Birmingham reports $10 million budget surplus for 2018
A combination of increased revenues and decreased expenses has the city of Birmingham, Ala. with a $10 million surplus in fiscal year 2018. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin announced the news during Wednesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting explaining the city saw a 5 percent growth in revenue over the previous fiscal year and was also able to reduce spending. “Spending was down due to our diligent work with departments to manage budgets efficiently and effectively based on need rather than want,” the mayor said. “The more than $10 million surplus represents our core values of efficiency, effectiveness and accountability,” he added. “We want to be transparent with you about the funds available and our intentions for those funds.” What will the city do with the money go? Woodfin says 20 percent of the $10 million must go to savings, per the City Council-passed Fund Balance Policy, which leaves $7.5 million to use elsewhere: $4 million: has been proposed to go to the Neighborhood Revitalization Fund for street resurfacing and sidewalk and pothole repair. That breaks down to approximately 250 road patches; three miles (or 15,000 feet) of sidewalk; and 12-15 miles of road paving, or about 200 blocks. $500,000: For the Deferred Maintenance Program to maintain equipment to become more responsive to resident and neighborhood needs $350,000: For the city’s Information Management Services department for tech upgrades. $600,000: To go toward the Land Bank Authority. $1.1 million: To remain the neighborhood revitalization fund. “This upgrades computer and data infrastructure citywide to modernize the city and improve code enforcement,” Woodfin said. “This represents our absolute priority of serving the needs and revitalization of our 99 neighborhoods.”
New Starbucks in Five Points West makes history in acknowledging local history
A new Starbucks in Five Points West neighborhood of Birmingham, Ala. is making history. The location, situated in the Birmingham Crossplex Village, is giving a nod to the history of its new neighborhood by providing maps of the Civil Rights Trail — the first Starbucks in the country to do so. Starbucks chose to build in a store in once-flourishing working-class community that’s experienced decades of decline as part of their commitment to revitalizing low-to-medium income communities by creating meaningful jobs, providing in-store job-skills training programs for youth, and investing in local minority-owned contractors and suppliers. An emphasis on community engagement From the very beginning, the Five Points West location invested in the historic African-American neighborhood by hiring local minority-owned contractors and suppliers when building the store. According to Rodney Hines, Starbucks director of Community Investments for U.S. Retail Operations, the company strives to identify communities that have large opportunity gaps and a need for business engagement and investment, as well as the foundations for commercial success. “We considered the impact Starbucks can have in this community, and whether it is a viable site in terms of driving business for us and being profitable,” Hines said. “It’s the convergence of those two considerations – community impact and impact on business – that led to this site being right for us. It’s a residential community with a commercial corridor and a significant civic building – the Birmingham CrossPlex sports facility – that’s there for the county and the city.” Commitment to local youth The new Starbucks will also serve as an onsite “soft skills” training center as well. Part of the company’s strategy to make good on its commitment to hire 100,000 “opportunity youth” – age 16-24 with limited education and job prospects — the Five Points West location will provide them career and education opportunities. It has partnered with the Birmingham-based non-profit, the Dannon Project. — the group endeavors to help persons in transition, especially those with addictions on the road to recovery — to launch the life skills training program that will provide job skills training programs for young adults who are not in school or employed, according to Starbucks. The program will focus on “soft skills” like how to dress for work and understand employers’ expectations. “The new Starbucks in Five Points West is truly a collaborative project. Starbucks worked with a minority owned general contractor to build the store; partnered with The Dannon Project to launch a life skills training program for local youth; and will be the first Starbucks in the country to provide maps of the Civil Rights Trail,” the City of Birmingham Mayor’s Office posted on Facebook Wednesday.. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin is personally signing praises for the store. “Kudos to Starbucks. This is the way you serve a community,” Woodfin posted on Faceebook. “We are honored to have Starbucks open in District 8 and engage the citizens in the entire City of Birmingham and surrounding areas. Our young people, especially, get to take advantage of the tools of outstanding workforce development and work ethic,” added Councilor Steven Hoyt.
Birmingham hosts Smart Cities Readiness Workshop
Strategic plans for how Birmingham will become a smart city are being laid out over the next two days during the Smart Cities Readiness Workshop. The workshop is part of the Smart Cities grant awarded to the city of Birmingham earlier this year. “I believe our city is in the middle of an evolution that is really changing what and how we are doing things in our city,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said in his opening remarks. “This is fueled by the Smart Cities grant, which helps us become a more inclusive and competitive government. This gives us the opportunity to integrate our systems and raise the bar for tech and innovation, as well as provide more coordinated, user-centered services for our residents and small business owners.” The workshop aims to use technology and data to improve public safety and quality of life in Birmingham. Projects underway include smart street lighting, bus rapid transit and community Wi-Fi. Strategy sessions will address community health, transportation and mobility and economic empowerment. Birmingham hosts Smart Cities Readiness Workshop to address key issues from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo. Woodfin stressed the importance of the partnership that collaborated to win the grant, saying it took a coalition to obtain the grants, and it will take a coalition to do the work. “Alabama Power and the University of Alabama at Birmingham partnered with the city of Birmingham with additional support from the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority, the Jefferson County Commission and the city of Hoover,” Woodfin said. “These coordinated strategies helped secure Birmingham’s winning application. We’re here because of all your hard work. And on behalf of the residents of Birmingham, we thank you.” To speak on the importance of this partnership, Alabama Power’s Vice President of Birmingham Division Jonathan Porter and the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s President Dr. Ray Watts were on hand to give remarks. “Mayor Woodfin and I are both natives of Birmingham and we are serious about serving our people,” Watts said. “We’re going to do that with the great resources of UAB. Partnering with the city and Alabama Power, really there is no limit to what we can do.” “The ongoing dialogue and discussion that will take place over the next few days during the workshop – and the strong collaboration to follow – will set the stage for Birmingham to become a better place to live and work while improving social equity and economic competitiveness,” Porter said. “These efforts will ultimately incorporate digital technology to help improve public safety, community health, economic empowerment, transportation, energy and more.” Attendees for the workshop include people from both Birmingham’s public and private sectors to provide insight into what they can offer and their thoughts on how Birmingham can use technology and data to tackle local challenges. The first half of the day included presentations from grant partners on smart city initiatives already underway, like smart street lighting. Dr Mashariki addresses Birmingham Smart Cities Readiness workshop from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo. Dr. Amen Ra Mashariki shared best practices on how New York City used data to become a smarter city. Mashariki was involved in numerous smart city initiatives as the chief analytics officer and head of Urban Analytics for New York City. “Our job was to be responsive to problems that cropped up on a daily basis that operational agencies needed help with,” Mashariki said. “Data analytics helps drive efficiency toward a city’s operations.” The day concluded with breakout sessions to develop strategic plans. The areas of focus were transportation, economic empowerment and community health. You can check out the entire opening program below. Republished with the permission of the Alabama Newscenter.
Birmingham City Hall to close early Friday for strategic planning meeting
Birmingham City Hall will close at 12 p.m. on Friday and resume normal operating hours on Monday, according to Mayor Randall Woodfin. Woodfin made the announcement Friday morning on Facebook: Birmingham City Hall will close today, August 24, 2018 at 12 p.m. We will be conducting a strategic planning meeting with all city employees at that time. Normal operating hours will resume Monday, August 27. Alabama Today has reached out to the Mayor’s office for further detail about this meeting. This post will be updated once we hear back from them.
Alabama, Birmingham preparing for economic impact of Opportunity Zones
A new national tax incentive program that some believe could be the most transformative economic development tool ever has communities in Alabama, led by Birmingham, preparing to cash in on its share of potentially trillions of dollars in new investment. Opportunity Zones are low-income census tracts with a poverty rate of at least 20 percent and a median family income of less than 80 percent of the statewide or area median income. The program was established as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 in hopes of spurring new investment into these areas. Alex Flachsbart is an attorney with Balch & Bingham and an expert on Opportunity Zones. He recently presented on the subject to members of the Economic Development Association of Alabama. “What it does is provides people with capital gains an incentive to put those gains back into low-income communities, to redeploy that capital to places that really need it,” he said. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey tasked the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs with choosing the 158 Opportunity Zones that Alabama would designate from the 629 eligible census tracts. The guidelines for Opportunity Zones are still being written, with the initial regulations expected this month and proposed regulations in place by year’s end. What is known is that those who have capital gains from the sale of everything from stocks to businesses can reinvest those gains into qualified projects within designated Opportunity Zones and receive tax deferral and reduction benefits over time. Birmingham and other cities want to be prepared when investors are ready to put capital gains into approved projects like startup businesses and real estate developments. Alabama has designated 158 census tracts as Opportunity Zones. (ADECA) The city is creating the Birmingham Inclusive Growth (BIG) Fund to attract investments in Opportunity Zones in the city. Josh Carpenter, director of innovation and economic opportunity, said Birmingham has to be ready now because it will be competing with cities across the country for those dollars. “We’re excited because Birmingham was able to secure 24 Opportunity Zones and also because we have a lot of investable assets here,” he said. Carpenter said the city is prepared to lead, direct and maximize investments in Opportunity Zones. He and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin see the city’s role as not only increasing quality of life and economic growth in neighborhoods but in helping investors. Carpenter said areas like the Innovation District, the Civil Rights District and the Fourth Avenue Business District, as well as the area around the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, all stand to initially benefit from Opportunity Zone investments. David Fleming, CEO of REV Birmingham, said he envisions communities in downtown Birmingham but also neighborhoods like Avondale, Woodlawn, East Lake and others benefiting. “I think the Opportunity Zone incentive that’s been created holds tremendous potential for Birmingham, especially since most of the city was able to be designated an Opportunity Zone,” he said. “That means that this is not just an incentive for downtown, but it’s an incentive that could encourage business investment as well as physical redevelopment in a wide range of the territory of the city.” Fleming said the best incentives help attract new capital, leverage private sector dollars and can be combined with incentives that a district or community has in place. “When you talk about the scope of the market for Opportunity Zones, you’re talking about the potential for $6.1 trillion worth of capital gains that could be flowing into communities all over the country,” Flachsbart said. In Alabama, every county has an Opportunity Zone. Alabama is preparing to tap into potentially trillions of dollars across the country that may invest in Opportunity Zones. (Economic Innovation Group/Alabama Newscenter) “Across the state, this incentive will be available for investment, not just in urban communities but rural ones, too,” Flachsbart said. Active businesses, startups and business that have been around that comply with certain tax rules are potential investments. New real estate construction projects, as well as qualified rehabilitation of older buildings, will be among the investments. Investors get the most benefit by investing in an Opportunity Zone for the long haul, Flachsbart said. “There are a series of incentives to sort of help them do that, but the basic point is the longer you hold your investment in one of those distressed areas, the more incentive you get as an investor,” he said. “We’re hoping that this program will really catalyze getting investment off the coast and into places like Alabama.” Investors are anxious to put their capital gains into Opportunity Zones, Flachsbart said. “Interestingly, you’re already starting to see money flow through this program now,” he said. “That’s what’s amazing about this program is the level of excitement within the investor community around what’s going on.” Investors are putting money into one-off projects now but as regulations are approved, the expectation is that large, national funds will be created to invest in Opportunity Zones based on the best chance to enhance investment. “What we have to remember is, here in Alabama, while we’ve got 158 incredible Opportunity Zones, we’re competing with places all over the country,” Flachsbart said. “What we need here in Alabama is a strategy to ensure that we can get our share of that massive $6.1 trillion of potential dollars invested here.” Birmingham will be ready, Carpenter said. “We’re already putting things in place,” he said. Republished with the permission of the Alabama Newscenter.
Walt Maddox, former Governor Don Siegelman join forces in Selma
Combining forces, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Walt Maddox and former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman spoke together on Tuesday at the opening of the African-American Episcopal Church Conference in Selma, Ala. Both men spoke to the attendees about the upcoming November general election, Maddox for his own campaign and Siegelman for his son, Joseph Siegelman‘s campaign for Attorney General. “I’m running for Governor because we hear the shouts,” Maddox said during his speech at the historic Brown Chapel AME Church according to his campaign website. “We hear shouts of the ballot box in Montgomery. We hear shouts about the mental health system across the state of Alabama. We hear the shouts about the hospitals in Alabama that are closing.” “Do you hear the shouts?” Maddox continued. “Our problems in Alabama deserve a solution. As Christians, we hear those shouts. If I’m elected Governor of Alabama, we will honor those shouts.” You can watch Maddox’s full speech here. Siegelman spoke for his son’s campaign, and told attendees to vote for Maddox as next governor, “My son’s a Civil Rights Attorney in the Johnny Cochran firm,” Siegelman told the crowd according to the Selma Times-Journal. “He works for the people and I’m real proud of him.” “Vote Walt Maddox as the next Governor of Alabama,” he continued. Siegelman’s endorsement of Maddox is just one in a list of Democratic leaders who have endorsed him over the course of his candidacy. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin endorsed him in May, saying he influenced how he governs his city, “Walt’s ability to convince people to work together – black and white, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican – has inspired how I seek to lead Birmingham to a new era of excellence,” Woodfin said according to AL.com. Former Alabama Agricultural Commissioner Ron Sparks, Mobile-Democrat Sen. Vivian Figures, and former state Sen. Roger Bedford have also endorsed Maddox in his bid governor.
Randall Woodfin, Terri Sewell tour North Birmingham Superfund Site
Earlier this month Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week insisting that they add the North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site to their National Priorities list. On Wednesday, Rep. Terri Sewell and Mayor Randall Woodfin were joined by city, state and neighborhood leaders — including Councilor William Parker, State Rep. Mary Moore and EPA Region 4 Superfund Division Director Franklin Hill — during a tour of the Superfund Site, which consists of contaminated soil from industrial pollution. According to Hill, the study site of roughly 2,000 properties revealed that 390 sites have undergone the contamination removal process; 127 sites are in need of treatment. “What’s concerning all of us is the fact that there are 500 or so sites that are either abandoned properties or people refused to allow the EPA to come on and remove from those sites,” Sewell said. “I think it’s important to get active members of the community involved to reach out to hesitant residents.” “There are real, tangible issues here that have affected people where they live, where they eat, where they sleep every single day,” Woodfin said. “What we’re committed to, based on everything that has happened, is that this area gets the resources, focus and attention it needs to make sure the residents get what they need to be safe.” “No neighborhood should ever be left with toxic soil – that’s an environmental injustice that hurts our families and our children,” Sewell added on Facebook about her visit to the site. “We’re joining together today in our fight for a full cleanup that corrects that injustice. Our families deserve better.” History of the site On July 19, 2018, a federal jury convicted a coal executive and an attorney who represented the coal company in a criminal conspiracy to prevent the North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site from advancing to the NPL. According to EPA guidelines, a site may be included on the NPL if it scores 28.50 or greater on the agency’s Hazard Ranking System. The North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site scored a 50. In the letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, Woodfin said: “As a result of these illegal actions, thousands remain at risk, including the 1,070 people living in 394 public housing units and 751 children attending Hudson K-8 school.” “The United States Attorney has already done their part by exposing this criminal hoax and bringing those responsible to justice,” the letter continues. “Still these injustices continue until The North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site is placed on the National Priorities List and all necessary resources are provided to the people of this community.” Woodfin has asked residents to sign a petition urging the EPA to take action. The petition has garnered nearly 2,000 as of this was published. View the press conference below:
Checking in: What has Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin been up to?
Ever wonder what your mayor been up to each month? Sure you may have helped elect them, but what happens after that? Alabama Today has you covered. Each month we’ll highlight what the Yellowhammer State’s Big 5 mayors have been doing in an effort to hold them accountable and keep things more transparent. In the last month, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has called upon the EPA, penned a letter to Arnold, Pa. Mayor Karen Peconi, and announced the completion of another campaign promise among other things. Here’s what he’s been up to for the last month: July 16 Woodfin sits down in front of a camera to answer frequently asked questions about the 2018 Fresh Start Amnesty Program on Facebook. July 18 Woodfin visits the Ironworks Local 92 training facility; chartered in 1906 “Local 92 helped build the skyline that is Birmingham,” reads the company’s website. “This morning I got the opportunity to tour the Ironworkers Local 92 training facility. Local 92 hands built Sloss Furnace, the Alabama Theater, Tutwiler Hotel and more,” Woodfin posted on Facebook. “Their four-year, $189 program will teach you the trade that built this city.” Woodfin announces the “100 Homes, 100 Days” project, a partnership between the Neighborhood Revitalization Fund and Neighborhood Housing Services to renovate 100 homes in the Birmingham area drastically in need of repair. “Our plan is to bundle our work to transform entire blocks instead of renovating one home on a street surrounded by other blight,” Woodfin said in a press release. “This reaffirms our commitment to giving all 99 neighborhoods a fresh start. As additional economic development projects pay off in Birmingham, resources from those projects will be identified and committed to the fund.” July 20 In an effort to increase transparency, Woodfin launches the Boards and Agencies web portal a complete online directory listing all active boards, agencies and commissions affiliated with the city; the first of its kind for the city of Birmingham. “Making appointments to boards and agencies is one of the most important and influential powers the mayor and city council possess. Ensuring we are appointing people to boards with a clear understanding of their fiduciary role is absolutely vital,” Woodfin said in a press release. “The Mayor’s Office places a clear expectation on understanding our mission of ‘Putting People First’ and our core values of customer service, efficiency, effectiveness, accountability, and transparency. We need to have the same expectations for our board members.” July 21 Woodfin attends the 23rd annual Back to school R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Rally hosted by Pastor Green and More Than Conquerors Faith Church. July 24 The Mayor’s office announced the completion of another campaign promise to promote transparency and accountability by introducing the Open Checkbook portal on the city’s website. The Open Checkbook documents Birmingham’s budgeting and expenditures dating back to fiscal year 2009. The portal consists of nearly a million pieces of data per fiscal year. “The Open Checkbook portal is helping us uphold our campaign promise of a transparent government,” Woodfin said. “I encourage everyone to visit the portal and see exactly how we’re directing our resources to make Birmingham stronger.” July 26 Woodfin penned a letter to Arnold, Pa. Mayor Karen Peconi expressing his concerns over what he called her “deliberate misrepresentation” of the 1963 civil rights demonstrations in Birmingham. Peconi came under fire after her controversial Facebook post during the public protests in Pittsburgh following the death of Antwon Rose — a 17 year-old African-American man shot and killed by a police officer in Pittsburgh in June. The officer has since been charged with criminal homicide and awaits trial. After learning of Peconi’s comments, Woodfin wrote an open letter her in an effort to encourage “constructive reflection,” on her part. “I am writing as the mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, because you posted and commented on a photograph taken during the civil rights demonstrations that took place in our city in 1963, in a way that completely misrepresented the purpose and meaning of those historic events,” Woodfin wrote. “Today, we in Birmingham take tremendous pride in our city’s role in advancing the causes of justice and equality for all Americans. And, even as we recognize the distance our nation, more than a half-century later, still has to travel along that road, we take pride in Birmingham’s progress and our ongoing emergence as a city of growth and opportunity for all. We honor our past and proudly and actively commemorate the history that was made in our streets — but our eyes and our actions are fixed firmly on the future.” July 27 Joined by former boxer and four-time heavyweight champion, Evander Holyfield, Woodfin visited with senior citizens at the Shepherd Center in Birmingham. “I’m very familiar with the importance to staying active at any age. When I was younger, my grandmother stayed with my family the last nine years of her life. It was a rewarding time for me,’’ Woodfin said in a press release. “I encourage every resident to seek out and experience the wisdom and talent our seniors have to offer.’’ On this day, Woodfin also presented Birmingham’s new Police Chief Patrick Smith with his badge during his official swearing-in ceremony. “I am proud to present our Chief of Police Patrick Smith with his badge during the official swearing-in. Thank you for your leadership chief,” Woodfin posted on Facebook. August 4 Woodfin spoke on a panel, and provided the closing keynote’s speech for the Netroots Nation national event. Drawing over 3,000 participants from across the nation, the Netroots Nation is the largest annual conference for progressives. Online and grassroots activists attend panels, training sessions, keynotes speeches, social events and more. “Today I’m speaking on a panel at Netroots Nation about Safeguarding Internet Freedom. This is a conversation about access. ISPs should not be the gatekeepers of what our citizens can and cannot access on the internet. The internet is the public library of the 21st century. We can not allow that free and open internet to be compromised,” Woodfin posted on his Facebook page. August 6 Woodfin hops around Birmingham, welcoming children to their first day of school at Hemphill Elementary, attending and speaking at Google’s free workshops at the Birmingham
Doug Jones joins Randall Woodfin’s fight to add Birmingham site to EPA priority list
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week insisting that they add the North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site to their National Priorities list. Now, U.S. Senator Doug Jones has joined Woodfin in the fight, sending his own letter to the EPA’s new acting chief Andrew Wheeler on Monday. “While the EPA’s decision not to place the North Birmingham Alabama 35th Avenue Superfund site on the NPL was disappointing to many in the community, it was perhaps understandable given the strong vocal opposition with the state,” Jones wrote in his letter. “However, it is now abundantly clear, as evidenced by the July 19, 2018 convictions of a former state legislator, a business executive and attorney on a number of federal charges including conspiracy, wire fraud and bribery, that the EPA’s initial public review process was undermined by an illegal misinformation scheme to prevent the North Birmingham site from being added to the NPL.” At a community forum last week Woodfin spoke out against the actions of the several Birmingham professionals tied to the site who were convicted of bribery, wire fraud and money laundering; and announced he was sending a letter to the EPA. “In light of the recent revelations concerning public corruption, we believe the environmental injustices in North Birmingham must be addressed and prioritized by the Environmental Protection Agency,” the Birmingham City website reads. “A site may be included on the EPA National Priorities List if it has scored greater than a 28.5 on the Hazard Ranking System. The North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site scored a 50, almost twice the minimum requirements.” According to The Gadsden Times, the EPA released a statment in response to Woodfin last week saying; “EPA received numerous comments on the proposed listing. At this time the Agency has not made a decision to finalize the site on the NPL. The site will remain on the proposed list until a decision has been made to go final or until the site has been cleaned up by the removal program.” Read Jones full letter here: U.S. Sen. Doug Jones’ letter to EPA by Erin Edgemon on Scribd
NPR heads to Birmingham to record ‘Code Switch’ podcast on race, culture
On Tuesday, the Magic City will play host to NPR’s national podcast Code Switch, featuring a conversation on race and culture. The segment will be recorded at the Alys Stephens Center on the campus of the University of Alabama at Birmingham at 8 p.m. and will featureBirmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, poet Ashley M. Jones, and WBHM News Director Gigi Douban. “Race is the subtext to so much of the American story – Birmingham’s story in particular – and Code Switch is here to bring that subtext to the forefront of our conversations. Sometimes, they make you laugh. Other times, you’ll get uncomfortable. But you’ll always find unflinching honesty and empathy,” wrote UAB about the recording. Tickets to the evening are available for $20, $10 for students and senior citizens. Tickets may be purchased at AlysStephens.org.
Randall Woodfin urges Birmingham community to sign EPA petition
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin is urging members of the Birmingham community to sign a petition addressed to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) insisting that they add the North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site to their National Priorities list. “In light of the recent revelations concerning public corruption, we believe the environmental injustices in North Birmingham must be addressed and prioritized by the Environmental Protection Agency,” the Birmingham City website reads. “A site may be included on the EPA National Priorities List if it has scored greater than a 28.5 on the Hazard Ranking System. The North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site scored a 50, almost twice the minimum requirements.” On Tuesday, at a community forum Woodfin spoke out against the actions of the several Birmingham professionals tied to the site who were convicted of bribery, wire fraud and money laundering; and announced he was sending a letter to the EPA, AL.com reported. “He said their actions were “morally wrong,” and he is “going to go to bat” for the people of north Birmingham.” In a letter addressed to the EPA’s new acting chief Andrew Wheeler, Woodfin addresses the corruption concerning the site, and recommends remedies to improve the site and the community surrounding it saying: As a result of these illegal actions, thousands remain at risk including the 1,070 people living in 394 public housing units and 751 children attending Hudson K-8 school. The necessary remedies include, but are not limited to, screening and health care to address pollution related health issues, relocation and reconstruction of Hudson K-8 school, non-resident redevelopment of the North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site and reclamation of Village Creek. In light of the recent revelations concerning the public corruption, we believe this situation demands a much more robust response. The United States Attorney has already done their part by exposing this criminal hoax and bringing those responsible to justice. Still, these injustices continue until the North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site is placed on the National Priorities List and all necessary resources are provided to the people of this community. Members of the Birmingham community who are interested may sign the petition here. Read Woodfin’s full letter to the EPA below: Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin s Letter to EPA
Former Birmingham Mayor William Bell cited for ethics violation
Former Birmingham Mayor William Bell was charged with violating state ethics laws by the Alabama Ethics Commission on Wednesday. Although the details of the violation were not disclosed by the commission, Bell’s attorney Joe Espy said the accusation was in relation to a mandatory meeting Bell held during his re-election campaign last August. Iva Williams, who originally filed the complaint in September accused Bell of violating state law by using city facilities and his office for political activities, and for using his official position for personal gain. Bell held a mandatory meeting in August warning city employees that if his opponent Randall Woodfin won, many of them might lose their jobs. An audio recording of the meeting was released following the ethics complaint. “The political survival of my administration is at stake,” Bell said according to AL.com. “And if you think that is just about William Bell, no it is about everyone in this room. It is about each of us in this room. Because I guarantee you while some may survive, the vast majority of you will not. OK. I’m not trying to put fear I’m just trying to tell you the realities of the situation.” On Wednesday the Alabama Ethics Commission ruled that the complaint be handled administratively referring the case to Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office. “Mayor Bell completely cooperated with the ethics commission and the ethics commission staff,” Espy told AL.com. “It was a very minor technical matter related to that complaint made during the campaign about that meeting. It was resolved administratively. It is concluded,” Although the issue is being resolved, Bell could face a fine.
