Mayor Woodfin calls for 'civility' in remarks to City Council

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The Birmingham City Council, at its regular meeting for Tuesday, Nov. 6, had very few items on its agenda.

But that doesn’t mean the meeting lacked drama.

Mayor Randall Woodfin explained why he was not present at last week’s council meeting on Oct. 30.

Councilor Steven Hoyt, who was less than receptive to Woodfin’s explanation, accused the mayor of being “petty.”

In addition, some comments by both Woodfin and Hoyt suggested their relationship remains strained after a verbal confrontation during a particularly contentious meeting of the council on Oct. 23.

That day, Hoyt — along with councilors John Hilliard, Sheila Tyson and Lashunda Scales — were successful in voting down Woodfin’s proposal to give $1 million in city funding to Firehouse Shelter downtown to help the nonprofit build a new facility.

Hoyt was also harshly critical of Woodfin during last week’s meeting, suggesting that Woodfin had a ulterior motive for not being present and instructing his staff not to attend.

“This is petty politics at its worst,” he said.

Woodfin, during his usual report to the council today, told members that he was absent last week due to his attendance at an out-of-town conference.

He said that he and his administration “value” the City Council meetings.

“We believe that they are important for our democracy as well as moving our city forward and to how we as citizens engage the City Council,” Woodfin said.

In the future, Woodfin told members, “You can expect me to be here, and my staff will attend, as well.”

He also said that he will increase the number of city staff available “in and outside the chambers” during council meetings to engage residents.

However, the mayor said that fewer department heads and staff members will attend the meetings in the future, unless there is something on the agenda they need to respond to.

“Of course, if we are ever needed to be here in this meeting, we are always happy to be here,” he said.

Hoyt pushed back on Woodfin’s remarks, saying that it’s important that all of the mayor’s staff be present the meetings.

“Many of the resolutions that are on the agenda are put forth by your department heads,” Hoyt said.

“Last week was not a good look for the city,” Hoyt said. “I don’t know of any major city where the department heads do not show up for the council meetings. It’s inexcusable.”

Councilor Hilliard was more conciliatory, though he said he would like to speak to Woodfin privately about some issues.

“I look forward to working with you,” he said. “I want to thank you for what you’re doing.”

City Council President Valerie Abbott told Woodfin that she also had “concerns” about not having department heads — or at least representatives of the departments — present so members can ask questions regarding agenda items.

Abbott said she hopes that if department heads are not present at the meetings, that they “will be waiting on call” to come to the council chambers quickly in order to answer questions.

Hoyt told Abbott that he felt this would waste time and that the mayor’s staff should all be present at the meetings.

“That is waste of time to have to summon someone to come in here and address an issue,” he said.

During his report to the council, Woodfin also seemed to address the recent conflicts between him and other members.

“I have detected a different tone in some of the recent meetings, and I think that tone has been on full display to the council and the community,” Woodfin said. “We as city leaders need to conduct ourselves with the tone and civility we expect from our children."

It seems likely that Woodfin was referring in part to the long, heated, racially-tinged debate that occurred over his funding proposal for Firehouse Shelter.

Hoyt, Scales, Tyson and Hilliard all raised concerns at that meeting — based on complaints they said they had received from Firehouse clients — that the facility discriminates against African-Americans.

Woodfin said that day that it was “stupid” to make funding for Firehouse, one of only two emergency shelters in the city, a racial or political issue.

And he suggested that Hoyt was against the proposal in part because the councilor had unsuccessfully applied for a job at Firehouse.

Hoyt angrily denied that he had ever applied for a job at Firehouse, and Woodfin was forced to backtrack and apologize.

Hoyt today, in responding to some of Woodfin’s comments regarding the need for civility, seemed to refer to that incident.

“Civility would never have you falsely accuse someone unfounded,” he told Woodfin.

Hoyt spoke of “losing faith” in Woodfin.

Referencing his 13 years of service on the council, Hoyt said, “I’ve served with a lot of mayors but none as, I guess, petty as you.”

OTHER BUSINESS

The council had only 12 relatively minor items on its agenda, all of which were passed as part of the body’s consent agenda.

The items included some small repairs and purchases of equipment for various city departments.

In the largest single item, members approved an agreement with the Birmingham Board of Education in which the BOE will provide assistance with building maintenance and equipment in the amount of $35,000 during the 2018-2019 school year.