Birmingham City Council to delay the Jefferson County Cemetery Resolution

Several members of the Birmingham City Council addressed concerns about the timelines of a few agenda items during the Birmingham City Council meeting on March 7. 

District 1 Councilor Lashunda Scales requested clarification about the timeline of a resolution that authorizes Coca-Cola Building United to donate a vacant lot located at 4112 Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard, for the reconstruction and expansion of Fire Station No. 8.

Fire Station No. 8 is to the east and on the same block as the current fire station. Upon approval of the building design, Andre Bittas, director of the Department of Planning, Engineering and Permits of Birmingham, said that groundbreaking would most likely be June or May. He said a typical fire station building time is about eight months. The resolution was added to the consent agenda at the start of the meeting.

Discussion of agenda Item 34, which centered on a resolution supporting House Bill 34, got heated. Two council members in particular pointed out major concerns about the bill, which creates the Jefferson County Cemetery Board. 

The updated plan proposes the Jefferson County Cemetery Board have seven members, with four from the House and three from the Senate. The Legislature has agreed to fund $50,000 in the first year, and $25,000 in each sequential year.

“I want to thank the house delegation for their support and for stepping up to put the funding delegations in place,” Councilor William Parker said.

He went on to say that original concern about the bill was if the funding would come from the county’s General Fund, but Parker said they have clarified that it would come from the funds generated from the pistol permits that the state issues.

The discussion got tense as Scales brought up concerns that the official chairman George Bowman was previously confused in December by the fact that he didn’t know anything about the plans they were proposing. She went on to say that her agreement of the resolution and support of it would be predicated “by the city of Birmingham being respectful to George Bowman and making sure that he is behind it.”

Parker said he was foremost focused on Scales' approval.

“I also think the county has spoke, and the county is on board,” Parker said.

Council President Pro Tempre Steven W. Hoyt explained instead of the council, the state legislature actually has responsibility over the cemetery, according to written legislation.  He went on to express continued concern for the lack of enough funding.

“I don’t know if $50,000 is enough," Hoyt said. 

He said that he thinks the city, not just the state legislature, should have some say in the board on cemeteries. Either way, this was an issue that must be dealt with soon, he said.

"I think you should honor the dead. Some have been in World War 1, World War 2 and even the Civil War, and I think the city should participate even if we don’t have the authority,” he said. “I think this is a good start, and I’ll commend the legislature for this legislation. Something is better than nothing.”

Councilor Shelia Tyson also expressed that she was against agreeing to pass the measure unless a promise was put in writing that the Cemetery Board included the cemeteries across the whole county.

She said she had serious concern about her district being left out and “all the abandoned cemeteries” in the District 6 area, how they needed repair and how they presented safety threats to children in the area.

Hoyt said that she's not the only one who's been left out with abandoned cemeteries in their district. A one-week delay was decided so that councilors could have a chance to make sure their cemeteries would be included in the board of cemeteries. 

Following discussion, a decision on an ordinance regarding Title 12 was delayed by three weeks. The amendment to Title 12 would allow low-speed golf cart cab companies to drive through traffic like any other vehicles.

It was agreed upon to be brought up again at the next committee meeting. The public is encouraged to attend a March 20 public meeting on the topic at 4:30 p.m. and express any concerns they have with the ordinance.