Woodfin honors Coach Clark and UAB Blazers at council meeting
UAB football coach Bill Clark — whose Blazers notched a school-record 10 wins and a Conference USA championship this season — has received some major honors over the last 24 hours.
He was named the winner of The Eddie Robinson Award, a national coach of the year honor bestowed by the Football Writers Association of America, according to numerous media reports.
He received the national Coach of the Year award from The Sporting News.
And Clark received another honor at City Hall when he attended the regular meeting of the Birmingham City Council for Tuesday, Dec. 11.
Mayor Randall Woodfin, who was clad in a Blazer-green warm-up jacket, took the opportunity of his weekly report to the council to read a proclamation honoring Clark and the football team.
The members of the team are in the midst of final examinations and were unable to attend, according to Clark.
Woodfin offered “major kudos” to Clark and the team, and Clark showed off the CUSA championship trophy.
“Birmingham has so much pride for this team and its incredible story,” Woodfin said.
Woodfin also said that he was making Clark the city’s honorary mayor for the day.
Referencing that, Clark told Woodfin, “Then I declare this UAB football day,” drawing laughter from Woodfin, council members and other attendees.
COUNCIL BUSINESS
Members voted 6-0 to approve the vacation of almost 227,000 square feet of right-of way near the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport to allow for the construction of a new rental car facility. The request was filed on behalf of the Birmingham Airport Authority and of James W. Steele Jr., vice president and CFO at Tractor & Equipment. The parties will pay a vacation fee of about $188,000, according to Katrina Thomas of the city’s Department of Planning, Engineering and Permits.
Members voted to waive a fee of $14,837 for Sloss Real Estate — the owners of Pepper Place in Lakeview — who won approval in June to vacate 3.940 square feet of alleyway near the Martin Biscuit building. The Economic Development Committee, chaired by Councilor John Hilliard, recommended that the council approve the waiver, saying that the vacation will have a “positive economic impact” on the city. Attorney Randall Minor Appeared on behalf of Sloss. In response to a question from Councilor Darrell O’Quinn, Minor said that Sloss is seeking additional investment and intends to provide some additional retail or entertainment options.
The council approved an agreement under which the city will pay Lawson State Community College $13,577 to give 10 city employees technician training for electric drive vehicles.
ON CONSENT
As part of the council’s consent agenda, members rescinded a resolution they adopted on Oct. 23 that authorized Mayor Woodfin to execute an affordable housing redevelopment agreement with Neighborhood Housing Services Inc. for the City’s “100 Homes in 100 Days” initiative. The reason is that the program will now be administered through the city’s Office of Community Development.
The council approved a restaurant retail liquor license for MEV Birmingham Parkside LLC for use at Mile End Delicatessen, a new eatery as 1701 First Ave. S. near Railroad Park.
Members approved an on-and-off premise beer and wine license to be used at Sprout & Pour, a juicery that recently moved from Homewood to a new location in the Founders Station mixed-use development at 2015 First Ave. N.
The council also granted Magic City Taxi of Bessemer seven Certificates of Public Necessity and Convenience to operate a taxi service in Birmingham.