Birmingham City Council meeting highlights: Sept. 4, 2018
During the Birmingham City Council Meeting on September 4, 2018, the City Council voted on the following items: 1. An Ordinance authorizing the Mayor to execute a one year Agreement, beginning October 1, 2018 and ending September 30, 2019, between the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) for the State Bureau of Investigation and the City of Birmingham for the Birmingham Police Department, for the City’s participation in the Alabama Drug Enforcement Task Force (ADETF) and for distribution and receipt of funds and property forfeited as a result of investigations by ADETF. Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? The purpose of the Alabama Drug Enforcement Task Force is to identify, investigate and prosecute people and organizations that are committing drug trafficking crimes anywhere within the jurisdiction of the member agencies and the State of Alabama. The participating and member agencies of the Alabama Drug Enforcement Task Force agree to participate by contributing personnel, equipment and/or funds, according to requirements that will be established from time to time by the ADETF Executive Board. The ADETF will investigate illicit narcotics violators and narcotics related to violent crimes within the State of Alabama. Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294. ——— 2. An Ordinance to establish a compensation policy regarding permitted use of City Council employees earned benefits related to use of leave time. Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? The Birmingham City Council is the legislative arm of city government, have financial responsibility over the finances of the City. The City Council desires to become a competitive employer by offering benefits and requisites consistent with those offered by other employers as well as other jurisdictions that recruit employees. To that point, the new policy and purpose of the City of Birmingham is to provide in addition to earned benefits which employees of the Birmingham City Council are otherwise entitled, provided that there that has been no break in service, said employees may begin to utilize any accrued sick leave time on the employees 61st day of employment and may begin utilizing accrued vacation leave time on the employee’s 91st day of employment, subject to approval by the employee’s supervisor. Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294. ——— 3. A Resolution approving and authorizing the submission of an application to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, District of Columbia, designating certain property as a special purpose Foreign-Trade Subzone, and authorizing the Mayor to execute and file the application on behalf of the City of Birmingham with the Foreign-Trade Zones Board. Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? Foreign trade zones are designated sites licensed by the Foreign – Trade Zones (FTZ) Board at which special customs procedures may be used. These procedures allow domestic activity involving foreign items to take place prior to formal customs entry. Subzones/usage –driven sites are approved for a specific company/use. A site, which has been granted zone status, may not be used for zone activity until that site or a section of it has been separately approved from FTZ activation by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials, and the zone activity remains under the supervision of CBP. FTZ sites and facilities remain within the jurisdiction of local, state or federal governments or agencies. Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294. ••• Meeting highlights provided by the Birmingham City Council Public Information office.
Airbnb customers in Birmingham will now be taxed even more
Airbnb is poised to start collecting a local lodging tax in Birmingham, Ala. later this year. The Birmingham City Council unanimously approved an agreement, by a 5-0 vote, without any discussion during its regular Tuesday meeting allowing the short-term rental website to collect the tax on rentals. Under the agreement, an additional 6.5 percent lodging tax will be added to guests’ bills and remitted to the city starting on October 1st, 2018. “Because of the speed at which tech start up companies grow and expand, it is often difficult for municipalities to regulate their activities, collect regular taxes on their operations like any other business, and make sure they are operating according to their laws,” read the City Council after report highlights explaining why the tax is necessary. The Magic City is the second largest Airbnb market in Alabama, behind only Gulf Shores. Approximately 14,100 guests used Airbnb in Birmingham in 2017 and hosts earned about $1.5 million during that frame. That means the city lost nearly $100,000 in lodging tax revenue last year. “Our hosts want to pay their fair share, and we want to help,” said Tom Martinelli, Southeast policy director for Airbnb. “Our Birmingham host community provides a tremendous service to the city by allowing more visitors to stay in Birmingham and spend money with local businesses. This tax agreement will only enhance the economic impact and increase revenue for the city.” Airbnb also has tax agreements with Auburn, Opelika, Orange Beach, Tuscaloosa. The City Council next plans to address zoning issues of those who are hosting on the Airbnb platform.
Birmingham City Council OKs $40M in GO Warrants, bonds for city projects
On Tuesday, the Birmingham City Council unanimously approved $40 million in General Obligation Warrants and bond refinancing, which will allow for capital funding for a several improvement projects throughout the city including not limited to Legion Field, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Wylam Library and the Birmingham Crossplex. More than $20 million of the funding will go toward the BRT project. Last year, the City Council last year approved the grant agreement with Federal Transit Administration for the $40 million project. The grant requires $20 million local match (50/50 match). The BRT aims to update Birmingham’s inner city public-transit system by connecting 25 neighborhoods from Woodlawn on the east side to Five Points on the west side The financing consists of two parts as follows: Approximately $40 million General Obligation Refunding Bonds Refinances Series 2007A Bonds Projected savings from lower interest rate is $7 million, with a net present value of $5.5 million The net present value savings as a percentage of the principal amount of bonds being refunded is approximately 11.8 percent, indicated a very efficient refinancing transaction True Interest Cost is approximately 3.18 percent Savings will remain in the Bond Reserve Fund to be used for any future voted bond issue Principal and interest payments will be over the same period as the outstanding bonds, through 2033 Approximately $40 million General Obligation Warrants Warrant issue will provide capital funds for the following projects: Bus Rapid Transit Grant Match: $20,000,000 BRT Additional: $1,750,000 Landfill Cell: $7,500,000 Industrial/Tech Park: $4,600,000 Legion Field Improvements: $2,250,000 Boutwell Improvements: $750,000 Central Library Stairs: $1,500,000 Wylam Library Additional Funds: $800,000 Crossplex Basketball Courts: $600,000
Shipt commits to staying in Birmingham, adding 881 jobs
The booming Birmingham founded business, Shipt announced Thursday that they will be keeping their headquarters in the Magic City, adding 881 new jobs in the area within the next few years. “Shipt was founded and has flourished in Birmingham, and we would not have reached the success we have today without the continued support of this community,” CEO Bill Smith said. “As a rapidly growing technology company, we feel fortunate to be able to offer an avenue for creating highly skilled jobs within Birmingham. Tuesday night the Birmingham City Council unanimously approved a new incentives package under which the company must not only add jobs, but also implement the City’s newly developed Talent Investment Program (TIP), Talent Acceleration Program (TAP), and Talent Optimization Program (TOP) as part of the incentives package. The City will provide incentives of up to $1,762,000.00, payable over a term of up to five years on the basis of $2,000.00 per each new employee, with such funding to be used by Shipt, Inc. as reimbursement for the cost of implementing TIP, TAP and TOP. “With this development package, we’ll be able to deepen our roots in our hometown, helping establish Birmingham as a center of technology and innovation not only in the South, but also within the United States,” Smith continued. Shipt already employs over 300 people in the Birmingham area – not including it’s shoppers. The 881 new jobs will be highly-skilled, highly paid positions, mostly in high-tech functions including software development and data processing. Smith said the company expects to add 50,000 shoppers by the end of the year, bringing the total number of shoppers up to 100,000. “Shipt represents the innovation, ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit that is defining a new generation of builders in Birmingham, and we are proud that Shipt calls our city home,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said. Governor Kay Ivey joined executives at Shipt headquarters in Birmingham for the announcement; “By simplifying life with innovative technology for personalized grocery delivery, Shipt is positioned for rapid growth,” Ivey said. “The ideal location for this growth is its hometown of Birmingham, and we’re committed to helping the company develop and attract the talent it needs to fuel its expansion plans in Alabama’s ‘Magic City.’” Woodfin posted a video of the announcement Thursday morning on Facebook. Watch the announcement by Kay Ivey below:
Birmingham City Council meeting highlights: July 10, 2018
During the Birmingham City Council Meeting on July 10, 2018, the City Council voted on the following items: 1. An Ordinance approving, and authorizing the Mayor to execute, a Real Estate Sales Agreement with SPT Parking Deck, LLC, under which the City will sell property located at 2001 Morris Avenue and known as the “John Hand Building Parking Deck” to SPT Parking Deck, LLC for a purchase price of $1,000,000.00 and further authorizing the Mayor to execute a statutory warranty deed and such other documents and instruments as are required to finalize the sale of the property. Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? This parking deck is attached to the John Hand Building, which is partially owned by Shipt. Selling the parking deck to SPT Parking Deck, LLC (a subsidiary of Shipt) will allow Shipt to ensure that they have parking rights to the building long term. The company is seeking to hire 881 new employees over the next 3 years, and want their new hires to have comfortable and easy access to their offices. Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294 ——— 2. An Ordinance to establish an Amnesty Program for the payment of certain outstanding minor traffic, parking and non-moving violation tickets from July 17, 2018 through September 17, 2018. Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? A two-month amnesty period has been approved by the Council for residents to pay off minor traffic, parking and non-moving violations without additional fines and other other penalties from July 17 – Sept. 17. For more information on the amnesty program, please call 205 254 2161 or vis https://www.birminghamal.gov/municipal-court/ Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2161. ——— 3. A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a Project Agreement with Shipt, Inc., under which Shipt, Inc. will undertake a project to maintain and grow its headquarters in the City by hiring an estimated 881 new employees and will implement the City’s newly developed Talent Investment Program (TIP), Talent Acceleration Program (TAP), and Talent Optimization Program (TOP) as part of such project, and the City will provide incentives to Shipt of up to $1,762,000.00, payable over a term of up to five (5) years on the basis of $2,000.00 per each new employee, with such funding to be used by Shipt, Inc. as reimbursement for the cost of implementing TIP, TAP and TOP, with the City’s incentive payments to be capped at $800,000.00 for the first year and $1,000,000.00 for each subsequent year, subject to the overall payment cap of $1,762,000.00. Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? An estimated 881 new jobs are expected in the city as part of the incentive package for Shipt Inc. that was unanimously approved by the Birmingham City Council; the average salary of those positions is expected to be $50,000. Shipt Inc., a Birmingham-based tech company that was acquired by Target for $550 million last year, recently announced their intentions to maintain and grow their headquarters in Birmingham. The workforce investment strategy is threefold, according to Dr. Josh Carpenter, Director of the Office of Innovation and Economic Opportunity for the City. Collectively it will be known as the “Putting People First” program. Talent Investment Program (TIP): Provides additional funding for the company to recruit high-demand, hard-to- reach occupations. Talent Acceleration Program (TAP): Designed to take workers who may be low-skill and low-wage and set aside funding for those employees to access new tuition pools and learn new skills while furthering their education. Talent Optimization Program (TOP): This component is designed to help the company hire local talent. It pushes additional funding to the company as a way to hire graduates from Innovate Birmingham graduates and residents of the city. It creates a pool of funding to partner with universities and other local entities to train mid-level managers, a group that Carpenter said there is a shortage of in Birmingham (70 percent of Innovate Birmingham participants are city residents). For more information on the Agreement, please read this. ••• Meeting highlights provided by the Birmingham City Council Public Information office.
Birmingham City Council meeting highlights: July 3, 2018
During the Birmingham City Council Meeting on July 3, 2018, the City Council voted on the following items: 1. A Resolution approving, and authorizing the Mayor to execute, a Funding Agreement with The Public Athletic, Cultural and Entertainment Facilities Board (PACE) under which the City will provide funding in the amount of $1,500,000.00 and certain in-kind services to PACE to build out approximately 1,950 square feet of space in the Negro Southern League Museum for use by a restaurant which will lease the space from the PACE. Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? The Birmingham City Council unanimously approved a funding agreement with the Public Athletic, Cultural, and Entertainment Facilities Board (PACE) to provide $1.5 million and additional in-kind services to support the build-out process for a new restaurant to open at the Negro Southern League Museum. Michael’s Steak and Seafood will occupy the space in the museum as well as the rooftop bar that overlooks Regions Field. The projected opening date is to be determined, but officials say the restaurant will be completed six months after construction begins. For more information about this item, please read: THIS LINK. Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294 ———- 2. A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute and deliver an agreement with McWane Center d/b/a/ McWane Science Center (“McWane”), pursuant to Amendment 772 of the Alabama Constitution of 1901, under which McWane will provide services in the City for an appropriation amount not to exceed One Hundred Fifty Nine Thousand One Hundred Four and No/100 ($159,104.00), for the purpose of promoting public understanding of science, technology and the environment by mixing learning with adventure and by providing hands-on exhibits and programs for students, teachers and the general public for a term to commence July 1, 2018 and end June 30, 2019. The City agrees to pay an amount not to exceed $159,104.00 for the services. Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? The McWane Science Center houses four floors of exhibits that support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and early childhood education. At McWane Science Center, children participate in many innovative and interactive programs and exhibits including: Itty Bitty Magic City, NatureScope, The Magic of Model Trains, Alabama Dinosaurs, Sea Monsters of Alabama, High Cycle, NOAA’s Science on a Sphere TM, World of Water, Shark and Ray Touch Tank, Science Quest exhibits, and the IMAX Dome Theater. McWane offers a total of 7 weeks of summer day camp sessions for rising 1st grade through 7th grade students and half-day camp experiences for rising 4K – Kindergarten students. Other services and partnership programs between McWane Science Center and The City of Birmingham include: Spring Fling 2018: McWane Science Center partnered with the Mayor’s office of the City of Birmingham to offer (with coupon) up to 2 free kids admission for each paid adult admission during the week of Spring Break, March 25-31, 2018. A total of 1,267 children were admitted to McWane Science Center free of charge during Spring Break 2018 through this promotion. Birmingham Cultural Alliance Partnership: The Birmingham Cultural Alliance Partnership provides award-winning educational opportunities for youth in the City of Birmingham. For the past twelve years, McWane Science Center has partnered with local cultural institutions (Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Birmingham Museum of Art, Southern Museum of Flight, Vulcan Park & Museum, Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Birmingham Public Library) to provide unique learning experiences for participating students from Green Acres Middle School. Teens and Tech: Teens and Tech events create a science learning environment with a teen-friendly atmosphere. These events combine science experts and hands-on activities to engage 8th – 12th graders in emerging science trends and technology. These events are free and open to teens from throughout the Greater Birmingham area. During calendar year 2017, McWane Science Center provided services to: 6,281 total units of service to students from Birmingham City Schools 5,180 of this total participated for free because of McWane Science Center’s Educational Scholarship Fund 400 preschool students and teachers from licensed centers in the City of Birmingham Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294. ———- 3. A Resolution to accept the lump sum bid and approve the contract of Five Hundred Twenty-Two Thousand, Nine Hundred Thirty-Two and 00/100 Dollars ($522,932.00) submitted by Sherrod Construction Company, Inc., 1980-A Shades Crest Road, Vestavia, AL 35266, for Wahouma Park Renovations-Rebid, located at 216 71st Street, Birmingham, AL 35206, received by the Department of Planning, Engineering and Permits on Thursday, June 14, 2018, be and the same is hereby accepted, this being the lowest and best bid submitted. Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? The Wahouma Park Renovations project is one of the City’s bond fund renovations projects. The scope of work includes: New Parking and site work at Wahouma Park. New Football and Baseball field bleachers. Resurfacing Basketball court and Walking track. New mechanical equipment and Marcell Dareus logo at the existing concession stand. Contractor: Sherrod Construction Company, Inc. Consultant: Studio 2H Design, LLC. Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294 ••• Meeting highlights provided by the Birmingham City Council Public Information office.
Birmingham City Council meeting highlights: June 26, 2018
During the Birmingham City Council Meeting on June 26 2018, the City Council voted on the following items: An Ordinance “TO FURTHER AMEND THE ZONING DISTRICT MAP OF THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM” (Case No. ZAC2017-00012) to change zone district boundaries from R-3, Single Family District to MUL, Mixed Use Low District, filed by Wayman Newton, representing the owners, Waynew Global Holdings, LLC, for the properties located at 1301 and 1303 20th Street North situated in the NE¼ of Section 26, Township 17-S, Range 3-West, and the hearing of all interested parties. Was this item approved? Delayed six weeks What does this mean? The Public Hearing for this item will now be set for the August 7th City Council Meeting. The proposed use for the location is for professional offices. The City’s Long Range Land Use Plan identifies the property as Residential Low, a land use designation most comparable to the existing zoning district, therefore, the rezoning request is Not Consistent with the Plan.The applicant met with The Druid Hills Neighborhood Association at its regularly scheduled meeting on October 23, 2017 to review the proposed project, no official vote was taken. The applicant met again with the neighborhood association at its regularly scheduled meeting on February 26, 2018 to address the concerns of the residents regarding his request. The neighborhood reviewed the proposed request and voted “To Not Recommend Approval” of the proposed rezoning request. Zoning Advisory Committee Action: The Zoning Advisory Committee met at its regularly scheduled meeting on March 6, 2018 and voted to Not Recommend approval of the applicant’s request, and the Planning & Zoning Committee met on May 17th and voted to not recommend the item. Next steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294 A Resolution appointing two (2) members to the Jefferson County Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Authority one (1) term expiring April 1, 2021 and one (1) term expiring April 1, 2023.Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? The City Council voted to re-appoint Dr. Jayne Ness and Eve Graham to the Jefferson County Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Authority. The Authority holds a contract with the Alabama Department of Mental Health for Targeted Case Management for adults with a primary diagnoses of an Intellectual Disability. Currently, the Authority serves over 700 individuals, 95% of whom are adults, and 5% of whom are children. A total of 487 of those live in supported residential settings operated by the Authority’s provider, while others live independently or with families. Next steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294 An Ordinance “TO FURTHER AMEND THE GRANTS FUND” for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, appropriating $20,808.00 to Fire Department, Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham (CFGB) per grant award received to purchase a vehicle. Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? This appropriation is for a grant to purchase a vehicle to support the Birmingham Fire and Rescues Department’s CARES program, also known as their “Prevention through Intervention” initiative. The program works to reduce the frequency of return ER visits by educating residents about preventative healthcare, instead of patients simply being discharged, not having a primary care doctor to follow up with, and repeating that costly cycle over and over again. The objective of the “Prevention through Intervention” program is to decrease the dependency on emergency services through patient education, patient advocacy, community collaboration, and progressive policy change.” For more information on the program, please read: https://medium.com/@bhamcitycouncil/budget-and-finance-committee-recap-3-12-18-5bcca9111377 Next steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294. ••• Meeting highlights provided by the Birmingham City Council Public Information office.
Birmingham City Council unanimously approves $436 million budget
The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the city’s 2019 operating budget with an 8-0 vote. District 1 Councilwoman Lashunda Scales was not present for the vote. The City Council unanimously passes the FY 2018-2019 City Budget. — Bham City Council (@citycouncilbham) June 19, 2018 The $436 million budget will go into effect July 1. The budget comes in $8 million bigger than last year’s budget, due to revenue growth from the use and occupational taxes. “Passing a budget on time is important not just to our citizens, but also for all the city departments that provide services to the public,” Council President Valerie Abbott said. “I think this budget was a good compromise. In government, you have limited resources and unlimited needs. By passing this budget unanimously today it shows that the Council and Mayor recognize we are in this together and we want to get things done.” Following the budget’s approval, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said he was encouraged by the cooperation of the Council throughout the budget process. “For me it is about taking the time to understand each Councilor’s request,” Woodfin said. “We wanted to make sure we incorporated a majority of wants and needs. We’re not able to get everything for everyone, but for the most part I think we accomplished that.”
Birmingham City Council meeting highlights: June 12, 2018
During the Birmingham City Council Meeting on June 12, 2018, the City Council voted on the following items: A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute and deliver an agreement with Alabama Environmental Council, under which Alabama Environmental Council will preserve in the public interest or aid in the preservation of areas in Birmingham which are scenic, ecological, geological, biological, historical, or of recreational importance. Alabama Environmental Council will combat environmental deterioration by providing facilities for collection of certain materials for recycling and assisting with the collection of materials for recycling. The term of the agreement shall be for Six (6) months in an amount not to exceed $75,000.00.Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? The Alabama Environmental Council (AEC), formerly Alabama Conservancy, was established in 1967 before the first Earth Day, before the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, and before the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency. They were the first environmental advocacy organization in the state. The AEC serves Alabama as a leader in recycling program development and advocate for reduced landfill use. The Alabama Environmental Council manages the Avondale and Bessemer recycling centers. The AEC is a statewide, nonprofit organization engaging citizens toward sustainable living and stewardship of the environment. Nearly 2,000 tons of recyclables are processed at their centers annually. Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294 A Resolution approving and authorizing the Mayor to execute an Agreement with The Birmingham Board of Education (BOE), under which the BOE will provide the following goods and services (1) School Security Measures (2) School Academic and Athletic Support; and (3) After School Care and Summer Enrichment Programs, and the City shall deliver funds to the BOE in the amount of $3,665,000.00.Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? This is the City of Birmingham’s annual appropriation to the Birmingham Board of Education. Instead of the appropriation being a “blank check”, the City’s funds will specifically be used for funding security at Birmingham City Schools, extracurricular and athletic programs during the school year, as well as for summer enrichment programs. Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294 A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute an agreement with the RESPECT Organization (“RESPECT”), pursuant to Amendment 772 of the Alabama Constitution of 1901 to provide public money and things of value to a private entity for purposes of promoting the economic and industrial development of the City, under which RESPECT will assist the City in facilitating various economic development projects including employment skills services, school dropout, youth educational motivational programs, and youth educational enhancement programs and training services to inspire and motivate parents, students and young adults to improve their lives, stimulating the local economy and yielding increased employment for young adults and RESPECT will assist in the promotion of economic development growth and sustainability within the City, and the City will pay RESPECT an amount not to exceed $25,000.00 for a term of one year.Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? The purpose of the RESPECT Organization is to expose, highlight, recognize, motivate, challenge, inspire, award and reward the youth of Birmingham, particularly the West End Community; in ways that will bring them up to new levels of “respect”. They want to show the city, state, nation and world, there is a remnant of this generation that remains in touch with morality, accountability and productivity. Their calendar of events includes their annual Back to School Rally and Parade, noted as the #1 back to school rally in the nation, gathering over 20,000 youth in attendance, as well as their: Annual Thanksgiving Benefit Concert – This concert brings together local middle and high school choirs. Proceeds gained from this outreach help to Habitat for Humanity, school choirs, and needy families. The P.R.O.M.I.S.E. (Professionals Reaching Out Motivating Inspiring Students to Excel) opportunities for students to interact with professionals through motivational speakers and apprenticeships. School Rallies – tours to schools to encourage our youth to “RESPECT” (Respect Every Single Person Ever Created Today) Steve Green Scholarship Fund – awarded to students for academic excellence Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294 ••• Meeting highlights provided by the Birmingham City Council Public Information office.
Randall Woodfin celebrates pro-football franchise coming to Birmingham
Birmingham, Ala. will soon be the new home of a new, yet-to-be-named professional football team franchise. The Alliance of American Football (AAF) announced the decision on Monday to include Birmingham as part of a new eight-team league, which will start a twelve-week season starting in February of 2019, culminating in a championship game in April of 2019. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin shared his excitement over the announcement via Facebook by sharing a video of Mike Vick welcoming the city to the alliance. “Welcome to Birmingham AAF! Excited to hit the field with you! #AllianceBirmingham.,” Woodfin posted. Other teams in the league include: Atlanta, Memphis, Orlando, Phoenix, San Diego and Salt Lake City. The Birmingham team will play its first two seasons at legion field, then move to the new stadium planned for the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC), according to the Birmingham Business Journal. A head coach has not been selected for the team, but the league is expected to make further announcements later this week regarding all the details of the team. With a pro-football team coming to the city, the controversial decision made by the Birmingham City Council in March to invest $90 million over the next 30 years to renovate the BJCC and construct of a new downtown stadium, doesn’t look so terrible. However, Birmingham has experienced problems in the past, of getting professional football leagues to hold. The city has been home to several leagues over the past 20 years, and while many developed a notable fan base in the area, the teams “ultimately couldn’t overcome financial or other challenges that come with trying to compete in the shadow of the NFL and college football,” according to the Birmingham Business Journal.
Organizations cut from proposed budget, ask Birmingham City Council to reconsider
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin presented his budget plans for 2018-2019 last Tuesday, which included cutting funding for neighborhood organizations, asking them to instead partner with the city and spend money they already have in the bank. Woodfin made the cut in order to prioritize neighborhood revitalization by increasing funding for demolition and weed abatement, sidewalks and paving roads. “Over the last several years, more than $3.7 million in tax dollars have piled up in those association accounts untouched,” Woodfin told city councilors last Tuesday. “We’ve redirected this year’s allocation to directly invest in neighborhood revitalization…. We challenge the neighborhood associations to work with us, with the existing funds they have to address weed abatement, demolition and other neighborhood improvements.” On Monday, the Birmingham City Council held a public hearing allowing citizens and organizations to voice their opinions about the proposed plan. There, neighborhood association officers from across the city stood up requesting to be included back in the budget. Bettina Byrd-Giles, chair of Birmingham Sister Cities — a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering international and intercultural relationships as well as community relations in order to facilitate foreign direct investment and economic development in Birmingham — stood making such a request. “We have been defunded. Our budget has been cut in the budget that presented on Tuesday… I’m here asking that you reconsider and put us back into the budget,” Byrd-Giles said before the council. Mary Lynn Bates, vice president of Bridge Ministries — a faith-based non-profit that fights homeless and serves those in need — said the funding for their organization was also cut. “I think the city needs all the help it can get to help people who are in crisis and we have a lot of expertise on that and it’s a shame if the partnership doesn’t go forward,” said Bates. Council President Valerie Abbott said the council is not in 100% agreement with Woodfin’s proposed budget, which is why they’re holding meetings to hear from those affected by the cuts. “You want to know what regular people think and a lot of the groups that were here to bring to our attention that they had not been funded,” explained Abbott. “We’ve been hearing from a lot of their supporters and there were a lot more people in the audience than spoke, so obviously a lot of people had supporters out there.” The 2018-2019 budget will go into effect July 1. Video of the full hearing below:
Birmingham city council looks to expand parking meter payment options
The Birmingham City Council is looking into expanding payment options for the city’s 4,500 parking meters. Members of the Birmingham, Ala. community are very familiar with being put in a situation where they are desperately pulling together change from their purses, wallets, cars and pockets to feed the meter. But in some parts of the city, scrounging up $0.50 will only buy you 30 minutes; if the meter expires before you get back, you might find a $15 parking ticket on your windshield. That’s why Chairman of the Birmingham transportation committee and city Councilman Darrell O’Quinn is exploring new mobile payment methods to pay for parking meters. In early April, O’Quinn met with two companies to investigate new payment methods. O’Quinn met with Parkmobile LLC, a mobile app that allows users to pay for parking meters using credit cards or pre-loaded funds, and Paybyphone; another mobile app which allows users to pay using not only their mobile device, but would also allows parkers to call a 1-800 number posted on a meter, or a nearby kiosk, and respond to the payment prompts. O’Quinn told Bham Now that Parkmobile doesn’t usually charge municipalities for its service model. If you make it easier to pay for parking, more people will pay; and more payment options could mean more revenue for the city, O’Quinn told NPR. According to city officials, nearly 40 percent of parking tickets distributed don’t get paid, resulting in thousands of dollars in uncollected parking fines every year. Broken meters, another source of lost income for the city, would also be subject to the new payment methods, if instituted. O’Quinn plans to test these electronic payment options over the next few months in hopes of getting good feedback from residents before the city makes any changes.
