OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Tuscaloosa Public Projects Committee Meeting - March 10, 2026

City Council MeetingsTuesday, March 10, 2026
BodyTuscaloosa, Alabama
SessionCity Council Meetings
DateTuesday, March 10, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 32:25

Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

Agenda if there's a motion to adopt that we'll consider that so moved second all in favor say aye aye aye okay minutes are adopted from last week vicky here are the sign oh I don't he's signing he'll have to sign okay item number one under new business Mr.

0:23

Gardner welcome good afternoon um this is a request for a right of way use permit for uh partial encroachment I guess of stairs into our public right away this is uh the 14th Avenue I'm sorry 14th Street Townhomes project that the uh TBG Homes is doing formerly known as the Builders Group Rock Quarter and his team there's our location on four 14th Street at the terminus uh where it adjoins 359 and that's honing down on the site um those those existing houses have have been demolished and they're ready to start with their uh town home development uh this is a conceptual plan and you can see on the lower end of the the drawing there they're staggering the fronts of the townhomes to give it a uh a good aesthetic look and I think that's part of the uh the zoning requirement or development requirement as well uh but there'll be pieces of side uh stairs that are in the public right away and again this permit is just to establish uh ownership and maintenance of those stairs and we're we're in favor of this why well it it's good for the development I wasn't contesting I was just curious I was curious why yeah no it's uh it's been around 14th street I wouldn't clear from the map all right we're at the very end of 14th street where it runs into the to the ramp off of 15th street yeah you can see where they've cleared it all out yeah yeah um all right are there any uh questions or comments from either the members or other council members I think it will look much better than it did absolutely yeah much better all right and engineering department recommends it yes sir motion I make a motion second all in favor say aye aye item is approved uh item number two Colleen Cook hey how are you good thank you so this next item is a contract for virtual precipitation monitoring services so currently the city relies on five physical rain gauges however these gauges don't provide the level of location specific accuracy that's needed to fully support our stormwater management and drainage improvement efforts the proposed service will enhance our capabilities by providing virtual precipitation monitoring at 15 locations throughout the city uh that will be selected by OCE based on documented areas where more precise data is needed so these gauges will deliver accurate real-time rainfall data that will strengthen our evaluation of flooding issues and overall stormwater infrastructure performance uh by comparing rainfall amounts and intensity uh with system performance in specific areas we can more confidently identify where drainage improvements may be warranted and then additionally the data will support assessments of our upcoming NOAA's art drainage projects and help verify their effectiveness over time okay do you have a map of where these 15 yes or no we haven't pinpointed exact locations now once that we get the contract then um we do have areas identified with you know known drainage issues that we'll prioritize what is it exactly is it a cut some lines in it or it's actually all virtual so there's no physical rain gauge it's um you use Doppler radar to wow produce the rainfall amount it's all you know accepted legally in court and reliable um but yeah so there's no physical rain gauge what's the benefit to us the benefit to us is that we will be able to prioritize our drainage improvement efforts and kind of compare apples to apples so um you know storm events can vary greatly over a short distance with how much rainfall um falls and so we can use this data to identify what projects are higher priority based on rainfall intensity so if we're seeing a localized flooding issue how much rain is actually falling there that's causing that issue okay that makes sense questions comments sounds good money's in your outside services yes sir questions I make a most second all in favor say aye aye item is approved let's see mr o'Neal order number one premier service good afternoon council good afternoon so seeking approval for change order number one to the Silver Park North lighting project with premier service

5:00

Money's in your outside services.

5:02

Yes, sir.

5:05

Second, all in favor say aye.

5:07

Aye.

5:08

Item is approved.

5:09

Thank you.

5:16

Let's see.

5:16

Mr.

5:17

O'Neal, order number one, mere service.

5:21

Good afternoon, Council.

5:24

So seeking approval for change order number one to the Soble Park North Lighting Project with Premier Service Company.

5:30

So this change order will add Mason's place to their scope of work.

5:35

So you can look on the map.

5:36

The original lighting scope is in Sople Park North, that entry drive, and then south of there in Sokal Park is Mason's place.

5:45

It's a parking lot that doesn't have any lighting or security cameras.

5:49

So this change order will actually add the add about six street lights or six lights in that parking lot and the infrastructure for IT to come in and put cameras.

5:57

This was originally part of the design, but what it when we were doing our cost estimating, we thought we were gonna be over budget on the original project, but we came in under budget, so we want to change order this into the project.

6:10

So this was originally priced into it.

6:13

It was originally designed and we were gonna do it, and we took it out because we thought it was gonna be we thought we were gonna be over budget on the original, just the original location.

6:23

So we were surprised to come in under budget, so we have enough money to cover this in the original budget.

6:31

So the it lists under funding elevate account number, blah blah blah.

6:36

Is that something left over in the original contract, or did it flow out of there and back into an elevate account?

6:45

It was in the original budget, it's the original budget for the project, and so the project bid it came in under budget.

6:51

So this is the money that was left in that budget for reporting that original.

6:55

So it's still under isn't that over.

6:56

Okay.

6:58

I make a motion.

6:59

Second, all in favor say aye.

7:01

Aye.

7:01

Item is approved.

7:02

Thank you, Zach.

7:04

Uh item number four, Mr.

7:06

Gurney.

7:08

Never a real Tuesday without hearing from Mr.

7:12

Yes, sir.

7:13

Good afternoon.

7:14

Good afternoon.

7:15

Um bid award to Mark Johnson construction, Hilliard Fletcher, RAS pumping improvements.

7:24

Yes, sir.

7:25

Uh total contract, construction contract, one million seven hundred and eighty-two thousand nine hundred and six dollars.

7:32

Yeah, I'm sorry, how much uh one million seven hundred and eighty-two thousand nine hundred and six dollars.

7:41

So um at the WORF, there's um I believe I got a map.

7:47

This is the map next.

7:50

Um this is a the map shows uh a layout of the of the wharf, the the water resource recovery facility.

7:57

Um this map is actually the from our facilities master plan, which kind of highlights all our capital improvements that uh we're making and need to make.

8:08

Um I'll I'll add a note that all all the red items are products that were recommended to happen immediately.

8:16

Um all those products are active.

8:18

Um this is one of those projects that the rectangular.

8:22

This is one of the red ones, yes, sir.

8:25

The four circles on the left side and the red rectangle in the middle.

8:30

Um the red rectangle in the middle is a building that houses these pumps in the basement.

8:34

Basically, it takes sludge from those circles and pumps it to the aeration basin to the north.

8:40

So that's the the function of these pumps.

8:42

These pumps were installed in 91.

8:45

They're need to be replaced, and so this is a product to replace them.

8:49

Um schedule-wise, we're request we're requesting double up uh to so we can award the bed and the contractor can order the pumps and we can get this going.

9:02

Um if we expect that the project will start construction late the summer, depending on that lead time, and it'll be completed early 2027.

9:13

Uh funding-wise.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Technology and Innovation███████████████████████████27%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████████████22%
Parks and Recreation██████████████████18%
Zoning Regulations█████████████13%
Budget Equity Analysis█████5%
Arts And Culture█████5%
Water And Wastewater Management████4%
Public Engagement███3%
Disability Rights███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Tuscaloosa Public Projects Committee Meeting - March 10, 2026

The Tuscaloosa Public Projects Committee met on March 10, 2026, to consider 12 agenda items, including permits, contracts, change orders, and technology upgrades. All items were approved except one, which was tabled for further review. No public comments were made. Key decisions included adoption of prior minutes, approval of a virtual rain gauge contract, a change order for lighting at Soble Park, a major pump replacement contract, and several technology service agreements.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes Approval: Minutes from the previous week's meeting were adopted unanimously.

Discussion Items

  • Item 1 – Right-of-Way Use Permit (14th Street Townhomes): Mr. Gardner presented a request from TBG Homes (formerly Builders Group Rock Quarter) for a right-of-way use permit to allow partial encroachment of stairs into the public right-of-way at the 14th Street Townhomes project, located at the terminus of 14th Street adjoining 15th Street. The permit establishes ownership and maintenance of the stairs. Engineering recommended approval. Motion passed unanimously.

  • Item 2 – Virtual Precipitation Monitoring Services Contract: Colleen Cook introduced a contract for virtual precipitation monitoring at 15 locations using Doppler radar to replace five physical rain gauges. The service provides real-time data to improve stormwater management and drainage improvement prioritization. The contract is funded from the outside services budget. Motion passed unanimously.

  • Item 3 – Change Order No. 1, Silver Park North Lighting Project: Mr. O'Neal presented a change order with Premier Service Company to add lighting and IT infrastructure for cameras at Mason's Place parking lot in Soble Park. The work was originally designed but removed due to budget concerns; the original project came in under budget, allowing this addition. Motion passed unanimously.

  • Item 4 – Bid Award, RAS Pumping Improvements: Mr. Gurney requested award of a $1,782,906 construction contract to Mark Johnson Construction for replacing pumps at the Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF). The pumps, installed in 1991, move sludge to the aeration basin. The project is part of the WRRF Phase 3 improvements, funded through the 2025 B bond and prior budget. Four bids were received. Motion passed unanimously.

  • Item 5 – Household Hazardous Waste Day Contract: Mr. Max presented a $26,500 contract with MXI to transport and dispose of chemicals collected during the Household Hazardous Waste Day on June 6, 2026 (8-11 AM). The event is reimbursed by Newcore. Motion passed unanimously.

  • Item 6 – Change Order, Northridge Pickleball Courts / Buddy Powell Parking Lot: Tim presented a balancing change order for the completed Northridge pickleball project, with a $30,000 deduct. The request includes $103,000 from the Tourism Capital Fund for parking lot improvements at Buddy Powell Pavilion (seal coating, new asphalt, striping, signage, bollards). Total change order amount: $150,000, with $45,000 already available. Council member requested tabling for one week to research the tourism fund. Motion to table passed unanimously.

  • Item 7 – Plaques for Benjamin Barnes YMCA: Tim presented a request to install a commemorative plaque on a pedestal near the Marshall 4 statues and individual player plaques at the new YMCA facility, funded from remaining project dollars. Motion passed unanimously.

  • Item 8 – Red Point Audio Video Maintenance Contract: Jason requested approval of a $50,000 maintenance contract for audio-visual equipment at seven city locations (Council Chambers, PD 3200, Incident Command, etc.). The contract is the third year at this price. Motion passed unanimously.

  • Item 9 – Amphitheater AV Infrastructure Upgrades: Dr. Dave and Kay presented the next phase of audiovisual upgrades at the 15-year-old Tuscaloosa Amphitheater. The project upgrades cabling and connectivity from the mix position, stage, and control room to meet current touring production technical demands. The LED video walls were upgraded last year. This work is funded from the River District Fund. Motion passed unanimously.

  • Item 10 – Consolidation of Cable Television Accounts: Jason presented a project to consolidate all city cable television accounts into a single contract, similar to hotel system, saving approximately $40,000 per year. Installation cost: $5,000 from outside services; monthly fee: $889.09. Motion passed unanimously.

  • Item 11 – Doc Access Software Contract: Jason presented a 24-month, $37,720 professional services contract with Civic Plus for Doc Access software. The software converts all PDFs on city websites to accessible versions for visually impaired users, meeting ADA requirements with a compliance deadline of April 26, 2026. Budgeted in Mr. Foster's budget. Motion passed unanimously.

  • Item 12 – Power DMS Renewal Contract: Chief Sanders presented a $16,732.04 renewal for Profile Power DMS, a document storage system for policies, public records, and signatures. Motion passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved Items: Items 1-5, 7-12 were approved unanimously.
  • Tabled Item: Item 6 (Northridge pickleball change order) was tabled unanimously until the next projects meeting for further review of the Tourism Capital Fund.
  • Next Steps: The committee adjourned after completing all business.

Meeting Transcript

Agenda if there's a motion to adopt that we'll consider that so moved second all in favor say aye aye aye okay minutes are adopted from last week vicky here are the sign oh I don't he's signing he'll have to sign okay item number one under new business Mr. Gardner welcome good afternoon um this is a request for a right of way use permit for uh partial encroachment I guess of stairs into our public right away this is uh the 14th Avenue I'm sorry 14th Street Townhomes project that the uh TBG Homes is doing formerly known as the Builders Group Rock Quarter and his team there's our location on four 14th Street at the terminus uh where it adjoins 359 and that's honing down on the site um those those existing houses have have been demolished and they're ready to start with their uh town home development uh this is a conceptual plan and you can see on the lower end of the the drawing there they're staggering the fronts of the townhomes to give it a uh a good aesthetic look and I think that's part of the uh the zoning requirement or development requirement as well uh but there'll be pieces of side uh stairs that are in the public right away and again this permit is just to establish uh ownership and maintenance of those stairs and we're we're in favor of this why well it it's good for the development I wasn't contesting I was just curious I was curious why yeah no it's uh it's been around 14th street I wouldn't clear from the map all right we're at the very end of 14th street where it runs into the to the ramp off of 15th street yeah you can see where they've cleared it all out yeah yeah um all right are there any uh questions or comments from either the members or other council members I think it will look much better than it did absolutely yeah much better all right and engineering department recommends it yes sir motion I make a motion second all in favor say aye aye item is approved uh item number two Colleen Cook hey how are you good thank you so this next item is a contract for virtual precipitation monitoring services so currently the city relies on five physical rain gauges however these gauges don't provide the level of location specific accuracy that's needed to fully support our stormwater management and drainage improvement efforts the proposed service will enhance our capabilities by providing virtual precipitation monitoring at 15 locations throughout the city uh that will be selected by OCE based on documented areas where more precise data is needed so these gauges will deliver accurate real-time rainfall data that will strengthen our evaluation of flooding issues and overall stormwater infrastructure performance uh by comparing rainfall amounts and intensity uh with system performance in specific areas we can more confidently identify where drainage improvements may be warranted and then additionally the data will support assessments of our upcoming NOAA's art drainage projects and help verify their effectiveness over time okay do you have a map of where these 15 yes or no we haven't pinpointed exact locations now once that we get the contract then um we do have areas identified with you know known drainage issues that we'll prioritize what is it exactly is it a cut some lines in it or it's actually all virtual so there's no physical rain gauge it's um you use Doppler radar to wow produce the rainfall amount it's all you know accepted legally in court and reliable um but yeah so there's no physical rain gauge what's the benefit to us the benefit to us is that we will be able to prioritize our drainage improvement efforts and kind of compare apples to apples so um you know storm events can vary greatly over a short distance with how much rainfall um falls and so we can use this data to identify what projects are higher priority based on rainfall intensity so if we're seeing a localized flooding issue how much rain is actually falling there that's causing that issue okay that makes sense questions comments sounds good money's in your outside services yes sir questions I make a most second all in favor say aye aye item is approved let's see mr o'Neal order number one premier service good afternoon council good afternoon so seeking approval for change order number one to the Silver Park North lighting project with premier service Money's in your outside services. Yes, sir. Second, all in favor say aye. Aye. Item is approved. Thank you. Let's see. Mr. O'Neal, order number one, mere service. Good afternoon, Council. So seeking approval for change order number one to the Soble Park North Lighting Project with Premier Service Company. So this change order will add Mason's place to their scope of work. So you can look on the map. The original lighting scope is in Sople Park North, that entry drive, and then south of there in Sokal Park is Mason's place. It's a parking lot that doesn't have any lighting or security cameras. So this change order will actually add the add about six street lights or six lights in that parking lot and the infrastructure for IT to come in and put cameras. This was originally part of the design, but what it when we were doing our cost estimating, we thought we were gonna be over budget on the original project, but we came in under budget, so we want to change order this into the project. So this was originally priced into it. It was originally designed and we were gonna do it, and we took it out because we thought it was gonna be we thought we were gonna be over budget on the original, just the original location. So we were surprised to come in under budget, so we have enough money to cover this in the original budget. So the it lists under funding elevate account number, blah blah blah. Is that something left over in the original contract, or did it flow out of there and back into an elevate account? It was in the original budget, it's the original budget for the project, and so the project bid it came in under budget. So this is the money that was left in that budget for reporting that original. So it's still under isn't that over. Okay. I make a motion. Second, all in favor say aye. Aye. Item is approved. Thank you, Zach. Uh item number four, Mr. Gurney. Never a real Tuesday without hearing from Mr. Yes, sir. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Um bid award to Mark Johnson construction, Hilliard Fletcher, RAS pumping improvements. Yes, sir. Uh total contract, construction contract, one million seven hundred and eighty-two thousand nine hundred and six dollars. Yeah, I'm sorry, how much uh one million seven hundred and eighty-two thousand nine hundred and six dollars. So um at the WORF, there's um I believe I got a map. This is the map next. Um this is a the map shows uh a layout of the of the wharf, the the water resource recovery facility. Um this map is actually the from our facilities master plan, which kind of highlights all our capital improvements that uh we're making and need to make. Um I'll I'll add a note that all all the red items are products that were recommended to happen immediately. Um all those products are active. Um this is one of those projects that the rectangular.

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