OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Finance Committee Meeting Summary - August 12, 2025

City Council Meetings — Tuesday, August 12, 2025
BodyTuscaloosa, Alabama
SessionCity Council Meetings
DateTuesday, August 12, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 42:22

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

A motion to approve.

0:04

Motion and a second any discussion.

0:06

All in favor say aye.

0:07

Aye.

0:08

Minutes are approved.

0:11

Item number one is approval of a professional services agreement with Duncan Coker Associates for Engineering Services on the Veterans Memorial Parkway Bridge project.

0:21

The total is 216,438 dollars.

0:24

Zach, welcome.

0:25

Good afternoon, Council.

0:26

Good afternoon.

0:27

We're actually going to ask to withdraw this one today.

0:30

Okay.

0:31

So we are withdrawing this.

0:33

Do we want to talk about it?

0:34

Yeah, please say why.

0:35

So we don't have an uproar.

0:38

Because I'm sure the phone, let me see.

0:39

I've got text now.

0:40

So we're gonna have a small scope change to add fiber conduit across the bridge.

0:45

But that doesn't change anything else we've talked about.

0:47

No.

0:48

Okay.

0:48

Questions?

0:50

Motion.

0:50

Motion and second.

0:51

All in favor say aye.

0:53

Aye.

0:53

Item number one is withdrawn.

0:57

Item number two.

0:58

Approval of a balancing change order to the emergency non-bid public works contract with price civil services for the Cypress Creek Avenue storm drainage repair.

1:08

It's a deductive total of 78,518 dollars eighty-three cents.

1:12

Zach.

1:13

Yes, sir.

1:14

So this is a deductive change order for the uh emergency project that we had on Cypress Creek Avenue with Price Civil.

1:21

So I have some pictures up here.

1:23

This is the before and after.

1:24

So this is the storm drain that fell on top of the sanitary sewer line that triggered us to have an emergency contract to repair it.

1:32

So Mr.

1:33

Lanier, that looks pretty good, doesn't it?

1:38

Wow.

1:40

It's good.

1:41

Questions?

1:41

Motion.

1:43

Motion and a second.

1:44

All in favor say aye.

1:45

Aye.

1:46

Carly.

1:48

That seventy-eight thousand dollars will just go into the neighborhood drain, which would change that number we looked at last last week, right?

1:54

Yes, so all that is conglomerated into one bucket.

1:58

I think I hear another project getting done.

1:59

Did you get that, Brian?

2:01

Okay.

2:02

All right.

2:02

That's approved.

2:04

Item number three.

2:06

You don't want to give it to Brian.

2:08

Well, that's okay.

2:10

That was more the what was uh he was just looking at me and it's smiling.

2:15

I just that's why she thinks that's his money.

2:20

It is his money until somebody puts their hands on it.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Engineering And Infrastructure████████████████████████████████32%
Technology and Innovation███████████████15%
Fiscal Sustainability███████████11%
Public Works██████████10%
Budget Equity Analysis████████8%
Arts And Culture███████7%
Water And Wastewater Management███████7%
Facility Management██████6%
Procedural████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Finance Committee Meeting Summary - August 12, 2025

The Finance Committee of the City Council met on August 12, 2025, at approximately 2:34 PM CT. The committee considered a series of contract approvals, change orders, and a major discussion regarding the Savings Center project's exhibit fabrication contract. All items were approved by unanimous voice vote, with the exception of one item withdrawn from consideration. The next committee meeting was scheduled for August 19, 2025.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes: Minutes from the previous meeting were approved.
  • Item 1 – Withdrawn: A professional services agreement with Duncan Coker Associates for engineering services on the Veterans Memorial Parkway Bridge project ($216,438) was withdrawn due to a scope change to add fiber conduit across the bridge. The withdrawal was approved.
  • Item 2 – Change Order, Cypress Creek Avenue Storm Drainage Repair: Deductive change order of $78,518.83 with Price Civil Services for emergency non-bid work. Approved.
  • Item 3 – Change Order, Citywide Resurfacing 2025: 30-day time extension with ST Bund Construction due to dryer conditions in Green Grove subdivision. Approved.
  • Item 4 – Change Order, Water Line Service Replacement: With John Wayne Plumbing and Drain, net increase of $4,540 for three additional service lines. Approved.
  • Item 5 – Minor Public Works, River Market Glass Replacement: Contract with Druid Glass Construction for $1,550 to replace leaking glass seals. Approved.
  • Item 6 – Change Order, Rekey of City Hall Main Building: Additional $16,380 with Building Specialties Company for unexpected hardware variations. Approved.
  • Item 7 – Minor Public Works, Rekey of Annex Three: Contract with Building Specialties for $12,524.50. Approved.
  • Item 8 – Minor Public Works, Powell Gym CMU Block Repair: Contract with Browning Masonry for $3,000 to adjust fire extinguisher cabinets. Approved.
  • Item 9 – Minor Public Works, PAL Gym Fire Alarm System: Contract with PCI Technologies for $12,719. Approved.
  • Item 10 – Minor Public Works, Kentuck at Queen City Park Sink: Contract with Amos and Associates for $48,900, reimbursable through a funding agreement. Approved.
  • Item 11 – Change Order, Savings Center Mass Demolition: Deductive change order of $70,000 with Brit Demolition, bringing total to $326,000. Approved.
  • Item 13 – Professional Services, Savings Center Civil Engineering: Contract with Duncan Coker for $66,186 for resident observation services. Approved.
  • Item 15 – Amendment for Davis Architects, Savings Center: Amendment of $3,189,008 to reconcile fees. Approved.

Discussion Items

  • Item 12 – Professional Services, Savings Center Operations Consulting: Contract with Turner & Towns and Heary (Jenna Bueller) for $50,000 to develop operations plan. Councilmember Carly inquired about a pro forma P&L; the mayor noted it would be provided in the upcoming budget presentation. Approved.
  • Item 14 – Professional Services, Savings Center Exhibit Fabrication and Installation: Contract with 1220 Exhibits for $19,683,408. This was the most thoroughly discussed item. Jonathan (project manager) explained the scope includes all interior and exterior exhibits (Ignite galleries, Saving Legacy Hall, Galaxy Gallery). The original 2022 estimate was ~$10 million for 15-20k sq ft; scope additions (hot jobs, outdoor exhibits, saving legacy hall, galaxy gallery) raised costs, but $3-3.5 million in cuts were made to reach the current amount. Councilmember Carly asked about fundraising and bond impact; the mayor confirmed that $66.5 million in bonds will be reduced by private donations (over $29 million expected). Councilmember Buddy asked about technology refresh; Audrey (exhibit team) cited 5-10 year lifespans, a 15% elevate maintenance set-aside, and plans for an endowment with the University of Alabama. Visuals were shown. Councilmember state expressed confidence the project is within budget. Approved.
  • Item 16 – Discussion of Drainage Fund Projects (NOAA’s Ark 2.0): The committee discussed moving forward with short-term drainage projects as presented earlier. Mike (staff) listed Northampton and waterfall projects as likely to move quickly, with Oakdale phase three pending easements. The committee voted to proceed to bid preparation. Approved.

Key Outcomes

  • All items (1-15) except the withdrawn Item 1 were approved by unanimous voice vote.
  • The committee gave approval to proceed with bid preparation for drainage projects under the NOAA’s Ark 2.0 program.
  • The next Finance Committee meeting is scheduled for August 19, 2025 at 2:30 PM CT, with a budget presentation on the Savings Center.

Meeting Transcript

A motion to approve. Motion and a second any discussion. All in favor say aye. Aye. Minutes are approved. Item number one is approval of a professional services agreement with Duncan Coker Associates for Engineering Services on the Veterans Memorial Parkway Bridge project. The total is 216,438 dollars. Zach, welcome. Good afternoon, Council. Good afternoon. We're actually going to ask to withdraw this one today. Okay. So we are withdrawing this. Do we want to talk about it? Yeah, please say why. So we don't have an uproar. Because I'm sure the phone, let me see. I've got text now. So we're gonna have a small scope change to add fiber conduit across the bridge. But that doesn't change anything else we've talked about. No. Okay. Questions? Motion. Motion and second. All in favor say aye. Aye. Item number one is withdrawn. Item number two. Approval of a balancing change order to the emergency non-bid public works contract with price civil services for the Cypress Creek Avenue storm drainage repair. It's a deductive total of 78,518 dollars eighty-three cents. Zach. Yes, sir. So this is a deductive change order for the uh emergency project that we had on Cypress Creek Avenue with Price Civil. So I have some pictures up here. This is the before and after. So this is the storm drain that fell on top of the sanitary sewer line that triggered us to have an emergency contract to repair it. So Mr. Lanier, that looks pretty good, doesn't it? Wow. It's good. Questions? Motion. Motion and a second. All in favor say aye. Aye. Carly. That seventy-eight thousand dollars will just go into the neighborhood drain, which would change that number we looked at last last week, right? Yes, so all that is conglomerated into one bucket. I think I hear another project getting done.

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