mr.

President.

Thank you.

I just would like to also echo on what the uh mayor mentioned this uh earlier about the community meeting tonight at Dolphin Way Baptist Church discussing the Dolphin Street project.

If you can make it out there, please come.

It'll be very informative, it'll explain the project.

Uh Councilman Penn will be there with me since this is a uh joining district one and district five.

I think the enhancements to um Dauphin Street will add safety, help traffic flow.

So come out tonight, hear more about it.

I would like to congratulate the um police and firefighters of the month and thank you for their service.

I would like to also congratulate the gifted students from Mobile County Public School and the adult education program that were honored here today.

And then um I'd also like to expand a little bit on what our speaker did before uh who joined us with Snazzi.

Um I had the privilege to meet with Mr.

Dale Jackson and his wife Lindsay last week, and it was quite impressive to hear the hard work that they have invested, their time, their money, their efforts for special needs.

Every family deserves to have access, whether it's Mardi Gras football games, going to museum, going out to dinner, just being able to take in everything we have here in the city and across our region.

So be on the lookout for their units, so to speak, um, across from Mardi Gras Park and help spread the word about it.

I think it's just a fabulous thing that the city is doing and a partnership that I hopefully will last a long time.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Fleming.

District One, Councilman Penn.

Um, thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, I want to join in with all my colleagues.

They they've made great points.

Um this past weekend we had the opportunity to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr.

Martin Luther King.

Um, it was so many great events um throughout this weekend, started on Thursday.

Um, and it's about celebrating the legacy of a justice and freedom and uh opportunity to work together in unity.

Um, and I think that's powerful.

Also, today we have a groundbreaking.

Um I think in the last it's the last 10 years, we haven't had a groundbreaking like this in District One.

Um, it's the Fred Marshall Court New Housing Development.

It will be today at 2 p.m.

I'm so excited about this.

Of course, like I said, it hasn't been a groundbreaking like this in 10 years, but to also celebrate um principal Fred Marshall.

He was my principal at John Ella Flor High School, um, of course, located in District One, and to celebrate his life through this project as well, is amazing.

Um, I also want to join in with my my colleague, Councilman Flemings on reminding you all and the mayor reminding you about our community info meeting.

Um it's January 20th, 6 p.m.

We're inviting everyone to come out, learn about everything that will be taking place at Dolphin Way Baptist Church Fellowship Hall.

Um, and I also want to join in and let the City Mobile know that I'm so proud that we can partner with organizations like Dale Jackson.

Um every person should have an opportunity to do everything that we do in the City Mobile.

And so I'm proud of the City Mobile.

Most people might not know that we have a park in District One.

It's the only part that's for everyone.

Any type of disability, any type of challenge, they can come.

And we have wheelchair uh ramp.

I mean, it's just an amazing part, and it's at Mill Street.

And so to hear about this at Mardi Gras Park is just continuing the prog progression in the City Mobile.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you, Councilman Penn.

Mr.

Seven, Vice President Gregory.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I was able to join some of my colleagues yesterday for the annual um big breakfast.

That's the Blacks in Government breakfast that is part of the celebration for Martin Luther King Jr.

Um Councilman Small, our president was on the dias.

He spoke and gave remarks on behalf of the city council.

Mayor Cherry Agatis was there, and of course, the keynote speaker was Congressman Shamari Figures.

Um this breakfast just continues to grow, and the the chapter here in the Port City chapter does a great job in doing this breakfast and organizing and putting it on.

So I really appreciate all that they do and for being a part of it.

Uh this past week uh has been busy.

I think we've all been busy on um Saturday.

I joined the Women United for a brunch, kind of a reorganization, if you will, to get this group re-energized.

The group helps to raise money and promote the organizations that the United Way helps support.

So we are working now to uh continue growing that group, and I'm happy to be a part of it.

Um thank you, Mr.

President.

That's all from District 7.

Yeah, right.

And again, I'd like to pick it back behind my colleagues and stay in congratulations to all the groups who helped to celebrate the life and the legacy and the birth of Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr.

As some of my colleagues have stated, we had went out on this past weekend.

Um, myself personally from you know, PPU Not Advanced the Dream, Sonda Gaylor to the March and Rally on yesterday to also the uh blacks and government brothers on yesterday, and there were several other events throughout the city and cleanups on this past weekend.

Again, I'd like to uh thank all the ones who had led these groups to recognize and honor the life of Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Anything from uh the administration?

Nothing further.

Thank you.

Motion to adjourn.

Second.

Moving second in discussion.

All in favor.