City Council Meeting Recap 7.21.20
Here’s the video from today’s Council Meeting
Here are some of the main items the Birmingham City Council discussed at the July 21st, 2020 Meeting
Inhumane Treatment of Animals Ordinance
The Birmingham City Council unanimously approved an ordinance to amend the city’s code to prevent animals from being inhumanely tethered.
According to the amendments, it will now be unlawful for anyone to tether a dog or other animal with a chain to a fixed point. Among other changes, owners will be required to provide a running line for their animal and, according to the ordinance, “the tether must be attached to a properly fitting collar or harness worn by the dog, with enough room between the collar and the dog’s throat through which two fingers may fit.”
Councilor Hunter Williams, Chair of the Public Safety Committee, said these changes are necessary to prevent the passive abuse of animals.
The ordinance also makes it illegal for dogs to be tethered for more than eight consecutive hours. The first offense will be a $150 fine. The second and third offense within a 12-month period will carry fines of $250 and $400, respectively.
“Our committee has received a large number of complaints about individuals chaining dogs to trees and never taking the dog off the chain, essentially using them as a cheap alarm system and causing them real harm in the process,” Williams said. “This is an effort to curb that type of animal cruelty. If you aren’t willing to responsibly take care of your animal you shouldn’t have one and we want to make that clear in the city’s code.”
New Fedex Distribution Facility
The Council voted to approve an intergovernmental agreement between Birmingham and Bessemer for the two cities to coordinate in providing certain municipal services to, and in the collection of certain municipal taxes, aid in the development of a nearly 300,000 square foot facility located in both cities that will be used as a new delivery distribution center for FedEx.
Public Transportation Funding
The Council voted to approve a total of $5 Million to the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) for providing public transportation services to the residents of Birmingham from July 1st-December 31st of this year.
COVID-19 Relief Funding
The Council voted to approve a CARES Act Subgrant Agreement with Jefferson County for the City to apply for over $9 Million of COVID relief funding that would serve as eligible reimbursement for costs incurred by the City, in accordance with the CARES act.
