Jesse Chambers
bham city hall
The Birmingham City Council, in its regular meeting on April 4, moved several items to the consent agenda and discussed an ordinance to appropriate funds from the General Fund budget for an outstanding balance on camera monitor footage, landscaping and maintenance at Railroad Park. The balance was $220,000, according to the agenda.
President Pro Tem Steven Hoyt expressed concern for the price of the services and asked to be sent the invoice and to examine it with the Finance Committee before the item was passed. He also brought up that he didn't think the item went through the proper steps and procedures to be passed at the meeting.
"We can get that cheaper, that's just too much," he said. "That's not how we do normally do business."
The item was said to have already gone through the Finance Committee.
"To my understanding, we committed to this agreement," Counselor Jay Roberson of District 7 said. "These are obligations from a contract. In terms of Railroad Park, this has truly been an asset to our citizens."
Roberson, along with the other council members, agreed that they wanted to make sure they fulfilled the obligation on April 4.
Councilor Lashunda Scales, however, made her hangups on the limitations of the park funding clear.
"I will say this, I'm going to vote for this item, but every park in the city of Birmingham would be an asset if we if we provided this kind of money to them," she said. "Every park should be funded like that."
Scales went on to also say she didn't know why they were spending so much money "to manage a park that they didn't even have ownership of."
"When are we going to be concerned about the parks we represent?" Scales said.
The money was confirmed as late payment that was owed, and the item passed with only Hoyt voting no.
"There's a whole lot of folks we owe money. ...All I'm saying is let's establish some continuity on how we do this," Hoyt said.
The items moved to consent included Item 16, to further amend the grants fund budget by appropriating $4,610,000 to street improvements; Item 23, a resolution to pay for the appointment of two people out of each neighborhood to attend the NUSA 2017 Conference in Omaha, Nebraska, as long as the money does not exceed $229,680; and Item 67, a resolution approving advanced expense accounts for various government officers and employees. Of those accounts, nine were in the amount of $1,781, and noted as "to attend 2017 Neighborhood USA Conference."
They also withdrew Item 22, which was a resolution authorizing the mayor to sign an agreement with J & S Concessions.
The Council also urged residents not to pile fallen or bulldozed trees on sidewalks outside of homes for the city to pick up, even if contractors seek to slash the costs. Councilors reminded the public that this practice will result in fines and the responsibility of tree removal still rests with the homeowner and the contractor they hired.
Other consent items of interest that passed:
- A resolution approving a grant agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, where the city will receive money to retrofit Bertram A. Hudson School with a bio-retention basin and pervious pavers through a project involving restoration planning and community outreach.
- A resolution approving Samford to provide health science students with a clinical instruction program through Birmingham Fire and Rescue Services. This is a Clinical Affiliation Agreement with Samford University through its College of Health Sciences and the city of Birmingham.
- An ordinance for appropriating $4,610,000 to street improvements this year.
- A resolution authorizing funding for the Magic City Diamond Classic to be held Thursday, April 7.
