Birmingham City Council Highlights 10.3.23

ITEM 1
 
The Council voted unanimously to approve a rezoning case, opening the door for a new Jack’s Restaurant to be constructed in the Huffman Neighborhood.
 
The move comes after residents and Huffman Neighborhood Association leaders opposed a previous effort to rezone the property that would  have allowed a car wash to be built near the entrance to the residential area. The lot is located adjacent to the Huffman Baptist Church.
 
“We came back and worked with the Huffman Baptist Church leadership to find a solution that would work for everyone,” Ted Debro, Huffman Neighborhood Association President said. “I think the Council’s decision to not approve the carwash really showed how government can work with our neighborhoods and we want to thank you for that.”
 
The new Jack’s will have 68 seats and will feature a covered outdoor dining area with rocking chairs.
 
Councilor Hunter Williams, chair of the Economic Development Committee, said, “We have 99 Neighborhood Associations and the leadership of those all look very different. I think Mr. Debro’s strong leadership is a testament to what this neighborhood is able to accomplish by getting the right business in there that works for everyone. This shows that persistence and leadership pays off.”
 
Councilor Clinton Woods, who represents the district, also applauded the efforts of neighborhood leaders. “After the original project was reject, everyone continued to work together to find a solution that everyone would be happy with. This is a great example of how neighborhoods, community partners and developers can work together to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard.”
 
Here is the item as it appeared on Tuesday’s agenda:
 
 
An Ordinance “TO FURTHER AMEND THE ZONING DISTRICT MAP OF THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM” (Case No. ZAC2023-00008) to change zone district boundaries from D-2 Single Family Residential District to QC-2 Qualified General Commercial District, filed by Brian Harris, applicant, representing the owner, Huffman Baptist Church, for property located at 9701 Parkway East and situated in the NE¼ of Section 36, Township 16-S, Range 2-West, and the hearing of all interested parties. [Second Reading] (Submitted by Councilor Abbott, Chair, Planning and Zoning Committee) (Recommended by the Z.A.C. and the Planning and Zoning Committee)**
 

ITEM 25
 
The Council unanimously approved an item for one of Council President Pro Tem Crystal Smitherman’s ARPA Projects – sidewalk infrastructure improvements for her district totaling $150,590.00 in the federally allocated funds.
 
Following the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021, each Council district received $3 million in funds to distribute to projects in their districts.
 
 
“This is another one of our amazing ARPA projects that we have moving. I’m really excited about this because it will be improving the sidewalk infrastructure in West End,” Council President Pro Tem Smitherman said. “One of these sidewalks is right where Hemphill Elementary is located. I think it’s really important that we have sidewalks where our kids are walking to school and that we maintain those.”
 
Those sidewalk projects are as follows:
 
Cotton Ave. from 12th Street SW to 11th Street SW – Both sides
Cotton Ave. from 11th Street SW to 10th Street SW – South side only
12th Street SW from Cotton Ave to McMillian – Both sides
12th Street SW from Tuscaloosa Ave. to Cotton Ave. – West side only
Cotton Ave from 13th Street SW to 12th Street SW – North side only
 
Last week, Councilor Smitherman allocated ARPA funds to two important community-based initiatives: No More Martyrs DBA Black Women’s Mental Health Institute and The Common Thread Community.
 
The former organization focuses on providing free mental health services for qualified residents in the district. Councilor Smitherman supported this effort with $300,000 in federal ARPA funds.
 
“It is crucial that we come together as a society to address the need for more mental health services in our communities. For too long there has been a stigma around seeking help. By fostering awareness, mentorship, and creating safe environments, we can strive towards a better future for our residents who need this kind of care and I’m honored to able to provide this support,” Smitherman said.
 
The Common Thread Community initiative will provide services to the City by supporting 10-15 new small business by expanding its existing Cultural Center in the Titusville Project (“the Project”) through the redevelopment, rehabilitation, and enhancement of Building 2, located on the existing premises at 222 6th Avenue SW, Birmingham, into 15,000 sq. ft. of additional office collaborating space for a totaled combined office collaborating space of 60,000 sq. ft. Councilor Smitherman supported this project with $100,000 from her ARPA funds.
 
 

ITEM 19
 
Continuing the efforts to attract and incentivize more affordable housing developments in the City, the Council approved a grant application for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for $10 million to remove barriers for housing opportunities.
 
The federal government has recognized the need to help local municipalities remove barriers to affordable housing construction, including construction costs, maintenance and sustainability. This grant in particular is will focus on critical components that are a challenge for the City of Birmingham in this regard.
 
This includes reducing the time it takes to develop affordable housing, that process can create a barrier for would-be developers. The grant funding would help streamline these efforts, according to City officials. The grant funding would also be utilized to bolster local agencies that are working to provide wrap-around services for homeless residents as well as low-income families.


“Access to affordable housing is one of the biggest issues we face in every one of our districts,” Council President Pro Tem Smitherman said. “These grant opportunities, especially ones that don’t require a local match are crucial to our efforts to help get more affordable housing inventory here. This will help our efficiencies and build pathways to more developments, hopefully not just in one or two areas but across the entire city.”
 
Here is the item as it appeared on Tuesday’s agenda:
 
A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute any and all documents
required for the City to complete a grant with the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Community
Planning and Development Pathways to Removing Obstacles to
Housing (PRO Housing) in an amount of up to $10,000,000.00 to identify
and remove barriers to affordable housing production and preservation
with no matching funds due from the City and authorizing the Mayor to
take any and all actions and execute such documents as are appropriate
and necessary to accept and expend the grant funds on behalf of the City
in accordance with the grant documents. (Submitted by the City Attorney)
(Recommended by the Mayor and the Budget and Finance Committee)

A LOOK AHEAD:
 
Councilor Carol Clarke will be hosting a free Blues in the Ballpark concert series at historic Rickwood Field on Saturday, October 7th.
 
This is a great opportunity for residents and families to step back in time to the soulful rhythms of the past as the legendary baseball stadium is transformed into a good old-fashioned Blues joint. There will be performances by Ms. Johnnie and the Jammers, Charles “Sugar Harp” Burroughs, Jose Ramirez, “Hurricane Elaine” Hudson, and many more.
 
The concert is free and open to the public, however, no outside food and beverages will be allowed inside the stadium. Food trucks and vendors will be on hand and attendees will be able to bring chars and blankets to watch the shows (the covered stands will also be available for seating). The music and festivities start at 1 p.m. and go until 6:30 p.m.
 
“There is nothing that’s uniquely American as Blues and Baseball and we wanted to take this opportunity to marry those two things together with this event,” Councilor Carol Clarke said. “I think that Blues, which is one of our greatest contributions to the world, has been under represented here and I’m looking forward to everyone coming together and enjoying it in a very unique venue.
 
“We owe a great deal of credit and gratitude to the Friends of Rickwood Field who have acted as stewards for this incredible, historic facility and who have partnered with us for this event. I’d also like to thank the Magic City Blues Society for all their hard work to help make this possible.”
 
Following the concert on Saturday, October 7th, Rickwood Field will be undergoing a series of renovations leading up to next year’s MLB game on June 20th.
 
Don't miss this chance to be a part of history as we bring the Blues back to the 113-year-old stadium that’s hosted players like Jackie Robinson and Satchel Paige.  
 
Stay tuned for more exciting announcements and sneak peeks as we count down to the Blues event of the year!  

Birmingham City Council Highlights 8.22.23

Birmingham City Council Highlights 8.22.23

ITEM 3
 
The Birmingham City Council voted to approve an ordinance accepting grant funds for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to study the impacts of air pollution in Birmingham.
 
The $1 million grant is part of the Air and Radiation Climate Pollution Reduction program, and will help formulate a climate action plan for the City and region. The City and the Regional Planning Commission are leading this effort to address the impacts of climate change and air pollution. A preliminary climate action plan is expected to be completed in 2024. A larger, more comprehensive plan will be submitted to the EPA in 2025 and will be funded by this grant allocation.
 
The studies are a prerequisite for being able to apply for implementation funding from the federal government, meaning once the City completes the study, it will open the door for additional federal dollars to be allocated.
 
“Obviously this is an issue – air pollution – that impacts a big part of the communities that I represent,” Councilor JT Moore said. “I’m very interested in seeing the results of this study, considering the amount of heavy industry that we have near residential neighborhoods. We need all the help we can get to help remediate the impacts of this pollution in our neighborhoods.”
 
Here is the item as it appeared on Tuesday’s agenda:
 
An Ordinance “TO FURTHER AMEND THE GRANTS FUND BUDGET” for the fiscal year ending Jung 30, 2024, by appropriating $1,000,000.00 to the Mayor’s Office for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air and Radiation for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant per grant award received. (Submitted by the Mayor) (Recommended by the Mayor and the Budget and Finance Committee)**

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ITEM 12
 
The Council approved an agreement with the Credible Messenger Mentoring Movement, which aims to reduce instances of violent crime and recidivism, especially among young people. The funding will be coming in part from Councilor LaTonya Tate’s American Rescue Plan Act funding ($200,000).
 
Credible messengers are individuals who have personal experience and background that allow them to connect with and influence young people who may be at risk of engaging in violence or other harmful behaviors. These messengers are often respected and trusted within the communities they serve due to their own life experiences and transformations. Credible messengers can effectively reach and guide at-risk youth by drawing from their own stories of overcoming challenges, making positive changes, and avoiding violence.
 
 
Last week, Clinton Lacey, CEO of Credible Messenger presented information during the Committee of the Whole meeting. Some of the key areas of focus for their program include:
 

• Increased engagement with programs and services

• Reduction in re-arrests, violations, and anti-social behavior

• Increased compliance with court mandates

• Improved relationships between system stakeholders and community members

• More community capacity to support system-involved youth

 
“This will have an immediate real world impact, and this is exactly why this program has been successful across the country,” Councilor Tate said during the Committee of the Whole meeting. “We have a lot of credible people who live here and who want to step into these mentorship roles. It takes resources and people to be able to do this, and I’m grateful to be in a position to help fund this important work. I believe it will have a transformative impact on an entire generation of kids here.”
 
Here is the item as it appeared on the agenda:
 
ITEM 12.
A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute and deliver an agreement
with Credible Messenger Mentoring Movement to address the increase
in violent crime among the City’s youth during COVID-19 through the
implementation of the Birmingham Credible Messenger Initiative
designed to have transformative impact on marginalized young people,
their families, and the communities where they live with funds received
by the City from the American Rescue Plan Act, in a total amount not to
exceed $500,000.00. [Funding Source: FIN039RM 99999A_006_003 –
G/L Account: 039_000.445-035; ARPA-District 9: $200,000.00 – G/L
Account: 039_010.445-035] (Submitted by the Mayor) (Recommended
by the Chief Community Planner)

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ITEM 22

The Birmingham City Council took a major step toward empowering neighborhood leaders to remove blight in their communities with the passage of an agreement with ToolBank USA Inc.

The agreement will help with the development of a 5,000 square foot facility that will house thousands of tools and equipment that will be available for rent by community-based organizations to assist with projects. This was one of the first programs that multiple Councilors identified for use of their office’s ARPA funding.

Districts 1, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9 all contributed funds for this program (Full breakdown below).
The funding will also allow for up to two full-time employees and one part-time employee to help with maintenance and to answer questions people might have about the equipment they are renting. This service will be available for Neighborhood Associations and any not-for-profit to utilize.

“I want to express my excitement about this program,” Councilor Carol Clarke said. “A lot of my colleagues have partnered together to make this possible. The mayor’s office helped a lot to make this more robust and to allow for more people and groups to access this. I’d also like to thank Councilor Clinton Woods who helped organize the ARPA pitch conversations that brought these groups together to outline how we could have the most impact with this federal funding. This was my favorite of all the projects because it really empowers our residents in a way that we haven’t seen before.”

Here is the item as it appeared on Tuesday’s agenda:
ITEM 22.

A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute and deliver an Agreement between the City of Birmingham and ToolBank USA, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $345,000.00, to fund the Birmingham ToolBank initiative through which ToolBank USA will launch a ToolBank Affiliate called the Magic City ToolBank, which will involve (i) the development of a 2,500- 5,000 square foot warehouse facility with thousands of tools located within the City; (ii) the employment of up to two full time employees and one part-time employee to manage and operate the facility; (iii) the empowerment of community-based and neighborhood not-for-profit organizations with the tools, equipment and expertise which are central to completing community transformation projects; and (iv) the expert instruction on the proper use of tools and equipment utilizing safety precautions. The establishment of the ToolBank Affiliate is expected to promote the removal of blight in the City, generate revenue for the City, attract volunteers and private donations, bring jobs and an estimated economic impact to the City. [G/L Account: 039_101.445-035 - ARPADistrict #1: $45,000.00; ARPA-District #4: $55,000.00; ARPA-District #6: $75,000.00; APRA-District #7: $50,000.00; ARPA-District #8: $70,000.00; ARPA-District #9: $50,000.00] (Submitted by the City Attorney) (Recommended by the Mayor and the Chief Community Planner)**

Birmingham City Council: Week in Review, July 31st - August 6th

The Birmingham City Council Helps Families, Students Get Ready for Back to School

Councilor President Wardine Alexander participated in multiple Back to School events in District 7 over the course of the week.  She is one of many Councilors who have been involved in various school-related events towards the end of summer.

Over the weekend,  the District 9 office joined forces with Be Kind Birmingham at their pop-up free store at the Ensley Recreation Center.  President Alexander, meanwhile, hosted a Book Bag Giveaway on Saturday at Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church.

The District 7 Office also participated in Oxmoor Valley Elementary's Back to School Party earlier in the week.

Students were able to grab a bite to eat, meet their teachers, learn about OVE's new community of Houses, and enjoy live music from a DJ.

See more Back-to-School coverage here...

First Year Teachers Receive Funds for School Supplies

Councilor Clinton Woods was on the program for a big announcement this week at Bill Harris Arena.  Friday marked the unveiling of the Teacher's Fund -- a first year program intended to help first-year teachers with the purchase of school supplies and other key essentials.  

A check for $20,000 was presented, which will impact an estimated 150 first-year teachers in the Birmingham City School System.  Organizers hope that the stipend will boost morale, increase teacher retention, and support the success of thousands of students.

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National Association of Black Journalists Takes Over the Magic City

The Birmingham City Council was thrilled to welcome the NABJ 2023 Convention and Career Fair to the Magic City for the first time, August 2nd-6th.  The purpose of the conference is to provide journalism education, career development, networking and innovation.  This is 3rd largest meeting, ever, with over 3,500 participants registered.

Council President Alexander Meets with U.S. Secretary of Education during NABJ Festivities

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona made his way to Birmingham to participate in a roundtable discussion with HBCU Presidents, as well as speaking at the National Association of Black Journalists.  He also met with Council President Wardine Alexander (D7) during an event at the BCRI on Thursday.

Birmingham City Council Highlights 7.18.23

Birmingham City Council Highlights 7.18.23

ITEM 13

On Tuesday, the Council approved and agreement to host the 2024 Transplant Games of America, which will be held July 5-10 at various venues around the city.

These games have been held every two years since their inception in 1990 and are aimed at uplifting and highlighting athletes who have survived transplant procedures.

These games bring together survivors, their families and medical professionals for a five-day event with over 20 sports. Last year, the United States saw roughly 40,000 organ transplants, which was a record number. However, there are still 100,000 people who are waiting for transplants. These games help raise awareness to this issue and will bring roughly 10,000 people to the city of Birmingham.

Here is the item as it appeared on Tuesday’s agenda:

A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute and deliver an Agreement between the City of Birmingham and Transplant Life Foundation, under which Transplant Life Foundation will assist the City by providing organization, promotion, management, hosting, planning, record keeping and facilitation services related to the 2024 Transplant Games of America, which are to be held in Birmingham between July 5, 2024 and July 10, 2024, and the City will provide funding to Transplant Life Foundation in an amount not to exceed $500,000.00, in support of the event. [G/L Account: ARPA FIN039RM 99999A_005_006 -$335,000.00 and CDA DCP156CP - $65,000.00] (Submitted by the City Attorney) (Recommended by the Mayor and the Chief Community Planner)**

Statement from the City Council on the passing of Firefighter Jordan Melton:

"We are heartbroken to hear the news that we have lost one of our local heroes, firefighter Jordan Melton. We stand behind all the dedicated servants of the Birmingham Fire Department during this extremely challenging time. This exemplifies, even more, the dangers that they face every single day serving the citizens of Birmingham.

This is a time when we need for our community to rally around the men and women who continue put their lives on the line to keep us safe.

Jordan Melton’s family, friends and colleagues at Birmingham Fire and Rescue deserve answers and justice. Our City is hurting tonight -- and we are sending them our love, support, and deepest condolences."

BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL: Week in Review, March 27 - April 2nd

The Birmingham City Council Takes D.C.

The first stop: The National League of Cities’ (NLC) Congressional City Conference brings together more than 2,800 elected and appointed city leaders to focus on the federal policy issues that are important to local governments.

Three of our City Councilors convened with their national committees — Council President Wardine Alexander, Pro Tem Crystal N. Smitherman and Councilor Darrell O'Quinn.

Topics of discussion included infrastructure improvements, workforce development, and $100 billion in EPA investments for climate change adaptation and resiliency upgrades. Councilor Carol Clarke, took part in a Smart Cities panel discussion and a workshop for dynamic city leadership.

NCRC: Just Economy Conference 

Also while in D.C., the Council attended the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (or NCRC): Just Economy Conference.

"The City of Birmingham has a great partnership and relationship with NCRC and GROWTH.  We have put houses in Woodlawn, we're doing Southtown, Pratt City -- really all over the City-- and just making sure that our residents have the opportunity to afford housing, livable wages, good streets, feel safe -- and a lot of that starts with housing and being able to keep that residence," said Pro Tem Crystal Smitherman (D6).

Read more about that partnership here...

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Due to the lack of a quorum, the Tuesday, March 28, 2023, City Council Meeting was cancelled.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the City Council is set for Tuesday, April 4, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. in the Council Chambers.

More information is available here...

Birmingham City Council Highlights 3.21.23

Birmingham City Council Highlights 3.21.23

Here are a few of the legislative highlights from Tuesday’s Birmingham City Council meeting, in case you missed it.
 

ITEM 10

The Birmingham City Council approved an interlocal agreement with Lawson State Community College to provide workforce development training for Commercial Driver’s License Training for City Employees. This program will be at no cost to the city.

Currently the Department of Public Works has positions to fill for commercially licensed truck drivers, and this partnership will help in the recruitment of new employees, according to Director Josh Yates.

All of the training will be done with city-owned vehicles (older model dump trucks and trailers) and will allow for current employees to get certified at no cost to them. CDL regulations changed in 2022 and created a shortage of people nationwide who were qualified. This move is to ensure that Birmingham can remain competitive to recruit and retain employees.

Each training session will be able to accommodate roughly 10 people per session. There are roughly 20 to 25 vacant truck driver positions that the City is looking to fill.

“I think this is outstanding,” Councilor Carol Clarke said. “I think this is really going to help the city be competitive against companies like Amazon. We want to be able to retain these employees and I believe this program gives the City a big advantage in that regard.”

Here is the item as it appeared on Tuesday’s agenda:

An Ordinance, in accordance with Act 1969-916 of the Acts of Alabama, authorizing the Mayor to execute an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Birmingham and Lawson State Community College, under which Lawson State Community College will provide workforce development training, more particularly described as “Commercial Driver’s License Training” for City employees and the City will provide vehicles for use by the City employees during the course of the training, for a term of three (3) years and authorizing the Mayor to execute any other documents necessary to accomplish the purposes of the Agreement. [First Reading] (Submitted by the City Attorney) (Recommended by the Mayor and the Budget and Finance Committee)

ITEM 18

The City Council approved a resolution allowing for the submission of an application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR) for its Environmental Justice Government-to-Government (EJG2G) Program grant in the amount of $1,000,000.00 to develop a Parks Resiliency Master Plan.

This grant would help the City partner with local community-based organizations to perform environmental justice initiatives in the community. It would also allow for the City to complete a Park’s Master Plan to figure out best ways to utilize the City’s public parks in a way that creates equity and resiliency.

If the grant application is successful, the City will be working with members of the community who wish to provide ideas and share their opinions of how a Park’s Master Plan would be best utilized in their area.

“I want to state for the record how thrilled I am to see that we are pursuing this. I can’t emphasize enough how badly this is needed,” Councilor Darrell O’Quinn said. “We have a park system that was designed around Jim Crow and for a population that was roughly 170,000 more people than we currently have. There does need to be a comprehensive look at how we manage our 117 public parks and three other major greenspaces. We need to focus on programing and finding ways in which the public can better utilize these spaces.”

ITEM 20

Today the Council voted to refer a resolution of intent to provide an economic support to Birmingham Southern College back to the Committee of the Whole for additional discussion and questioning from members of the Council.

The resolution did not include specific funding amounts and included language that any support from the City is dependent on binding commitments from the State of Alabama as well as Jefferson County. Birmingham Southern College has recently signaled the need for financial support in order to remain open.

The Committee of the Whole meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 19th at 3:30 p.m. More information about the meeting will be made available in the coming weeks.

Here is the item as it appeared on Tuesday’s agenda:

A Resolution of intent to provide an economic development incentive to Birmingham Southern College during the current fiscal year, subject to Birmingham Southern securing binding commitments for funding from the State of Alabama and Jefferson County in amounts sufficient, when combined with the City’s cash incentive, to continue operation of the college and further subject to the City’s identification and allocation of funding, and authorizing the Mayor and his designated staff to negotiate the terms and conditions by which the City of Birmingham will provide such cash incentive in support Birmingham Southern College. (Submitted and Recommended by Councilor Williams, Chairperson, Economic Development and Tourism Committee and Councilor Clarke) **

Watch a Replay of the March 7, 2023 Birmingham City Council Meeting

Click one of the following links to access the March 7, 2023 Birmingham City Council Meeting:

To watch it from the City Council’s website:

https://www.birminghamalcitycouncil.org/council-meeting-video-archives/

Birmingham City Council Highlights 11.8.22

Here are a few of the legislative highlights from Tuesday’s Birmingham City Council meeting, in case you missed it.
 

ITEM 3

Continuing the efforts to position the Magic City as a sports tourism destination, the Birmingham City Council unanimously passed an agreement for Protective Stadium to host the 16th Annual TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl.

Since 2006, the bowl game has brought an economic impact of roughly $161 million to the Magic City and is attended by people from all over the country. Bowl selections will be made next month to determine which teams will be playing. Last year, Auburn faced off against the University of Houston, a game that brought thousands of people to the Magic City.

“Birmingham consistently ranks in the top tier of college football TV ratings,” Councilor Hunter Williams said. “We are excited to host the two teams this year and make this year’s Birmingham Bowl the best one yet. We want to do everything we can to ensure this game stays here for a very long time.”

Here is the item as it appeared on Tuesday’s agenda:

A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute, for and as the act of said City, an Event Sponsorship Agreement with ESPN Productions Inc., (“ESPN”), under which ESPN shall plan, implement, and host the NCAA TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl (“Birmingham Bowl”) Football Game in Birmingham, Alabama on December 27, 2022, at Protective Stadium. The TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl is expected to bring college athletics, numerous fans, visitors, and officials from outside the City and will create and foster community pride while providing recreation and entertainment opportunities for attendees, bring jobs and have a positive economic impact for the City. For ESPN hosting the Birmingham Bowl in Birmingham, the City will provide sponsorship incentives to ESPN not to exceed $200,000.00

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ITEM 6

In an effort to mitigate issues surrounding street flooding, the Birmingham City Council passed an item that will allow for hands-on support from the federal government (FEMA) for planning, engineering and grant assistance. This is at no cost to the city.

According to officials, the City will work with federal representatives to identify key flooding areas that need to be addressed. Birmingham is one of 20 cities that were selected to be a part of this program. Once the targeted areas are identified, the city will be able to apply for federal grant funding to help resolve the issues. 

“Flooding is something that we’ve seen more and more recently and is an issue that puts our residents in harm’s way whenever we see heavy rainfall,” Councilor Crystal Smitherman said. “I’m very excited to see this item move forward so we can begin to upgrade our sewer systems in a way that prevents dangerous flooding in our communities.”

Here is the item as it appeared on Tuesday’s agenda:

ITEM 6

A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to apply for, submit, execute, expend, accept and take any and all actions as are appropriate and necessary in accordance with the terms of the Grant submission requirements and Grant Agreement with the US Department of Homeland Security’s FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Direct Technical Assistance Grant to receive climate resilience planning and project solution design through process-oriented, hands-on support from FEMA specifically related to grants management assistance and project scoping activities to support the City’s drainage systems. The maximum expected project duration is up to three (3) years at no cost to the City.

Information on the State of Emergency Declared and Curfew in Birmingham Alabama

Real-Time Tracking information on Covid-19 cases in Alabama

Click the link below for the latest real-time tracking information on Covid-19 cases in Alabama.