Scales, Tyson take part in their final City Council meeting

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Birmingham City Councilors Lashunda Scales and Sheila Tyson attended their final regular meeting of the City Council on Tuesday, Nov. 13, before assuming their new roles as members of the Jefferson County Commission.

Mayor Randall Woodfin, in his weekly report to the council, offered short tributes to the departing councilors.

“I want to thank them for their service,” Woodfin said. “More than that, I want to thank them for being part of what I call the collective effort of the mayor and City Council to make the city of Birmingham the best that it can be.”

“On behalf of myself and the citizens of Birmingham, I wish you the very best and look forward to working with each you in your new role as County Commissioners,” the Mayor added.

The women are soon to be sworn in as members of the Commission, with Scales representing District 1 and Tyson representing District 2.

The women won Democratic primary run-offs in July. There were no Republican candidates in those districts, so Scales and Tyson were unopposed in the recent Nov. 6 general election.

Tyson has served on the City Council since 2013, and secured another four-year term in Birmingham’s 2017 municipal elections.

Scales has served on the council since 2009, winning a third term in 2017.

Their departure means that the council will have two more seats to fill soon.

Wardine Alexander, a former president of the Birmingham Board of Education, was sworn in on Oct. 30 as the new representative for District 7.

Jay Roberson, who represented District 7 and had served since 2017 as the Council’s President Pro Tem, resigned effective Sept. 10.

COUNCIL BUSINESS

The council had a light workload at today’s meeting. Members dispensed with virtually the entire agenda on consent.

The body’s consent agenda each week includes items that are routine or non-controversial.

Those items today included the usual removal of abandoned cars, condemnation of abandoned structures and abatement of weeds on vacant lots.

Members also voted to approve a few liquor licenses, settle five small legal claims against the city, order some sales tax assessments and approve about 20 small expenditures for equipment and repairs for several city departments.

To read the entire agenda for Nov. 13, click here.