Tuscaloosa City Council Meeting — November 3, 2026

The Tuscaloosa City Council met on November 3, 2026, for a regular business meeting. The council approved the previous meeting's minutes, voted against condemning a previously tabled property, heard a street vacation request and four alcohol license applications, discussed adding extra meeting dates to the calendar, reviewed board appointments and upcoming agenda items, and certified an executive session.

Property Condemnation — 905 1/2 18th Street

• Mr. Williams reported that the property at 905 1/2 18th Street, owned by Lonnie Golightly, had been tabled for 90 days at the August 3rd hearing and that the owner had completed the exterior repairs, including a new roof, fixed siding, and new windows.
• Williams recommended the council vote no to condemn, stating the property is back in good shape on the outside and no longer in a condemnation state.
• He said he instructed the owner to pull a permit for the interior repairs and complete them before anyone moves in. In response to a council member's question, he confirmed the owner cannot rent the property until the city signs off through the permitting process, and that the majority of the original condemnation issues were exterior.
• The council agreed with the recommendation and voted no to condemn.

Street Vacation — Eastern End of 31st Street (Cedar Forest)

• Mr. Gardner presented a request to vacate a portion of the eastern end of 31st Street in connection with the Cedar Forest neighborhood development.
• When the subdivision was developed, the roadway was altered, moved slightly south, and curved to the north; the relocated right-of-way has been recorded and dedicated, and the request is to vacate the existing superseded portion.
• Asked about houses on the south side, Gardner confirmed the few houses there were removed and none of that area will be affected by the vacation.

Alcohol License Applications

Mary Beth Franks presented four applications for council consideration:

• Jenny Crimson Corner LLC, DBA 15th Street Chevron (District 5): retail beer and retail table wine, off-premises only, new owner, at 1819 Veterans Memorial Parkway. Hours: Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Monday through Saturday 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Franks confirmed to a council member that this is a change of ownership.
• Dariella LLC, DBA L. Calentano Mexican Grill (District 6): restaurant retail liquor license, at 6343 Interstate Drive in Cottondale. Hours: Sunday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Maximum occupancy is 95. Franks added that the food is good and 'they're nice folks.'
• Riverside Market Inc., DBA Riverside Package Store (District 1): approval letter as a specialty retailer of consumable hemp products, at 401 Alman Avenue Suite B. Hours: Sunday 12 to 9:30 p.m.; Monday through Wednesday 8 a.m. to midnight; Thursday 8 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.
• Downtown Entertainment LLC (District 4): special events retail license (less than seven days) for seven alumni game-day events, including a 'Dazed and Confused' field party, during the two November home football game weekends.

Meeting Calendar Discussion

• The mayor said only four council meetings are currently scheduled over the next two months — November 17, December 15, January 12, and January 26 — and expressed concern about the volume of pending issues and about applicants, such as those with alcohol licenses, who need council approval to begin operations.
• A November 10 meeting was ruled out because public notice requirements could not be met (notice for the following week's meetings must be provided the next day).
• Staff noted that a December 1 meeting would be tight: City Hall is closed the Thursday and Friday after Thanksgiving, so the agenda would need to be finalized the day after the preceding council meeting.
• Council members discussed November 24 and December 8 as possible additions; December 8 is a special election day (not citywide), but the mayor noted the council has held meetings on election days before and that he cannot vote that day anyway. January 19, the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, was also raised as a possibility.
• The mayor stated: 'We don't work for our convenience. We work with the convenience of the 115,000 people to pay our salary.' He also said he has received at least one concern about the upcoming calendar.
• The council agreed to stay flexible on dates and to add at least two additional meetings, with communication to follow.

Board Appointments — Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports (TTS)

• Ms. Johnson presented two resumes for the TTS board: Dr. Lewan Hutchinson, a current board member seeking reappointment (this would be his second and final term, after which he would have to sit out before returning), and William Houston, a new applicant for a first term.
• Doug Hiller did not submit a resume and did not want to be reappointed.
• Council members expressed support for both appointments.

Department Announcements — Municipal Court

• Municipal court staff announced a Community Connections Resource Fair and Fresh Start Docket on the upcoming Friday at the courthouse and Government Plaza.
• More than 40 vendors will be set up along Gary Fitz Avenue and into the plaza, with driver's license and voter ID offices on site. From 1 to 3 p.m., a docket will be held in the courtroom for anyone with outstanding matters to walk in and talk to the judge and prosecutor.
• The mayor praised Judge McKinney and her team for their work on the program.

Agenda Briefing — Upcoming Items

Mr. Holmes briefed the council on items scheduled for upcoming meetings, including:

• Considering the demolition cost for the structure at 2714 31st Avenue and authorizing the filing of a lien.
• Authorizing a contract with Jim House and Associates Inc., declaring a bid law exemption pursuant to Alabama Code 41-16-51, totaling $90,811, for the Water and Sewer Department.
• Tentatively awarding a public works contract to Quarterstone Civil Contractors for utility relocation for the ALDOC project involving State Route 69 intersection improvements from Mimosa Park Road to north of the I-59 overpass, totaling $219,867.50.
• Authorizing an as-needed minor public works contract with JL Tree Service, not to exceed $50,000.
• Authorizing a professional services contract with SPX Aids to Navigation, not to exceed $3,686.85.
• Authorizing a minor public works contract with Night Sign Industries, totaling $34,700.
• Authorizing Amendment No. 2 to the contract with Flock Group Inc., not to exceed $182,100, for the Tuscaloosa Police Department.
• Authorizing disbursements from district improvement funds: $5,000 from District 4 for the DCH Foundation; $1,500 from District 6 for Bryant High School; $1,500 from District 6 for Jeremiah's Community Gardens; and $1,000 from District 7 for Central Elementary and Central High Schools.
• Authorizing a consulting agreement with Milleman for benefit calculations, eligibility reviews, actuarial reports, and the FY 2026 GASB 67 and 68 reports for the City of Tuscaloosa hourly pension plan, not to exceed $33,125.
• Authorizing a consulting agreement with Kavanaugh McDonald for actuarial valuations for GASB 67/68/75, not to exceed $25,700.
• Authorizing a merit executive engagement letter with The Arbitrage Group, not to exceed $14,000.
• Authorizing the purchase of equipment, supplies, or services from Stivers Ford for Municipal Court, totaling $66,141, as a previously budgeted purchase.
• Expressing the city's intent to offer an extension renewing and extending the North Star EMS franchise agreement for an additional two years.
• Authorizing the mayor to execute a memorandum of understanding with LSU for a practicum for social work students.
• Authorizing the creation and implementation of a children's toys for parking tickets program (Toys for Tots).
• Authorizing the mayor to execute a lease agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation for recreation use and construction of the Northern Riverwalk Phase 2 across state lands.
• Authorizing Amendment No. 2 to the fiscal year 2027 general fund budget.

Executive Session

• The mayor announced there were four items for executive session.
• Following a motion and a second, the city attorney certified the executive session to discuss legal ramifications of and legal options for pending litigation or controversy imminently likely to be litigated; security plans, procedures, assessments, measures, or systems for persons, structures, facilities, or infrastructure, including critical infrastructure; and the consideration the city is willing to offer or accept when considering the purchase, sale, exchange, lease, or market value of real property.
• The council voted aye to enter executive session.

Key Outcomes

• The council unanimously approved the previous meeting's minutes.
• The council voted no to condemn 905 1/2 18th Street; the owner must complete permitted interior repairs before anyone can move in.
• The street vacation request and four alcohol license applications were presented; the transcript shows no votes on these items.
• The council agreed to add at least two additional meeting dates to the calendar, with final dates to be determined and communicated.
• Council members expressed support for reappointing Dr. Lewan Hutchinson and appointing William Houston to the TTS board.
• The council voted to enter executive session.