Birmingham City Council Meeting Highlights 1.11.22
Here are a few of the highlights from Tuesday’s Birmingham City Council meeting, in case you missed it.
ITEM 36
As a way to increase the character of entertainment districts and commercial revitalization districts, the Council voted unanimously to approve an ordinance amending the city code that will allow for lights and banners to be suspended over streets and sidewalks in certain areas.
Councilor Darrell O’Quinn pointed out Pepper Place as an example of an entertainment district that has implemented this type of string light installation.
“This ordinance is broadening where these types of installations can be — allowing them in more places,” Councilor O’Quinn explained. “If you’ve been to Pepper Place and seen the lighting they have over 29th Street, that’s a great example of what this ordinance will allow in other areas.”
ITEMS 38 and 62
The Council unanimously approved a pair of items allocating $500,000 to support the United States Football League’s plan to host the 2022 season in Birmingham. The funding will come from the city’s lodging tax revenue.
“I always love to see when we have cooperation from multiple local partners — in this case the Jefferson County Commission, the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau and the City — all pulling in the same direction to bring something like this to Birmingham,” Council President Wardine Alexander said.
“My colleagues and I on the Birmingham City Council have made it a chief priority to position our city as a place that can attract major sports and entertainment opportunities. I can remember when the Birmingham Stallions played at Legion Field and I’m beyond thrilled for the Magic City to have the opportunity to potentially host this exciting venture.”
Here are the items as they appeared on the agenda:
ITEM 38. A Resolution approving and authorizing the Mayor to execute a License Agreement between the City of Birmingham, the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board and the USFL League, LLC, under which the City will provide in-kind services to the USFL in the amount up to but not to exceed $500,000.00 to assist with its use of the Legion Field Stadium, its personnel, police, fire and rescue for the purpose of an eight (8) team professional football league to begin games in April 2022 as authorized under Amendment 772 of the Constitution of Alabama. (Submitted by the City Attorney) (Recommended by the Mayor) **
ITEM 62. An Ordinance “TO FURTHER AMEND THE SPORTING & ENTERTAINMENT RECRUITMENT FUND BUDGET” for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, by appropriating $500,000.00 to United States Football League (USFL). The funding source is the Lodging Tax Revenue. (Submitted by the Mayor) (Recommended by the Mayor and the Budget and Finance Committee) *
ITEM 63 (Board Appointments)
The Council voted to replace two seats on the Birmingham Land Bank Authority:
Seat 2:
New Appointment is Scotty Colson, who will be replacing James R. Burton IV.
Term expires on July 15th, 2025
Seat 4:
New Appointment is Joel Gardner, who will be replacing Carole E. Clarke.
Term expires on July 15th, 2025
ITEM 64
As the Alabama State Legislature reconvenes for the 2022 Session, the Birmingham City Council voted unanimously in support of their legislative agenda to send to Montgomery.
The Birmingham City Council’s 2022 legislative agenda includes, but is not limited to: expansion of entertainment districts (from 5 to 15 for the City of Birmingham), extension of the Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) districts terms as determined by the local municipality, extension of tax credits for qualified fund managers who make capital accessible to minority owned and small businesses, a statewide gaming constitutional amendment, automated photographic traffic enforcement systems, enabling legislation that will allow for enhanced fines for littering, enabling legislation that will allow for alcohol sales by mobile vendors, enabling legislation that ties vehicle parking fines to annual car tag renewal, expansion of voluntary Pre-K programs, and increased funding for tourism and entertainment within the City of Birmingham.
ITEMS 65 -69
On Tuesday, the Council unanimously approved a serious of BOLD Program items, which are aimed to provide services to a variety of initiatives including, but not limited to, mental health programs, technical training for coding careers, women and children services and more.
Below are some of the details for these items as they appeared on the agenda:
ITEM 65. A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a BOLD Program Agreement with Rebirth Community Corporation under which Rebirth Community Corporation as part of the City’s Building Opportunities for Lasting Development program to implement their “REBOOT: Rebuilding Better” Mental Health and Emotional Wellness Program to equip at-risk disadvantaged minority small business owners and entrepreneurs with mental health services, wellness strategies and emotional support needed to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic for a term of twelve (12) months, for an amount not to exceed $67,000.00. [ Funding Source: G/L: 001_003_00900.545–001 (Submitted by the City Attorney) (Recommended by the Mayor and the Budget and Finance Committee)
ITEM 66. A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a BOLD Program Agreement with Women’s Foundation of Alabama under which Women’s Foundation of Alabama, as part of the City’s Building Opportunities for Lasting Development program to strengthen its social innovation efforts to address job accessibility for women and to address one of Birmingham’s most pressing community problems: economic insecurity of women and their children through its two-generation approach by intentionally catalyzing collaboration among community college and social service non-profits in Birmingham for a term of twelve (12) months, for an amount not to exceed $79,720.00. [Funding Source: G/L 001_003_00900.545–001 (Submitted by the City Attorney) (Recommended by the Mayor and the Budget and Finance Committee)
ITEM 67. A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a BOLD Program Agreement with Urban Impact, Inc. under which Urban Impact, Inc. as part of the City’s Building Opportunities for Lasting Development program to (i) identify, organize and deliver resources for small business owners to grow and sustain their businesses; and (ii) identify and address barriers for women-owned, minority-owned and disadvantaged business enterprises within the City of Birmingham for a term of twelve (12) months, for an amount not to exceed $125,500.00. [Funding Source: G/L 001_003_00900.545–001 (Submitted by the City Attorney) (Recommended by the Mayor and the Budget and Finance Committee)
ITEM 68. A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a BOLD Program Agreement with Tech Alabama dba Education Farm under which Tech Alabama dba Education Farm as part of the City’s Building Opportunities for Lasting Development program to conduct a 14-week introductory coding boot camp to fifty (50) Birmingham residents which will focus on digital skills training in addition to comprehensive student support services including access to childcare, loaned equipment for the duration of the program as well as regular meetings with a Success Coach to identify concrete goals and co-create customized pathways to achieving goals for a term of twelve (12) months, for an amount not to exceed $154,975.00. [Funding Source: G/L 001_003_00900.545–001 (Submitted by the City Attorney) (Recommended by the Mayor and the Budget and Finance Committee)
ITEM 69. A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a BOLD Program Agreement with Community Care Development Network, under which Community Care Development Network, as part of the City’s Building Opportunities for Lasting Development program to implement their Inspire Education Program in partnership with Lawson State Community College, Jefferson State Community College, GED Works, Best Generation Recruitment and WorkFaith Birmingham to help residents with the transition from high school to adult life, prison to society, and unemployment/underemployment to career track job skills encompassing core academic education, job readiness, and financial literacy in order to affect positive change in the current economic and family structure conditions in the Birmingham for a term of twelve (12) months, for an amount not to exceed $80,000. [Funding Source: G/L 001_003_00900.545–001 (Submitted by City Attorney) (Recommended by the Mayor and the Budget and Finance Committee)
