Mobile City Council Regular Meeting - May 12, 2026
Mobile City Council Regular Meeting - May 12, 2026
The Mobile City Council held its regular meeting on May 12, 2026. The meeting opened with an invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and statement of rules. The council approved previous minutes, adopted the agenda with an amendment, and issued several proclamations recognizing Safe Boating Week, Motorcycle Awareness Month, and National Police Week. An employee of the month was recognized, and a noise ordinance waiver was approved.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of the minutes from the May 5, 2026 meeting was moved and seconded, and passed unanimously with all council members in favor.
Presentations & Proclamations
- National Safe Boating Week (May 16–22, 2026): Captain Luann Kaelenbach and Commander Trevor Blunt of the U.S. Coast Guard accepted the proclamation. The proclamation cited 2024 statistics: 3,887 recreational boating incidents nationwide, resulting in 556 deaths, 2,170 injuries, and approximately $88 million in property damage. It noted that 87% of drowning victims were not wearing life jackets and 69% of boating deaths involved operators lacking formal safety education.
- Motorcycle Awareness Month (May 2026): A representative from Dixie Abate spoke, emphasizing the dangers of distracted driving. He reported that a 75-year-old Mobile resident was recently struck from behind and dragged over 100 feet by a driver distracted by dogs. He stressed that at 25 mph, a vehicle travels nearly 200 feet in five seconds. The representative also urged the city to consider visibility concerns from roadside vegetation on Airport Boulevard and to create designated motorcycle parking. The council accepted the proclamation.
- Build Mobile Employee of the Month: Marion McElroy, Executive Director of Build Mobile, presented the award to Michelle Thompson, a permitting department employee of nearly three years, praised for her customer service and support of colleagues.
- National Police Week (May 10–16, 2026): Councilwoman Samantha Ingram presented the proclamation to Mobile Police Department representatives, including Deputy Chief Matthew Garrett. The proclamation honored law enforcement service and sacrifice. Chief Garrett invited the public to a ceremony at Public Safety Memorial Park on Thursday, May 14, 2026 at 10:30 a.m.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments from individuals not on the agenda were noted. The rules required prior notice for non-agenda speakers; only agenda-related speakers addressed the council.
Discussion Items
- Adoption of the Agenda: Councilmember Fleming moved to amend the agenda to add Mr. Dale Jackson as a speaker. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously. The agenda as amended was then adopted unanimously.
- Noise Ordinance Waiver: A request for a waiver of the noise ordinance on May 23, 2026 on St. Teresa Street was moved, seconded, and approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes of May 5, 2026 approved.
- Proclamations for Safe Boating Week, Motorcycle Awareness Month, and National Police Week issued.
- Agenda adopted with amendment adding Dale Jackson as a speaker.
- Noise ordinance waiver granted for May 23, 2026 on St. Teresa Street.
Meeting Transcript
This is the regular meeting of the Mobile City Council Tuesday, May the 12th. Please stand for our invocation led by Reverend Tom Heard, Public Safety Chaplain, and remains standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Like to say good morning, everyone, and uh want to encourage our council and our administration. This coming Thursday at the Public Safety Memorial Park, we'll be hosting the annual law enforcement memorial at 10 30 on Thursday. And we'd like to encourage all of you to come as we uh salute uh families and and those who've served our law enforcement communities so so very well. And we're also happy today to present uh everybody knows uh Tom Heard. He's um local uh priest right there at this uh little church behind us at Christchurch. But I'm happy to say that he's been recently uh designated as our volunteer chaplain of the year, Mobile Police Department, and I'm so very proud of him. Well, after that introduction, um let us pray. Holy and gracious God, the giver of all good things, creator of the world in which we live. Keep us ever mindful of your will for your creation. Help us to guide our lives in accordance with your will that we may abide in you and that you may abide in us. Be with this city and its leaders, help us all to be wise in what we choose. Help us always to do the things that accord with your will. These things we ask in your holy and blessed name. Amen. Congratulations of the United States of America. I consider it like four way to stand on their call independent with liberty and topics. Roll call, President Small. Here, Vice President Gregory here, Councilmember Penn. Here, Councilmember Ingram, Councilmember Reynolds, Councilmember Fleming, here, Councilmember Woods. Here. Statement of rules. Good morning, everyone. It's good to see everyone this morning. Welcome to our May 12, 2026 meeting. That is me, 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 of the vibrate position, off or the vibrate position. Any person that desires to address the mobile city council must sign in indicating the ordinance, the public hearing agenda item, or public appeal before entering the meeting. When addressing the council, the speaker must give his or her name. The Thursday prior to the council meeting. The subject that he or she wishes to express in the Mobile City Council must be identified and pertain to the city of Mobile Business. Anyone who has not given proper notice 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 was sound to indicate the end of two minutes. One minute remain for summarizing. The second bell indicates that your time has expired. When addressing this council, there'll be no personal address to any of the council members. All statements are to be made to the chair who will recognize any council member who wishes to respond. To maintain the coin, there will be no do applause or public acry allowed. Madam Clerk. Approval of minutes of May 5th. So move. Second. Prophet move and second in discussion. All in favor. Aye. All opposed. Communications from the mayor's office. Yeah, council.
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