Birmingham City Council approves two special municipal judges

Last week’s regular meeting of the Birmingham City Council was unusually dramatic and emotional as members – in front of a packed chamber – voted 6-0 to make Birmingham a sanctuary city.

By contrast, the body’s regular meeting for Feb. 7 was a virtual snooze fest, with members concerning themselves with worthy but far less controversial items.

The council voted 8-0 to appoint two special municipal court judges – Keshia Davis and Lee Loder – with their terms set to expire Feb. 7, 2019. To cover the cost of these hires – about $80,240 – the council voted 8-0 to approve an ordinance submitted by Mayor William Bell, which included that sum and three other relatively small amendments to the city’s general fund budget for fiscal year 2017.

The council also approved up to $50,000 in funding for a one-year period for the non-profit organization, the Ballard House, to gather and exhibit the oral history of the city for citizens, tourists and visitors, as well as to train and employ personnel to assist tourists and guests. One key emphasis of the project, according to two representatives of the group, is preserving the city’s civil rights history.

The council approved some changes to the city’s code governing taxis and other vehicles for hire. The changes were recommended by the city’s legal department and the council’s public safety and transportation committee.

The changes are necessary to clean up come inconsistencies in the old code in the wake of the city’s decision in 2015 to allow transportation network company Uber to operate in Birmingham, according to attorney Julie Bernard.

“This will streamline the process to get a permit to operate a taxi,” she said, but added that further changes to the city’s ordinances will be necessary. “I do foresee some further amendments,” Bernard said.

After lengthy discussion, the council voted for a four-week delay before considering another amendment to the city’s taxi ordinance – one that would have allowed a company named Joy Ride to use small, electric vehicles similar to golf carts to provide low-speed vehicle services in specific areas of the city, including downtown. Several councilors, including Jay Roberson, Patricia Abbott and President Pro Tem Steven Hoyt, expressed concerns about safety, traffic and other issues.