City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone. If everyone can stand up, the Municipal Council is now gathered. We will begin tonight's meeting with a prayer and we will stand up for the oath to the flag. Let's bow our heads. Dear God, bless our work tonight. Give us the wisdom to know what is right and the strength to accomplish it. I swear allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, the republic that it represents, an indivisible, with freedom and justice for all.

Please, sit down. Approval of the verbal.

I propose. It has been proposed and approved to approve the verbal. Voting, Mr. Hitman. The verbal is approved. Declarations of the mayor and the council. There are announcements of the council tonight. Comments of the citizens on the points of the day's ordinance.

No, sir.

Work in suspense, secretary.

This ordinance concerns the demolition of the structure located at 1223, in which... Second.

Proposed and approved, Mr. Williams. Mr. Mayor, this concerns the conviction of the 1,295-year-old Nettindane Alley, charged for the conviction on 1 April, 2026. This property has 48 violations of the building code. The owner has been contacted by the knowledge of this audience. The owner knows that if it is condemned and demolished, the cost of the demolition will be debited to the owner. The owner has submitted a petition to the ZBA for an appeal for the meeting of September 28. The owner is here to represent himself.

Well, questions for Mr. Williams. If the owner can go on and provide the name and address. We have here the owner of 1025... I'm here. All right. If I go on and provide his address... Name and address.

My name is Ada Nolan and... my address is 29, excuse me... 19th Alley. And I'm trying to save my house.

Thank you, Mrs. Lee.

I fought against breast cancer, an intervention to the heart, but I want to save my home.

So I will ask for advice because I would like to do our due diligence on this property that has some specific situations that we still have to clarify. So I would like to ask for advice to give Mrs. Lee another 45 days.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

It has been proposed and approved to postpone 45 days. Did I hear correctly? Yes, 45 days.

This will be a public hearing when it has been introduced. Is there anyone here who wants to speak in favor or against demolition? Seeing no one, it is voted to postpone 45 days. Mr. Lagnier? Yes. Postponed 45 days. Secretary.

This order concerns the demolition of the structure located on the 30th of 23rd Street. The motion is approved. Second.

It has been proposed and supported. Mr. William.

This concerns the condemnation of the 30th and 20th of 23rd Street. The condemnation order was signed on October 6, 2025. This property has 47 violations of the building code. The owner has been contacted in the absence of this audience. The owner is aware that if he is condemned and demolished, the cost of the demolition will be debited to the owner. The owner has continued to carry out repairs and is here to represent himself.

Are there any questions for Mr. Williams? If you are the owner of the tram on 23rd Street, could you go on? If you want, please come on and give me your address. Good evening. My name is Jesus Sonim and I am the owner of... Vernon Thomas. 6653... Are there any questions?

So yes, I just wanted to know, I know that the last time you were here we sent you back to give you more time on this particular property. I just wanted to know, you know, what happened and what's going on. We are both sick, but in the meantime we had internal inspections done. We hadn't finished everything outside yet. We think that if we only had a little more time, we would probably have finished before then.

Yes, we are working on the installation inspection, then after the installation I can assemble the plasterboard and make the repairs on the front door.

So I would recommend giving you another 90 days, but I would like to say, you know, when it comes to the inside, those are things that the community does not see. So I would really like the outside of the property to be the priority in the next 90 days because we have to make progress. We will do it.

We will do it.

I feel the emotion.

Okay, there was a proposal, a support to send back in 45 days. No, no, 90, 90, 90 days. I'm sorry, Mrs. Howard, for 90 days. This is a public hearing when it was introduced. Is there anyone here who wants to speak in favor or against? Seeing no one, it is sent back in 90 days. Votation, Mrs. Tritt. Yes. The demolition is sent back in 90 days. Thank you. Thank you. Secretary.

This orders the demolition of the structure located at 309 South Street.

I propose. I support. I propose and I support. Mr. Williams.

This concerns the property at 319 Seva Street, declared ineligible on December 8, 2023. The property has 46 violations of the code of limitations. The owner has been contacted and is aware of this hearing. The owner knows that if it is declared ineligible or demolished by the city of Tuscaloosa, the cost of demolition will be at his charge. The owner has continued to make progress and should be here to represent himself.

Questions, Mr. Williams? And the recommendation of your department? Another 90 days. 90.

Okay, thank you Mr. Williams. The owner is present. If you want, come on and tell me your name and address.

And how are you?

I'm Jeffrey Booth, owner of 39th Street. I recommend 90 days.

I want to say again, I see that he is doing all the work alone I understand perfectly I appreciate that he is proud of himself I just hope that he continues to make the progress that he is doing Well, thanks for what he has done so far I will do a motion for 90 days It was proposed and it is for 90 days I appreciate it Did he say he was on the roof this morning? No, I was there this morning It's my vote Fuck off Thank you very much Fuck off

There is a motion in support to postpone 90 days. This will be a public hearing when it is introduced. Is there anyone here who wants to speak in favor or against? Not seeing anyone, we vote to postpone 90 days. Mr. Legna. Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Motion postponed by 90 days. Good luck. Secretary.

This orders the demolition of some buildings located at 1601 Mimosa Park Road.

I support. I support. I support. Mr. Williams.

This concerns the conviction of 1601 of Mimosa Park Road, building number 6, 7, 12, 14, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26, 28, 31 and 33. This property was declared inoperable on May 4, 2026. This was sent back by the hearing on August 4, 2026. The property over 600 violations of the building code combined including all buildings. The owner has been contacted and I am here to represent the owner. The owner is aware that if the buildings were declared inoperable and demolished by the city, the cost of demolition would be owed to the owner. Since August 4, the owner has begun to make progress by demolishing the two burnt units, installing safety fences and blocking some of the open units. Mrs. Kreutz and Mr. Holmes were here to discuss the conditions for the motion of the Council of August 4 to reschedule the two-week decision.

Good evening Council.

As you will remember from the meeting of August 4, you have put three conditions on the table. The first was that the owners of the property sold all the suspended bills, including the possible late taxes and the water and sewage expenses of the municipality of Tuscaloosa. This has been arranged since yesterday. I am in control of everything while we are in front of you. The second condition was that the owners put the entire property in safety, including all the buildings. Have you heard Mr. Williams today? I'm sure you will also hear the signer and his representative this evening. They installed me a review. They are working to sweep everything. And the final condition was that the owners started negotiations with the municipal office regarding an understanding protocol and Mr. Holmes is here to examine that protocol with you.

Good evening, Council. I can assure you that it was not a lawyer who decided to put this microphone right in the center of the podium. I wanted to examine some of the key points of the agreement protocol that Mr. Wiener and I have negotiated to the point where we are both satisfied and ready for execution, provided that the Council approves it tonight. One of the main things we wanted as a city was to establish a stop point of the situation And so one of the main things that will happen is that they will admit that as presented to all of you on July 21, 2026, it supported the assurance of the existence of a public danger and that the sentence was appropriate. As you know, they will ask you to withdraw this case from the order of the day. This is not something that we can do contractually. This body cannot sign a contract accepting to express a certain vote in the future. In the way in which we have legally written it, the withdrawal of this sentence from the order of the day of the Council is a suspended condition so that this agreement comes into force. And so, even if this agreement had been fully signed, if the Council had not voted to withdraw it, the agreement would simply never have come into force. In addition, one of the things that worried us is that, if it had been withdrawn, these types of petitions require a long process of notification and publication. It requires 45 days. So if they knew they had withdrawn and had not immediately done what they had to do, we would have had to start over with a 45-day warning. We didn't want to be subject to that waste of time. And so they are renouncing their right to any further notification or publication. And so, if they do not do what they promise to do according to this agreement, we could immediately report this case to the Council. And this brings me to what they promise to do. I will make a brief summary, but if you remember their presentation two weeks ago, it is included in this understanding protocol with some specifics, including the fact that they will provide us with the proof of financing to commit to completing this project within 90 days of this agreement. and this consists in completing the scope of work approved by our responsible building. They will put the property in safety, including incisions, patrolling of a security company, security cameras, cashiers at the entrance, cashiers at the entrance and in other strategic points, and by putting all the buildings open within 60 days from the date of entry in favor of this understanding protocol. We discussed it a bit during the pre-consultation. There have been some problems with things that were closed with wooden axes and then immediately cut. It is not unusual when we find ourselves in this situation and I think that in 60 days, once the entire security system will be implemented, then it is hoped that those axes or a more permanent security will be completed. They will complete the rehabilitation plan as described in the Council during their previous presentation. This will include the resigning and refurbishment of the surface, the redesign of the parking spaces, the repair of the swimming pool, the restructuring of the swimming pool, the restructuring of the clubhouse, the post office, the location office, the fitness center, the fitness center, the replacement of the tennis field, the creative area, the community park. They will maintain at any time a general framework adopted during the duration of this agreement. They will return to the city within five months, a monthly report on progress, including what they have done and what they intend to do in the following month. I would like to emphasize that the payment of the deductions, at least for me, has contributed to eliminate part of my skepticism, since it was not a couple of thousands of dollars. The deductions amounted to about 170,000 dollars, a little more, a little more. Certainly in the last two weeks they have done a lot to demonstrate their commitment and merit, and I am pleased to answer any questions on the employment protocol.

The Council wishes to hear the lawyer.

So if we don't listen to the lawyer, is that correct? That's what we all think.

I had the impression that the council was satisfied.

Yes. I would just like to reiterate the protocol of understanding and I would like to start with some thanks because Legacy Country Club has been under my magnifying glass since October 2024. It was then that I started receiving notifications from the residents who lived there and checking my reports 311, it was in October 2024 that I started to notice a problem with maintenance, property management and such issues. Having said that, this required a great amount of time, both for me and the staff here in the city. So I want to thank Mrs. Christ and Mr. Williams, for the real estate maintenance, the application of the code and also the office for the neighborhood services of the community, because at a certain point I had to ask Peria Howell and her department to intervene on the field and they actually went there to talk to the residents, knocking on the doors to find where they were. This is not the only problem we have in District 2 and I would like it to stop being a problem. Having said that, I am in favour of the withdrawal of the indictment under the safety of our protocol, which states that this is the most important thing of our protocol, that if at any time after the withdrawal the plaintiff renounces his rights, preventing us from having to wait another 45 days and two weeks for public warnings and hearings, we will be able to report this property before the Court for the Condemnation. I hope and I am sure that my colleagues, equally tired of all this, will support such a condemnation at any time after this retreat If we were to notice a decrease in interest in the procedure to solve this problem, the issue can be immediately reported to the court. And so this is an aspect that gives me confidence in supporting this withdrawal. But I would also like to say that the fact that the withdrawals have been paid makes me wait with interest for the monthly reports. I will also be happy to see the security implemented in place I appreciate what has been done even if it took a long time to get to this point I appreciate what has been done because I would also like to say it in the name of the building control office of the current 51 sentences that we have in the city of Tuscaloosa 27 they are in district 2 So I will continue to push to guarantee the process of condemnation in district 2. Because when we have properties that must be condemned, it causes public safety problems. It causes problems in that community with the infected, not only for the abandoned house, but also for the surrounding properties. Causa problemi con il valore degli immobili e l'estetica generale del quartiere è, in base alle mie ricerche, ho notato che quando ricevo chiamate per scarichi abusivi quei rifiuti vengono depositati o in una proprietà abbandonata da condannare o già condannata o nelle immediate vicinanze di tali proprietà. So when we have problems with the penalties that do not proceed quickly enough and the buildings are not demolished, a series of problems are created that we could solve simply by condemning the properties and making them demolished. Having said that, in district 2 we will continue to proceed with decisions in the process of condemnation, but I am in favor of withdrawing this point from the order of the day tonight, keeping in mind the penalties in my district, so I can move on at any time But I want us to do what is best for the city of Tuscaloosa and also the lack of affordable prices is a problem. So I hope we can solve the two problems by removing this point from the agenda and seeing in good faith the owner of the property commit to solving the situation.

Second motion.

It has been proposed and supported.

It was a public hearing as it was introduced. Anyone who wants to speak in favor or against?

I don't see anyone. Mrs. Howard, thank you for all your work on this and for your idea. Thank you. Mr. Edson's vote for withdrawal. Yes. Yes. The demolition is withdrawn. Good luck. Order of the day, secretary.

This approves the points from the CAC of the order of the day.

Proposed to approve.

Second.

It was proposed and supported. Mr. Laniaco's vote. Yes. The order of the day has been adopted, secretary.

This approves sales licenses in detail for special events of less than seven days for downtown social LLC.

Proposed.

Second.

It was proposed to support Mrs. Franklin.

Good evening, mayor and council. In district 4, the request to ABC for downtown social LLC. They are requesting a sale in detail for special events of less than seven days. There will be 5 events for the pre-start tailgate of former KEPA students and parents at 416 University Boulevard and such events will take place on September 19-26, October 10-24 and November 28. Here is the aerial view of 416. There will also be six events for the tailgate, pre-started by former students and parents of FIGAMMA DELTA in 1976 at University Boulevard and such events will take place on 5-19-26 September, 10-24 October and 28 November. And here is the aerial view of 1976. All my reports have been deposited with the Secretary. The CPD will give its report and then the requirements.

Good evening, mayor and council. After having examined these reports, the police department has no objection to the applicant or the request. Okay, is the applicant present? If you want, please go ahead and provide your name and address.

Hello, you are at Umbrook.

Okay, any other questions? Well, everything is fine. Thank you. Voting, Mr. Rito. Yes. Request approved, good luck, secretary.

This approves sale in detail for special events of less than 7 days for Downtown Entertainment LLC.

Proposed and approved.

Second.

It was proposed and supported.

Agree. In district 4, IBC request for Downtown Entertainment LLC, which requires a sale in detail for special events of less than 7 days. They will hold an event for the Tri Delta Southbound at 2331 Jo Malishan Parkway on September 18. Here is the aerial view. There will also be 20 UM events in September for the events in the bars on the day of the game for the former students. All of these will be held at the houses of the siblings and this consists of ATO, KSIG, FKPSI, FKFI, SA, SIGEP, SIGMANU, SIGMATAO, GAMMA. Here are the aerial views. My reports have been deposited with the secretary. The TPD will give its report and then the applicant.

Agent Menasco.

Once again, the police department has a concern about this request.

Is the request present? If you want, please go ahead and provide your name and address. Brandon Hanks, Downtown Entertainment, 5104 T1 Avenue, Tuscaloosa, 35401. Questions, Mr. Hanks? Thank you, sir. Mr. Lanier votes. Yes. Questions approved.

This approves the license to sell in detail for special events less than seven days for Partidown LLC.

Proposed to approve. Proposed and supported.

Ms. Rankin. Bici District 4 question for Partidown LLC, which requires a sale in detail for special events less than seven days. They will participate at the Kentucky Festival of Arts at Snowinton Park Mill and Hargrove Road East on October 17 and 18. Here is the aerial view. There will also be 11 special events during the football season in the months of September, October and November. These are the Alabama Season Tailgate, the CAE Alumni Tailgates 2026-2026, Cloverhouse FSU and Georgia Tailgate. All my reports have been archived at the office. The TPD will present its report and then the requirements.

President Branscombe. Once again, I suggest that the Police Department has no objections to this question, no request. Is the request here?

If you want, please make an appointment.

Laurence Schumacher, 31800 Wire Road, Cottondale, Alabama.

Questions? Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Can I ask you a question? Yes. The question is approved by the prosecutor.

This authorizes the municipal attorney to initiate a civil action for the issuance of taxes on unpaid commercial licenses.

Proposed and approved.

Second.

Proposed and approved. Mr. Lanier votes.

Mr. Lanier, yes.

Yes. Yes. Resolution adopted by the Chancellor.

This authorizes Amendment 1 to the Professional Services Contract with Paragon Technologies.

Proposed and approved. Second. Proposed and approved. Mr. Elsner votes.

Yes.

No.

Yes. Resolution adopted. Cancel.

This authorizes the execution of a financing agreement and documents related to the Administrative Office of the Tribunals of the State of Alabama.

Proposal approved.

Second.

Proposal is supported. The vote is mine.

Yes.

Resolution adopted. Cancel.

This authorizes a contract of minor public works with Timbi Electric.

Proposal.

Second.

Proposal is supported by Mr. Ritt.

Yes.

Yes. Resolution adopted by the Chancellor.

This authorizes a contract of minor public works with Red Oak Paint Company.

Proposal approved.

Second.

Proposal supported by Mr. Lanier.

Second.

Resolution adopted by the Secretary.

This will authorize the amendment to contract number 1 with Gardner & Associates Engineering.

Proposal approved. Second. Proposal supported by Mr. Lanier. Second. Resolution adopted by the Secretary.

This authorizes the financial director to issue treaties for the improvement project of the drainage of Istove.

I propose. I support. Proposed and supported. I vote yes. Agree. Yes. Resolutions adopted. Secretary.

This authorizes the CFO to issue treaties for the service of the Cypress Creek 8 drainage project.

Proposed.

I support.

Proposed and supported. I vote yes.

Yes.

Resolutions adopted. Secretary.

This will authorize the purchase of equipment, supplies and services from Thornton, Mons and Bellemann.

Proposed. Proposed and supported. Vote yes. Yes.

This authorizes an agreement protocol with Tascosa Country Club Apartments. Proposed.

Proposed and supported. Vote yes. Yes. Resolutions adopted. Account review.

This authorizes the payment of invoices.

Proposed and supported. Voting yes.

Yes. Paid invoices, comments from citizens, other communications. Any citizen who wishes to address or meet the council this evening. Who wishes to try to move forward and provide a name.

Good evening.

Good evening.

I'm Susie Smith, 17 Springbrook. On June 16, the Municipal Council voted to approve a tax incentive resolution that imposes $ 5.75 million in tax revenues on the sale of the Delaney Property Group Mobile Alabama for a private commercial development in the Springbrook neighborhood. Since the sale of the property of Springbrook to Delaney will benefit the Councilor Henry, he abstained from the public hearing. The vote was of four in favour of the councillors Hitman, Howard, Tanner and Lanier and two against the councillors Busby and Fail. In the meeting of the Municipal Council of July 28, I referred to the most relevant question of the mayor Maddox to the SIG. Michael Delaney, in the meeting of the Finance Committee of December 16, 2025, regarding the substitution effect of the proposed development of Springbrook on existing companies in Tuscaloosa. Unfortunately, as representatives of Tuscaloosa's contributors and decision-makers on how the dollars of Tuscaloosa's contributors are spent, the councilors have asked few questions to the representatives of the Delaney Property Group at the meetings of the Council Committee on December 25, January 26 and March 26. Many contributors, especially those who live in Springbrook, would like to have answers to questions like these. How many will there be? Of the 200 trees and mature shrubs present on the development site, will they be left standing? The entire area of ​​5,61 acres will be reduced to bare land as described by the representative of the Delaney Property Group, John Jackson. Before the construction of the first three confirmed activities of the six planned? What protection from the construction of the activities, as well as from their operations, will Mr. Delaney put in place for the residents of Springbrook, whose houses face and surround the property on three sides? What protection from the construction and from the company operations will Mr. Delaney put in place to guarantee the minimum disturbance to the activities of the Chevron station and the minimarket on the other side of Albright Road compared to the property? The first three activities will be built one after the other or all at the same time. Which of these activities will be in franchising? For how long will the rest of the development area remain empty before you start building the other three activities proposed? The map of the site shows important changes to Albright Road and to a short segment of 21st Street to the west of McFarland Boulevard in correspondence with the traffic light. Has Laldot already approved these changes or does such approval still have to come? Given the entity of the changes, how much time will it take approximately to complete road work? And what will happen first, road changes or the construction of the activities proposed on the development site? The disturbance to the life of all residents of Springbrook will be significant both during and after the construction of the activities on the development site. Traffic on Bright Road will be interrupted, if not blocked, to allow both road changes and the construction of activities. It would have been very useful for those whose taxes finance the development in Springbrook that their advisers had looked for answers to questions like those posted, for at least two reasons. First, to provide the contributors with information on how their money is spent. And second, to give all citizens an idea of the difficulties they will probably have to face for months, perhaps longer driving on Albright Road or in the district of Springbrook. Having said nothing before the June 16th vote and in the interest of being responsible and transparent towards Tuscaloosa's contributors, I ask that you now declare the reason for the vote in favour or against the resolution of tax incentives I also ask you to reconsider the vote on the resolution. One of the councillors, Hitman, Howard, Tyner or Lanier, please propose to reconsider the vote on the resolution of tax incentives this evening. If there is a specific procedure to be followed, do so that a vote to reconsider appears in the order of the day of the next meeting of the Municipal Council.

Anyone else wants to address their Municipal Council tonight? If you want, please come forward and provide your name and address.

I don't really know who you are. Yes, I'm from the district, but I'm a resident of... I'm a resident of Woodland Forest. My advisor solved my problem on Woodland Forest Drive last year, or the one before. I receive visitors from Los Angeles, relatives, that kind of thing. Tuscaloosa, sister, the best place to visit in Los Angeles, but when you pass constantly in front of a fist in the eye, for me it's embarrassing. It is located outside Skyland. It is a mudflat that should be cemented. The rocks are blackish, there is dirt, paper, roots of trees. and in front of them is furniture, hollies, m... Milo. It's simply disgusting and it's embarrassing that this is the big house of pachyderms. It does not represent all the areas of Tuscaloosa. This will not be the last time I come because I have other questions. But I would really like to see something done about it, you know? It's disgusting. There are roots, dirt, rocks. When it rains, the ground rots, the rocks could be cemented. I don't know where the money would come from or who would do it, but it extends from Skyland to the 69 South, where McDonald's crosses McFarland. McFarland is Skyland, but the worst part is right there in front of Ashley's Furniture.

It is simply deplorable. And I think that from where I come to Los Angeles it is cemented.

So I think we could do a little better to host the guests here and represent the great state of Alabama, in the city of Tuscaloosa.

Thank you.

Thank you. I know that the building surveillance office is already dealing with it. The city, in its long-term construction plan, at phases 2 and 3 of Cypress Creek, I am not sure if it is the cementification of that large amount of water that is trying to make its way from East Tuscaloosa to West Tuscaloosa, but I know that there are over 40 million dollars planned for drainage improvements along that corridor, from 82 Skyland to the intersection of 60 South Amove. This is the good news. The bad news is that the realization will probably take place in the next 3-5 years. In the meantime, we will ensure that our control team carefully checks the situation and keeps it clean. We want people to come to our city and live a beautiful experience.

Thank you for reporting.

Anyone else want to go to the municipal council tonight? I don't see anyone. Subject to the exercise... Did you do it? Subject to the exercise of the power of veto of the mayor, of a permanent general nature, all competent departments are here ordered to act on the policy of the Council, but born today... Listen to a motion by the General Assembly.

Motion.

Second. Motion presented and supported by Massalvoto. Second.