Tuscaloosa Public Projects Committee Meeting - August 19, 2025
Tuscaloosa Public Projects Committee Meeting - August 19, 2025
The Public Projects Committee of the Tuscaloosa City Council met on August 19, 2025, to consider 15 agenda items including permits, contracts, grants, and agreements. All items were approved except item 7 (discussion only) and item 12 (initially tabled, later reconsidered and approved). No public comments were heard.
Consent Calendar
- Item 4: Minor public works contract with Druid Glass to replace broken windows at Freeman pool ($2,090). Approved.
- Item 5: Minor public works contract with Night Signs to replace the city seal at Mercedes Benz Amp ($5,604). Approved.
- Item 6: Minor public works contract with Dakon Applied Americas to replace HVAC controls at River Market ($24,500). Approved.
- Item 8: Airport hangar lease amendment with Twin Hangar LLC. Approved.
- Item 9: Grant agreement with FAA and ALDOT for cargo overflow apron project. Approved.
- Item 10: Tentative award of public works contract with John Plott Company for phase one cargo and overflow apron. Approved.
- Item 11: Grant agreement with FAA and ALDOT for runway extension project. Approved.
- Item 13: Professional service contract with Tyler Technologies Incorporated. Approved.
- Item 14: Annual review of license agreement with Department of Army for River Walk/River Market site. Approved.
- Item 15: Sports Illustrated Resorts amended ordinance. Approved.
Discussion Items
- Item 1 – Right-of-way use permit for private storm drainage: Mike presented a permit for private storm drainage infrastructure in the 22nd Avenue right-of-way serving a single parcel (renovation of existing building and three townhomes). Council members questioned maintenance responsibility and impact on nearby SWAM property. Staff clarified that the city would not maintain the infrastructure and would bill the property owner if repairs are needed. No impact on SWAM property. Approved unanimously.
- Item 2 – Bellevue Drive drainage repair contract: Zach presented a $99,713.80 contract with Price Civil Services to replace a failed corrugated metal pipe between 51 and 53 Bellevue, which had caused flooding. Funded from neighborhood drainage budget. Approved unanimously.
- Item 3 – Closure of 16th Street railroad crossing: Brett presented a joint agreement with Kansas City Southern Railway (CPKC) to permanently close the 16th Street crossing adjacent to the Tuscaloosa County Jail. The crossing has been a hazard with derailments. No cost to the city. Council member noted support from the county and no opposition from nearby neighborhood representatives. Approved unanimously.
- Item 7 – Shelby Park signage upgrade: Tim discussed a request from the Shelby family to update signage at Shelby Park by replacing engraved precast with dimensional steel lettering, estimated under $22,000. No funding request at this meeting; discussion only. Committee expressed support to move forward and bring back a specific proposal.
- Item 12 – Authorization for CIO to execute agreements with AT&T: Jason requested authorization to execute budgeted agreements with AT&T for phone and cable line conversions (removing analog lines). Initially, a motion to table for one week was made and seconded, then the mover rescinded his table, the item was reconsidered, and then approved unanimously. Item 12 was ultimately approved.
Key Outcomes
- All items were approved unanimously as follows:
- Items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15: Approved by voice vote (all aye).
- Item 7: Discussed; no vote taken, but committee expressed support.
- Item 12: Initially tabled for one week by motion (seconded); motion to rescind table passed; motion to reconsider passed; then approved by voice vote (all aye).
- The next meeting was announced for August 26, 2025.
Meeting Transcript
Review. I would entertain a motion approved. Second. We got a motion and a second. All in favor say aye. Aye. Gotta get used to looking over here. Looking right at Chris. New business item number one, approval of a right-of-way use permit for 5860. Old Montgomery LLC for private storm drainage infrastructure located in the 22nd Avenue right away. Mike, welcome. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. This is a land development permit that's uh under review in our office, and part of the component of storm drainage is gonna be the area that's kind of highlighted in yellow here. For context, that's the post office to the north. The Swayme House is just to the east of this location. Um this is the area where the private storm will be put in our public right away. It connects to a structure that's basically at the corner of uh the intersection there. Uh I know this is gonna be a little bit hard to see detail-wise, but the area highlighted in red is the storm drain that's in the public right-away, and it only serves this one individual parcel. Which one individual parcel? The uh the development development of this is a single track of light. The existing building stays, they're gonna renovate it. It's the one that looks like the old boarders house. Right, I know, and then uh the three town homes right here is new. So the storm sewer that collects this private water here will enter the public right-of-way and go to our system at the intersection Act 14. And this is just a mechanism to establish ownership and maintenance. It'd be an infrastructure that we don't maintain. What's the alternative? And I'm I'm asking. Certainly, certainly that was a very sensitive issue over my district. Okay, so the alternative would be that uh we would own and maintain it. So the storm sewer is there already. No, it's not. It's gonna be new improvements that serve just approved to meet the three town homes and then built facing west on 22nd. Yeah on 22nd, yes, sir. Okay, and so we're just allowing somebody else to maintain a storm sewer. Yeah, and that that's not uncommon for private development. It's a little unusual that it's in our public right-of-way. Um doesn't happen all that often. What happens if they don't maintain? Well, we'll we'll fix it and send them a bill. Yeah, but I mean it's otherwise they'll be up in their homes. Yeah, yeah. Okay. Um what any other thoughts or education I hadn't had dealt with this? Uh no, sir, not really. Uh, I don't think you'll see something like this very often. Uh if you remember the last one I brought to you was but it has no impact on the SWAM property. No, sir, none whatsoever. Okay, no.
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