Who am I looking for?

Oh okay.

John.

Okay, thank you.

Chill my herb and cats.

Okay.

Mark now we missed it.

I'm going in one door and out the other.

Okay, just me and John.

All right, we're good, Vicky.

Yes.

All right.

Yeah.

Okay.

So public safety meeting is now in cost of order.

Norman's off the house too.

So can I get an approval of the minutes?

I'll make a motion.

Second.

All in favor.

The minutes finally stand approved.

What do you want to what do you want to pass today?

So that's our new business chief.

We have a resolution authorizing a memorandum of understanding with the Tuscaloosa Transit Authority.

Thank you, Council.

As we always look for as a city to make sure that we're doing things the right way, look towards the future.

We realized that we had no agreement for buses if we need a transport citizens in need during an emergency.

This would be a MOU with transit authority that would allow us to use our buses in case of an emergency.

We hope that never happens, but we'll be prepared if it does.

No, sir.

Okay.

Any questions?

I'll make a motion.

Second.

All in favor.

Aye.

Motion passes.

Thank you, Chief.

All right.

Mary Beth, we have a restaurant retail dealer license at Logan's Roadhouse Enterprise.

Happy name.

Like she said, I have one ABC application due to an ownership change.

That is for Logan's Roadhouse Enterprises LLC doing business as Logan's Roadhouse 318, requesting a license for a retail restaurant retail liquor.

They're located at 1511 Skyland Boulevard East.

Their hours of operation is Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m.

to 10 p.m.

Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.

to 11 p.m.

Here's the aerial view.

Of course, we know that Logan's Roadhouse sits right in front of Walmart off of Skylin.

Their maximum occupancy is 316.

Here's their menu.

And TPD had no incidents at this location.

So same location.

Everything's just about to say that's it.

You got any questions?

I've definitely never known the problem Easter Old City.

None of that.

It would be kind of fun.

I'll make a motion.

I second.

All in favor.

Aye.

Motion passes.

Thank you so much.

Mayor.

Yes, ma'am.

Thank you, Ms.

Howard, and I appreciate you allowing me to make the two announcements that I have today at your committee because certainly they evolve around public safety.

First, I want to thank the city council for allowing us to be able to create the position of executive director of public safety.

These challenges include certainly mental health, and we discussed that at a great deal of length last week of our legislative delegation.

It also includes what we see in JUNAL, what we see in departments of corrections, and so on and so forth.

Those challenges are not going to get any easier in the months and years ahead.

Also last year hosted 50 events.

16 days a year, Tuscaloosa is the largest city in Alabama when we host a home football game.

And so for those two days, that Friday and Saturday, the challenges that we place on our public safety is immense.

Not just fire and police, but also D911 dispatch.

We also know that those challenges are great when it comes to emergency operations.

Whether it's a weather event, whether it's a potential act of terrorism, whether it's cyber.

Certainly the demands that are going to be placed on public safety are going to continue to increase.

And lastly, just the resource management of what we do for public safety.

41 cents out of every dollar that we spend at the city of Tuscaloosa is invested into our public safety sector.

And that number is going to continue to rise as we make the leap into RSA conversion for our firefighters and police officers.

Managing those resources, making certain that we're investing in not what is necessarily wanted, but what is needed to keep our neighborhood safe, to keep our businesses safe, is going to be a challenge.

And recognizing those challenges and giving us an ability to hire an executive director to help lead that was something that was very proud that the city council rallied around and did.

You're not alone.

We're seeing cities across the nation, and certainly cities in the SEC that are doing the same thing because the challenges that we face are not unique to Tuscaloosa, and they will continue to grow across our country.

Over the last few weeks, we have gone through an intensive search and interview process, and I am proud to announce to you today the appointment of Chief Brent Blakely as the new executive director of public safety.

And let me give you five broad reasons why I appointed Brent to this position.

Number one is his relentless work ethic.

Getting a phone call at midnight is different, as you know, Mr.

Bell, than having to get out of bed and respond to that phone call at midnight.

And Chief does it without hesitation, and he is always there, whether it's any part of our city, he is relentless in his work ethic, and then has this bad habit of showing up at work at 7 30 a.m.

the next morning.

Um just because that's who he is.

Second is his commitment to accountability.

I know the council doesn't see this necessarily on the day-to-day, but I've seen him lead changes within his executive staff because they were not meeting the results and expectations he has.

And we know this as leaders one of the hardest things we can do is hold people accountable.

It sounds simple enough, but truly holding people accountable to a standard in some ways is a lost art.

Chief has never relented from that.

The third thing is his ability to learn and adapt.

Whenever I have asked Chief to do something, to learn from something, he does it, adapts, and is even stronger.

But the other thing is that Chief has adapted to the changes and what's going on in the world of law enforcement, and his ability to change has created so many positive things for our police officers at TPD.

And he has led it from that podium.

He certainly has led it with me.

The fourth reason is his passion for innovation.

Look at what our cyber intelligence division is doing.

It is second to none.

People across the country come to see what we're doing in this arena.

And Chief has not only his passion for innovation, he has a really good knack for putting people in the right places.

And certainly what Lieutenant Burns has done within that role has made a difference.

And your willingness as a council to fund it.

And the last reason is he's all in for the city.

The guy believes in that seal.

And behind that seal are the 115,000 people that we work for every single day.

And you can't replicate that.

A guy that cares what's happening in Woodland Forest or Lincoln Park, a guy that's always thinking about how are we going to be safer on the strip?

How are we going to be safer at this event?

He truly cares.

He is not checking a box.

And I believe that's the type of leadership we're going to need in this position as it begins its new journey.

And so it's certainly an honor and privilege to announce his appointment.

Now, with his appointment, which will be effective January 19th, also means that we have a vacancy within the Tuscaloosa police department.

So it's my honor and privilege to announce is that with your confirmation, not on the on January 27th, the appointment of Chief SIBO Sanders as acting chief.

Chief Sanders has been with, he doesn't look like it by the way, or he must have been five when he joined us.

He has been with TPD for 29 years.

And he is a guy that has risen through the ranks, patrol division, SWAT, narcotics.

And in his most current role as deputy chief of police, he has led our community outreach operations.

Powell is just one example of what he's been able to lead, the improvements, the expansion of that program, but many other initiatives.

But one I just want to briefly tell it, tell you about that you don't see.

Every other Friday, Deputy Chief Sanders, myself, and a representative from the district attorney's office meet with parents and students who have been suspended more than twice from the Tuscaloosa City Schools.

And every other Friday, there is Deputy Chief Sanders.

Now here's what's really unique is he is always there before I'm there, meeting with students, talking to their parents.

He says afterwards to talk to the students, to talk to the parents.

He could just come and go.

But he doesn't.

And he does it because he genuinely cares about the young people who are there and wants to see their future brighter.

That makes me very proud to be his colleague.

And so let me close with both.

Why I'm very excited about these appointments and feel very passionate about what they've done for our city.

His years for TPD, certainly Colonel Busby, who threw the military.

But the things that both of these gentlemen have to lead through is staggering.

I became sold really on both of them after we had a tragic shooting in Washington Square a few years ago.

Tragic shooting.

Those were tough times.

Very difficult times.

And the leadership of both gentlemen just impressed the hell out of me.

And um they have my admiration forever.

I've seen them when facing the worst to be focused, determined, and never forget their commitment to citizens and the officers they work for.

So I'm very proud to you to announce those appointments.

Now with that comes the timeline for how we will go about hiring the next police chief of Tuscaloosa.

So I wanted to present to you, and I sent this to you last night, but want to formally present this to you the timeline that we have today.

At the city of Tuscaloosa, where there's always something around the corner, but I believe if everything can stay steady, this will be the timeline that we will follow.

The position will be posted beginning January 14th tomorrow, and we'll stay posted to February 13, 2026.

We are asking for a selection committee, and I have asked Miss Herbert to reach out to Ms.

Howard yourself and Mr.

Fell as chairpersons of public safety and administrative to be part of that.

The selection committee can will interview candidates on the week of March 2nd through the 6th.

And then I will interview the final week of March 23rd through the 27th.

The goal would be to have an announcement in place sometime by mid-April.

Again, this is a goal.

I mean, it certainly there could be events, um, opportunities that that could change things, but I don't imagine much deviation from this.

So again, uh, Ms.

Howard and to committee members, this is a very, I think important, not I think I know is a very important day for public safety.

And so at this point, I think it would be really um you know appropriate if we asked each one of them to come up and address you as a public safety committee.

So Ms.

Howard, I'll turn it back to you and make that request.

So thank you so much, Mayor.

We have been waiting on this announcement.

So at this time, I would like to ask our new executive director of public safety, Chief Brent.

Well, I look I gotta get you last end and see.

Now just gone down to Mr.

Blankly.

Mr.

Blankly, I guess so.

Um, I want to say thank you for this appointment, and also thank you for letting me be the chief last six years.

Uh a lot.

Uh that department means a lot to me.

Um as I close out my law enforcement career of 20 years at the department.

I promise you I'll work just as hard as the director of public safety.

Um, working with police, working with fire, um, and working with other city department heads to make sure the city's safe.

Um, we as department heads we sit around this table once a week, and I know y'all know the work that goes into this, but public safety is not just police or fire, it's everybody.

Um, everybody throws in their people to work, um, everybody's got ideas, um, and I'm super excited about this opportunity, but thank you so much for this opportunity, but also thank you for allowing me to be with TPD for the last 20 years.

It's been a great part of my life, and I truly appreciate it.

So, Chief Sanders.

Uh Mayor Council.

I'm grateful to be standing in front of you today.

Uh never would imagine that I'll be standing here saying that the Chiefs.

Neither did I.

Yeah.

But uh I'm thankful.

I'm grateful.

Uh 29 years of service here in Tuscaloosa.

During 29 years of service here in Tuscaloosa, one thing I can assure the community that Tuscusa police probably will remain as needed as said to make sure this city is safe.

And that's my uh number one goal to make sure that our city, our schools, our uh jobs were all keep safe.

Again, I want to say thank you.

Thank you, Mayor, thank you, council, and thank the community for having I know you want to say something, Ms.

I'm gonna say something.

Don't you worry about it.

Well, uh just having confidence meeting to be in this department.

So um my doors always open as always, and I always get phone calls in the middle of the night that still would go on.

So I'm gonna let you go ahead and say something.

No, I just want to say that you started about the time I was getting ready to retire.

And I don't think either one of us imagined that this would happen, but I'm very pleased.

I'm excited for you, I'm excited for Tuscaloosa.

And I appreciate all you've done these last 29 years.

Thank you.

Like I said, we're gonna keep on building the trust in the community and law enforcement, and we're gonna make sure we're gonna I'm gonna be there for when the next chief comes along.

So thank you again.

I like I just congratulations to you both.

This is a very exciting day.

And we started the same year.

Yes, for nine years too.

We did.

I just want to echo everything the other council saying, congratulations.

Couldn't happen to two better people.

I look forward to working with both of them.

Thank you.

So congrats.

Is there anything else?

We need to get in hand.

Yes, it's I'm proud of both, and I just want to say again to Brent, um I everything, everything that the mayor said, but I know that you are capable of leading us in this new department.

So um, and it's been a joy for the past six years to have you as the chief.

Ms.

I want to thank you for serving on the interview committee and being.

It was an honor.

Thank you for being part of this process.

Thank you.

It was an honor.

I'm looking forward to the next step of the process too.

So if there's nothing else, all hearts and minds are clear.

All right.

Um public safety meeting is now adjourned.

All right, can I get a motion?

We need to vote on.

Yes.

Make a motion.

Second.

All in favor.

Aye.

All right, motion passed.