OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Tuscaloosa City Council Meeting - September 1, 2026

City Council Meetings — Tuesday, September 1, 2026
BodyTuscaloosa, Alabama
SessionCity Council Meetings
DateTuesday, September 1, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:05:27

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Oh, yeah.

0:03

Those days are gone for now.

0:05

Yeah.

0:08

Good evening, everyone.

0:09

Tuscaloocy Council has now come to order.

0:11

We ask that everyone please stand for our prayer and then remain standing for our pledge of allegiance.

0:16

Let's bow our heads, please.

0:18

Dear God, bless our proceedings tonight.

0:20

Give us the wisdom to know what is just in the strength to do what is right.

0:24

Amen.

0:25

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

0:30

And to which stands, one nation, under God, indivisible.

0:36

With liberty and justice for all.

0:38

Please be seated.

0:40

Approval of the minutes.

0:41

So move.

0:42

Second.

0:43

We moved and seconded.

0:43

Do we approve the minutes voting?

0:45

Mr.

0:45

Eatman.

0:46

Yes.

0:46

Yes.

0:47

Yes.

0:48

Yes.

0:48

Yes.

0:49

Yes.

0:50

Minutes stand approved.

0:51

Proclamation statements by council.

0:53

Tonight we have a proclamation by Miss Howard.

0:56

So Councilor Howard, I'm going to turn it over to you.

1:06

Thank you, Mayor.

1:08

Um, this is an honor to present this proclamation tonight.

1:11

And if the family members of Miss Betsy Williams and Ken Kim Went are here, if you can please come up.

1:21

Hold on.

1:30

I'm a student of right there.

1:33

Okay.

1:34

Whereas Betsy Williams and Kim Went served as beloved teachers at Little Friends School at Calvary Baptist Church of Tuscaloosa during the 1980s and into the 1990s, dedicating themselves to the care, education, and development of the young children entrusted to them.

1:50

And whereas Miss Betsy and Miss Kim left a lasting impact on the lives of the children of the Tuscaloosa, including children with disabilities, demonstrating that every child, regardless of circumstances, our challenge, deserves to be treated with dignity, patience, encouragement, and respect.

2:10

And whereas these two exceptional women set a prime example for early childhood educators, showing through their dedication and preservance the extraordinary difference that a caring teacher can make in the life of a child.

2:25

And whereas Miss Bessie Williams passed away on March the 7, 2026, leaving behind a remarkable legacy that will forever live on through the children whose lives she's touched, and the many people who were fortunate enough to know her.

2:41

So now, therefore, be a resolve on behalf of the mayor Walt Matdox and my colleagues on the Tuscaloosa City Council, we would like to proclaim September the 9th, 2026 to be Betsy Williams and Kim Went Day.

2:55

So on behalf of the mayor and the city council, I would like to present this proclamation to Mr.

3:01

David Risling.

3:02

And I would just like to say that we um we thank you for recognizing the support that we already give to our early educators and our educators here in Tuscaloosa, and we are glad to present this proclamation to you and behalf of those that have touched your lives.

3:24

Thank you, Miss Howard.

3:25

Uh to the mayor, uh to Mayor Maddox, to uh members of the city council.

3:33

Uh it is just uh it is just has was such an honor to be a student under Miss Betsy and Miss Kim.

3:42

And um I've said it before, and I'll say it again, because what we really hope that what I really hope that this does is kicks off a campaign where and uh that that is already going, I'm sure, and this will continue to strengthen that campaign in this city.

3:59

Look, we love our educators and all that they do, but preschool teachers are heroes too.

4:06

And it is disheartening to me to hear about so many of our early childhood educators, the educators of the very young, uh, being just feel like they're undermined, underpaid, underappreciated, unappreciated, and underestimated, and that has to stop.

4:29

And so that can that can start with us being the spark that starts a flame all over this country.

4:35

And to all of the parents that are watching this way, because this meeting, as uh as are all meetings, uh, is broadcast uh all over the world on Facebook and on television, send your kids to school at an early age.

4:53

I would implore you, and I know that a lot of people have questions about daycare these days and the affordability and the reliability of daycare these days.

5:05

I can tell you now that it is it, and and don't send your kid to just any daycare.

5:11

Send them to a daycare where you know they're gonna be nurtured, where they're gonna be nourished in body and in soul.

5:18

And because one of the things that Miss Betsy taught me and Miss Kim too, without saying it always out loud is that Jesus loves all of us.

5:33

Boy, do we ever fall short of his glory?

5:35

I fell short so many times when I you know, and and it wasn't that I was defiant, I was scared.

5:42

Being a child that we now know is on the autism spectrum.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning Regulations████████████████16%
Zoning And Land Use████████████████16%
Procedural█████████████13%
Code Enforcement█████████████13%
Traffic Management███████████11%
Community Engagement███████7%
Annexation██████6%
Public Engagement██████6%
Disability Rights█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Tuscaloosa City Council Meeting - September 1, 2026

The Tuscaloosa City Council held its regular meeting on September 1, 2026, addressing demolitions, a zoning amendment, special event licenses, and public comments on train blockages. The meeting opened with a proclamation honoring two beloved preschool teachers and concluded with unanimous votes on most agenda items.

Proclamation

  • Councilor Howard presented a proclamation declaring September 9, 2026, as "Betsy Williams and Kim Went Day" in recognition of their service as teachers at Little Friends School at Calvary Baptist Church. David Risling, a former student, accepted and spoke about the importance of early childhood educators, the need to support them, and reducing stigma around autism.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved Items A through I on the consent agenda unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Zoning Amendment 46 (3311 and 3327 Hargrove Road East): Three residents spoke in opposition:
    • Carolyn Booth (3709 34th Avenue East) expressed concerns about increased traffic (estimated 48 cars per phase) exiting onto Broadview Road, impacting her ability to exit her driveway, and questioned the validity of a traffic study conducted on May 19, 2026, after University of Alabama students had left.
    • Jacques Dunn (5236 Woodland Forest Drive) opposed the proliferation of townhouses in Tuscaloosa, citing aesthetics and lack of community input, and questioned whether the city would ever impose a moratorium.
    • Iselle Harper (3743 34th Avenue East) emphasized disrespect to long-standing communities, noted the traffic study was a one-day study during a low-traffic period, and stated the developer had not met with residents.
  • Citizen Comment on Train Blockages: A citizen (name not given) criticized the city's inaction on trains blocking railroad crossings for hours. He presented six options: enforce the existing city ordinance, pass a public safety ordinance, request state legislation extension, support federal railroad legislation, apply for federal crossing elimination grants, and establish a local reporting system. He noted the mayor had previously stated the city had authority (2017) but now the police chief said the city had none due to federal preemption.

Discussion Items

  • Demolition Orders: Four properties were discussed:
    1. 1721½ 16th Avenue East (eastern structure) – 48 violations; owner requested >90 days; council voted 120 days (passed unanimously).
    2. 1721 16th Avenue East (western structure) – 48 violations; tabled for 120 days (unanimous).
    3. 30 Eastwood (southeast structure) – 22 violations; tabled for 90 days (unanimous).
    4. 2018 Dinah Washington Avenue – 22 violations; tabled for 120 days (unanimous).
  • Zoning Amendment 46: Petition to rezone 4.6 acres at 3311 and 3327 Hargrove Road East from SFR-1 (single-family residential) to SFR-4 (suburban residential) in Council District 6. Planning and Zoning Commission had voted 6-3 not to recommend approval (July 26, 2026). Applicant (Tom Sims, Longleaf Engineering, on behalf of Clay Smith) stated the property was annexed into the city earlier in 2026, and the zoning change would allow various residential options, potentially affordable townhomes, but no specific plan yet. Council voted 4-2 to approve the rezoning (Mr. Lanier, Mr. Eatman, Mr. Williams, and one other voted yes; two voted no). Council members urged the applicant to meet with residents before finalizing plans.
  • Special Events Retail License: Approved Levy Premium Food Service (doing business as Events at Bryant-Denny Stadium Champions Lane) for less than seven days for seven home games in 2026, set up outside Bryant-Denny Stadium Line A from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. No objections from police.

Key Outcomes

  • Demolitions: All four demolition orders were tabled (120 days for two, 90 days for one, 120 days for one) with unanimous votes.
  • Consent Agenda: Adopted unanimously.
  • Zoning Amendment 46: Passed (4-2) to rezone to SFR-4; public hearing held; matter will return to Planning and Zoning Commission for detailed plan review.
  • Special Events License: Approved unanimously.
  • Resolutions Adopted (unanimous):
    • Authorized purchase of equipment/supplies from Tuscaloosa Attractor.
    • Authorized grant application for 2026 Stopping Threats on Pedestrians Competitive Grant Program.
    • Temporarily expanded downtown entertainment district hours for Saturday, October 3, 2026.
    • Authorized Memorandum of Understanding with FBI.
    • Authorized amended agreement with Spectrum Business.
    • Authorized contract with EMC with bid law exemption.
    • Obtained stop loss health insurance from HMARC for FY 2027.
    • Authorized minor public works contract with Hollyfield Electrical.
    • Authorized minor public works contract with Southern Heating and Cooling.
    • Introduced Zoning Amendment 47 (first reading).
    • Authorized Amendment 19 to FY 2026 General Fund budget (unanimous consent).
    • Set October 6, 2026 as public hearing for Zoning Amendment 47.
  • Auditing Accounts: Authorized payment of bills unanimously.
  • Adjournment: Motion carried unanimously.

Meeting Transcript

Oh, yeah. Those days are gone for now. Yeah. Good evening, everyone. Tuscaloocy Council has now come to order. We ask that everyone please stand for our prayer and then remain standing for our pledge of allegiance. Let's bow our heads, please. Dear God, bless our proceedings tonight. Give us the wisdom to know what is just in the strength to do what is right. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to which stands, one nation, under God, indivisible. With liberty and justice for all. Please be seated. Approval of the minutes. So move. Second. We moved and seconded. Do we approve the minutes voting? Mr. Eatman. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Minutes stand approved. Proclamation statements by council. Tonight we have a proclamation by Miss Howard. So Councilor Howard, I'm going to turn it over to you. Thank you, Mayor. Um, this is an honor to present this proclamation tonight. And if the family members of Miss Betsy Williams and Ken Kim Went are here, if you can please come up. Hold on. I'm a student of right there. Okay. Whereas Betsy Williams and Kim Went served as beloved teachers at Little Friends School at Calvary Baptist Church of Tuscaloosa during the 1980s and into the 1990s, dedicating themselves to the care, education, and development of the young children entrusted to them. And whereas Miss Betsy and Miss Kim left a lasting impact on the lives of the children of the Tuscaloosa, including children with disabilities, demonstrating that every child, regardless of circumstances, our challenge, deserves to be treated with dignity, patience, encouragement, and respect. And whereas these two exceptional women set a prime example for early childhood educators, showing through their dedication and preservance the extraordinary difference that a caring teacher can make in the life of a child. And whereas Miss Bessie Williams passed away on March the 7, 2026, leaving behind a remarkable legacy that will forever live on through the children whose lives she's touched, and the many people who were fortunate enough to know her. So now, therefore, be a resolve on behalf of the mayor Walt Matdox and my colleagues on the Tuscaloosa City Council, we would like to proclaim September the 9th, 2026 to be Betsy Williams and Kim Went Day. So on behalf of the mayor and the city council, I would like to present this proclamation to Mr. David Risling. And I would just like to say that we um we thank you for recognizing the support that we already give to our early educators and our educators here in Tuscaloosa, and we are glad to present this proclamation to you and behalf of those that have touched your lives. Thank you, Miss Howard. Uh to the mayor, uh to Mayor Maddox, to uh members of the city council. Uh it is just uh it is just has was such an honor to be a student under Miss Betsy and Miss Kim. And um I've said it before, and I'll say it again, because what we really hope that what I really hope that this does is kicks off a campaign where and uh that that is already going, I'm sure, and this will continue to strengthen that campaign in this city. Look, we love our educators and all that they do, but preschool teachers are heroes too.

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