City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening, everyone. If you will please rise, the Tuscaloosa City Council has now come to order. We're going to begin tonight's meeting with our prayer, and then if you would, stay standing for our Pledge of Allegiance. Our heads, please. Dear God, bless our proceedings tonight. Give us the wisdom to know what is just and the strength to do what is right. Amen. I pledge allegiance. States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Please be seated. Approval of the minutes.

I make a motion. We approve the minutes. Second.

Second. We move to second. We approve the minutes. Voting Mr. Even. Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Minutes stand approved. Statements by Mayor and Council. Ms. Howard has an announcement for us tonight. Ms. Howard.

Yes, Mayor, tonight we have Pastor David Gay that we all know and love from Beulah Baptist Church, along with Pastor Steve Green from More Than Congress Church in Birmingham that would like to share a very important upcoming event that they have for the community.

Okay, please come forward.

Thank you. Thank you. Again, to the council, to our mayor, and all of you, I just want to take a few minutes. This is my friend, Steve Green, from Boarding Conquerors Church there in Birmingham, Alabama. And Steve has been going around for many, many years, 47 years, been doing a lot of work called the Respect War, where we respect conferences in various cities, meaning that everybody is somebody. So we're doing this big back to school rally. And I'm going to let him talk a little more about it in about two minutes. that we're going to be doing at the McDonough Hughes Center on August the 6th. We're going to be giving away about 1,500 backpacks. We're going to be giving away some big screen TVs. We're giving away some tablets. We'll be doing food. We're going to be doing free haircuts at Beulah Baptist Church. It's for everyone. We're doing it over in the Ravensland District, but it's for everyone who want to come. We're going to make the biggest thing Tuscaloosa ever had. And next year, it's going to be big. We're going to Government Park. And we'll do 4,000 or 5,000 people out there. But it's something we want to do. My friend here who's been doing it for a long time, and Steve, I wanted to share with him.

Well, thank you so much, Pastor Gay and Mayor Maddox, and to the council of the great city of Tuscaloosa. I'm honored to be in roadside country. That's my team, and that's my other job. My day job is preaching, but watching WBUA with Gary Harris and all those, and In a little bit, I want to be watching them. Find out if the Tide got any more recruits. I'm watching the basketball team. So don't let the preaching thing fool you. I love sports. So I'm honored to be here. I bring you greetings from Birmingham, Alabama. I had the pleasure of serving as senior pastor of More Than Conquerors Faith Church, in which I was a founder for. We're celebrating 44 years I've been preaching there. But we don't measure ourselves by what we do on the inside. As we know, St. Francis of Assisi said that, you know, only preach the word, use words, preach the gospel, use words only when necessary. So our mantra is that we should let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works. that men really don't care how we worship for real. They only remember what we do. So people don't care how much you know. They want to know how much you care. So with that in mind, we took a, going to the Birmingham City Schools in 1996, 31 years ago, and we asked the Birmingham City Schools for permission to go into the school systems to impact our young people, not with the message of repent or redeem, it's a 501c3, but with the basic old-fashioned message of what Riri said, Aretha Franklin, R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Stands for respect and every single person ever created today. We told they challenge the children. No lagging. No dragging. No sagging put your pants up Saying yes, sir. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Excuse me. I'm sorry, please went shopping like Pastor David did Some hot dogs at Fair Park, which is now the cross blacks thinking 500 would show up first year 5,000 showed up next year 10,000 documented, you know preachers can sometime exaggerate, we can embellish things, but it really was 10,000. Matter of fact, in the fourth year, 20,000 documented while Birmingham City Schools attendance was 32,000. It became, except for McDonald's parade, the number one back-to-school event in the United States of America. And so we've been humbly doing that, taking it to Dothan where we got the key of the city. We're not asking for a key of the city, but we went to Jasper one year, we went to Springfield, and now, long awaited, we're in Tuscaloosa too. Bring that message to our young people. Too much killing, too much stealing, too much gangbanging. It's not just for African Americans, but it's for every single person. And our goal is not to talk about, quote, unquote, God, but to first talk about just the basic morals of saying thank you. So with that in mind, on August the 6th, as you get ready to go back to school, my good friend, Pastor David Gay, he's rocking it here in Tuscaloosa, and God has humbly allowed us to be a statesman in Birmingham when I first came along. I was too young to be old, but now I guess I'm too old to be young. But anyway, we're going to be there. I'm impacting Tuscaloosa with you and look forward to seeing that rally maybe go to 10, 20,000. Who knows? We may be in the University of Alabama by the time we get through. So road tide. And thank you for hearing us and come out, be a part of it. And in the future, Any support you would give, let me say this with this 501c3. In those years, I'm the executive founder, but there's not a dime going to my pocket. You know, we've raised a lot of monies in Birmingham, but we do it just because it's the right thing to do. So thank you for opening up the gates to your city and embracing us and being a part of it now in the future. We may need to shed out some big bucks now. If you want to do a few things now, we'll take it. But all of the monies that will be raised will go to Tuscaloosa and will stay in Tuscaloosa. God bless you today.

Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Any other council announcements tonight?

Mayor, I'll be at Jack's if you want to come by and have a cup of coffee with me Saturday morning.

Jack's what time? I'll be there by 830. 8.30 a.m. jacks this Saturday on Skyland Boulevard. Any other council announcements? Any agenda item comments? No, sir. We have no unfinished business tonight. Consent agenda, clerk.

This approves items A through D on the consent agenda.

Move adoption. Second. Moved and seconded by Mr. Lanier. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Consent agenda is adopted. Public hearings, clerk.

This sets the cost for demolition of the structure at 3233 Moody Street and authorizes the filing of a lien.

I move. Second. It's been moved and second. Anyone here which speak for or against setting the cost of demolition? Seeing none, voting Mr. Eatman. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Cost is set. Clerk.

This sets the cost for demolition of the structure at 3235 Moody Street and authorizes the filing of a lien.

So moved. Second. Moved and second. Anyone here which speak for or against the cost of demolition? Seeing none, voting Mr. Lanier. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Calls to demolition is set. Clerk.

This authorizes zoning amendment number 40. Move it up.

Second. It's been moved and seconded.

Mr. Pons. Thank you, Mayor and Council. This is a rezoning request to, oh, I'm missing some slides. This is a rezoning request for Mr. Bearden, located at 2842 18th Street, and he's requesting to rezone from MR1 to SFR5 to build a duplex on this property. So here's the site plan on the left. You can see that the lot width is 50 feet, and then the front elevation as well as the side elevation. So this does conform to framework. Framework identifies this property as traditional neighborhood core. So it does conform to the plan in the intended use as well as the zoning. And you can see that here on the future land use character map. And then it was unanimously recommended for approval at the May meeting for Planning and Zoning Commission. But I can answer any questions that y'all might have.

Any questions for Mr. Pons?

Can you explain the difference in the MR and the SFR 5 and why the difference there?

Right, yeah. So we have mixed residential 1, mixed residential 2, and then we have SFR 1 through 5. And so once you hit SFR4 and SFR5, those are kind of the smaller lots, but they allow for duplexes and things of that nature, triplexes and whatnot. But between MR1 and SFR5, it's really the lot sizes and the lot widths. So these were, SFR 5 is a new, this is a little more than you probably want, but SFR 5 is a new zoning district that we created through framework to allow for the places, primarily in District 1, that are very heavily dense, small lots, have been built up over time so that they don't have to come forward for variance requests as often as they did in the past.

And what's most of this block and around it?

Right, so the whole block is MR1 and all of the surrounding area. There's a little bit of SFR5 as you get a little bit more northeast of this property, but the general area and character of this district is MR1.

Any other questions for Mr. Collins? Okay, is the applicant here? If you would, please come forward and give your name and address.

James Bearden, 1710 Camp Horn Road, Condell, Alabama.

OK. Any questions for the applicant? All right. Thank you very much. This is a public hearing. Anyone here wish to speak for or against zoning amendment number 40? Seeing none, voting Mr. Eatman.

No.

No.

No. No. Yes. No. No. Zoning amendment is defeated. Clerk.

This authorizes zoning amendment number 41.

Move adoption.

Second. It's been moved and seconded. Mr. Pons. So this is a rezoning request by the city of Tuscaloosa. We're rezoning approximately 2.2 acres located at 1209 James I. Harrison Jr. Parkway East from IL to IP in Council District 6. This is a property that the city has recently purchased. Currently zoned IL, we wanna rezone it to IP, which is what we do for all city property, and that intended use is just city use. I believe we're gonna use it as our warehouse. Framework, it does conform to framework. Framework identifies this as flex employment, so the use as well as the zoning does conform, and it was unanimously recommended for approval in May of 2026 at Planning and Zoning Commission. I can answer any questions that y'all might have.

Any questions? This is a public hearing. Is anyone here wishing to speak for or against? Seeing none, voting Mr. Lanier.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes. Zoning Amendment Number 41 is adopted. Clerk?

Amendment Number 42.

So moved.

Second.

Moved and seconded. Mr. Pons. Thank you. So these are some zoning updates that we're bringing forward to y'all tonight. So this is primarily in the downtown area. As you can see on this map, a few different zoning districts that it touches. So one of the main changes is street level uses. We have uses in the downtown perimeter and downtown historic edge districts that do not have commercial on the ground floor, that don't require commercial on the ground floor, such as single family homes, town homes and things like that. And when we updated the code to make the standards a little bit more restrictive in relation to building materials and development as a whole to mimic downtown, the downtown perimeter and downtown historic edge districts, they carried that street level uses restriction and so we want to remove that and that's what this change would do. Another change that we're proposing is these uses. You can see P on the chart means permitted by right. We want to change some of these to special exception, which would mean it would be required to go to the zoning board of adjustment for approval, a little bit more transparency, as well as just kind of making sure that it matches the character of the district if I were to want to bring a convenience store or private event space to that area. And then third, we want to add rehabilitation facility to these restricted uses to require a distance. Say I want to bring a liquor store to a specific location and it's permitted, but it has to be 1,000 feet from a rehabilitation facility. So we want to add that as well in there. But I can answer any questions that you all might have on these code changes. Any questions?

Good.

Thank you.

All right. Thank you very much. This is a public hearing. Anybody here wish to speak for or against? Seeing none, voting Mr. Eatman.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Voting amendment number 42 is adopted. Clerk.

This authorizes adoption of the 2026 edition of the manual for the design of sanitary sewers and amends various sections of the code of Tuscaloosa.

So moved. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Does the council have any questions? This is a public hearing. Is there anyone here wishing to speak for or against? Seeing none, voting Mr. Lanier. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Code is amended. Clerk.

This approves the sale of consumable hemp products at Twin Store Package Store.

Moved option. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Ms. Franks.

Good evening, Mayor and Council. Good evening.

Good evening.

I have ABC application for K&A Food Mart LLC doing business as twin store package store. They are requesting an approval letter for a specialty retailer of consumable hemp products. They are located at 1050 McFarland Boulevard Northeast, Suite B. Their hours will be Sunday, 12 p.m. to 9.30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. Here's the aerial view. All my reports have been filed with the city clerk. TPD will give their report and then the applicant.

Officer Branson.

Good evening, Mayor, Council. Regarding the report before you, the application, the police department has no objections.

Is the applicant here? If you would, please come forward and give your name and address. Amber Salman, 3532 17th Avenue. Any questions for the applicant? Thank you, sir. Thank you. This is a public hearing. Is there anyone here wishing to speak for or against? Seeing none, voting is treatment. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Sell is approved. Clerk.

This approves a retail beer and table wine license for Spark by Hilton University, Tuscaloosa.

So moved. Second. Moved and seconded. Ms. Franks.

Okay, ABC application for the Prenship LLC doing business at Spark by Hilton University, Tuscaloosa. They are applying for a retail beer and a retail table wine for owner off-premises. There are ABC special restrictions where all sales are on-premise consumption only. They are located at 4541 Jug Factory Lane. Here is the aerial view. All my reports have been filed with the city clerk. TPD will give their report and then the applicant.

Officer Branscombe.

Regarding this application before you, the police department has no objection to this one either.

Is the applicant here?

Yes.

If you would, please give your name and address. Hello. My name is Dawal Patel, and I'm located at 619 Lanesdowne Avenue, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Any questions for the applicant?

Good.

Thank you, sir. Thank you. Please sit down. This is a public hearing. Anyone here wish to speak for or against? Seeing none, voting Mr. Lanier.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Applications approved. Good luck. Resolution and ordinance is not of a general nature. A permanent operation. Clerk.

This approves a 240 nonprofit tax-exempt license for Theater Tuscaloosa.

Move adoption.

Second.

It's been moved and seconded. Ms. Franks.

ABC Application for a Theater, Tuscaloosa Incorporated. They are doing a non-profit tax exempt event at the Bean Brown Theater. These will take place on July 16th through 19th and July 22nd through July 26th. They both will start at 630, and that is for Big Fish Weekend 1 and Big Fish Weekend 2. All my reports have been filed with the city clerk. TPD will give their report and then the applicant. Okay.

Officer Branscombe.

Regarding this application, the police department has no objections to this one either. Thank you, sir.

Anyone is the applicant here? Okay. Yes, sir. If you would, please come forward and give your name and address. Hi, I'm Michael Walker, 4561 Royale Drive, Tuscaloosa.

Any questions to Mr. Walker? I just want Mr. Walker to know, you know, Councillor Eatman's son's in the show.

And he's doing a great job.

That's what I told you he said that.

Any other questions? Good luck. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you all. Thank you. And Mr. Eatman, good luck to your son. Thank you. All right. Voting, Mr. Eatman. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Applications approved. Good luck. Clerk.

This authorizes the purchase of equipment, supplies, or services from Thornton, Musso, and Bellarmine.

So moved.

Second.

Moved and second. Voting, Mr. Lanier. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Resolutions adopted. Clerk.

This authorizes execution of a cost-sharing agreement with Ascension FBO.

So moved. Second. Moved and second. Voting, Mr. Eatman. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Resolutions adopted. Clerk.

This authorizes execution of an aviation hangar ground lease with TP Investments.

So moved. Second. Moved and seconded. Voting Mr. Lanier. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Resolutions adopted. Clerk.

This authorizes execution of a master service agreement with UAvionics Corporation.

So moved. Second. Moved and seconded. Voting Mr. Eatman. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Resolution is adopted, clerk.

This authorizes execution of a right-of-way permit to Tosialli Properties. So moved. Second.

Moved and second. Voting is for Lanier. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Resolution is adopted, clerk.

This authorizes a contract with Smith and Loveless Incorporated and declares a bid-law exemption. So moved.

Second. Moved and second. Voting is for Eatman. Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes.

Yes. Yes. Resolution is adopted, clerk.

This will authorize the CFO to draw a draft for phase one of the Northern Sewer Expansion Improvements Project property acquisitions. So moved.

Second. Moved and seconded by Mr. Lanier. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Resolution is adopted, clerk.

This will authorize execution of an appraisal service contract with Southeast Appraisal. Moved.

Second. Moved and seconded by Mr. Eatman. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Resolutions adopted, clerk.

This authorizes a professional services contract with Tyler Technologies.

So moved.

Second.

Moved and seconded by Mr. Lanier. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Resolutions adopted, clerk.

This authorizes a minor public works contract with Civil Works Construction.

So moved. Second. Moved and seconded by Mr. Eatman. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Resolution is adopted, clerk.

This will authorize a professional engineering services agreement with Druid City Engineering.

So moved. Second. Moved and seconded by Mr. Lanier. Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Resolution is adopted, clerk.

This tentatively awards a public works contract to AC Jackson Construction Company.

So moved.

Second.

Moved and seconded by Mr. Eatman. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Resolutions adopted, clerk.

This authorizes professional architectural and engineering services agreement with Ward Scott Morris Architecture regarding Annex 3.

So moved.

Second.

Moved and seconded by Mr. Lanier. Yes. Yes.

Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Resolution is adopted. Clerk?

This authorizes professional architectural and engineering services agreement with Ward Scott Moores regarding the IMF security office.

So moved.

Second.

Moved and seconded by Ms. Friedman. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Resolutions adopted, clerk.

This authorizes a minor public works contract with Renovations Plus.

So moved. Second. Moved and seconded by Mr. Lanier. Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Resolutions adopted, clerk.

This authorizes a minor public works contract with K&A Builders.

So moved.

Second.

Moved and seconded by Mr. Eatman. Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Resolution is adopted. Clerk.

This authorizes amendment number three to the minor public works contract with Dakin Applied Americas. So moved.

Second. Moved and seconded by Mr. Lanier. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Resolutions adopted, clerk.

This will authorize amendment number two to the minor public works contract with John Wayne Plumbing and Drain Service Company.

So moved.

Second.

Moved and seconded by Mr. Eatman. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Resolutions adopted, clerk.

This tentatively awards a public works contract to BLD Services, LLC. So moved.

Second. Moved and seconded by Mr. Lanier. Yes. Yes.

Yes. Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Resolution is adopted. Clerk?

This tentatively awards a public works contract to GFC Construction.

So moved. Second. Moved and seconded by Mr. Edmonds. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Resolution is adopted. Clerk?

This authorizes a professional services agreement with TTL.

So moved. Second. Moved and seconded by Mr. Lanier. Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Resolutions adopted. Ordinance and resolutions of the general nature of permanent operation for induction and clerk.

This authorizes amendment number 15 to the fiscal year 2026 general fund budget.

So moved.

Second.

Moved and second. Voting Mr. Eatman. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes. All for unanimous consent. Second.

Moved and second. Voting Mr. Lanier. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Budget's amended. Clerk?

This reappoints Sean Mobs and Lauren Wilson to the Ability Alliance of West Alabama's Board of Directors. So moved.

Second. Moved and seconded by Ms. Raven. Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Call for unanimous consent. Second. Moved and seconded by Mr. Lanier. Yes.

Yes. Yes.

Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Appointments are made. Auditing account.

This authorizes the payment of bills.

Pay my bills and I think I'll handle this myself.

Your 4th of July bill wasn't very big. Voting Mr. Eadman. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Resolutions adopted. Citizens' comments and other communications. Any citizens wish to address or see Council on that? If you would, please come forward and give your name and address. Okay.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Susie Smith, 17 Springbrook. On June 16th, City Council voted to approve a tax incentive resolution committing 5.75 million of city sales tax revenue to Delaney Property Group from Mobile for a private commercial development in Springbrook neighborhood. Because he will, the City Council vote was four approving, Councilors Eatman, Howard, Tyner, and Lanier, and two opposing, Councilors Busby and Fayle. Because he will profit from the sale of the Springbrook property to Delaney, Councillor Henry retired to an anteroom of the City Council Chamber during the public hearing. Resident of District 4, Wanda Mouzon, having worked in urban planning for many years, gave you a copy of the letter she sent to you in January, explaining the view she summarized before the City Council in its June 9th meeting, that the site plan for the Springbrook development flies in the face of current accepted practices regarding commercial development adjacent to residential properties. She offered several alternative design ideas that would reflect current acceptable practices. In her letter, Ms. Mouzon asserted that the City Council should not allow the design and should not grant the tax incentives. On June 16, 17 Tuscaloosa taxpayers spoke in opposition to the tax incentive resolution. Linda Parsons, a resident of City Council District 2, a CPA and professor at UA's business school, whose area of expertise is government finance, outlined with detail and concrete example how the tax incentive plan as described in the resolution would likely reduce the city's overall sales tax revenue, would burden existing businesses with subsidizing their new competition, and concluded that Delaney Property Group should not ask the city to guarantee their profit or take on the business risks associated with the development. At the June 30 City Council meeting, John Barth, resident of District 6, presented the City Council with the text of an online petition in opposition to the tax incentive resolution and a list of the people who signed it. 125 of the 219 signers were from Tuscaloosa zip codes 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Ms. Barth also asked that you reconsider your vote to approve the tax incentive resolution passed on June 16, which you can do following Section 6, Letter F, Number 4 of the City Council's Rules of Procedure, which indicates a councilor voting in the majority may move to reconsider a vote taken within six months after that vote was taken. In this case, Councillor Eatman, Howard, Tyner, or Lanier could move to reconsider the vote on the tax incentive resolution now. Closing the public hearing on June 16, Mayor Maddox called for comments from the council at 57 minutes, 18 seconds. No councillor spoke. At 57 minutes, 29 seconds, Mayor Maddox called for the vote. The vote took from 57 minutes 31 seconds to 57 minutes 36 seconds. No councillor made a comment, no councillor posed a question to any speaker, and the vote took five seconds. Your vote to approve ignored the analysis and advice of those with expertise in their field and disregarded the wishes of other Tuscaloosa citizens who spoke at the city council meeting and who signed the online petition of opposition. I have two requests. First, having nothing to say before your vote on June 16, and in the interest of being accountable to and transparent with Tuscaloosa taxpayers, I ask that you state now the reason for your vote on the tax incentive resolution. What is there about the resolution that earned your vote for or against? Second, I ask you to reconsider the vote taken on the tax incentive resolution on June 16. either Councilor Eatman, Howard, Tyner, or Lanier, please move to reconsider the vote on the tax incentive resolution this evening. If there is a particular procedure you must follow to include it on the City Council agenda in the future, I ask that a vote to reconsider appear on the agenda of the next City Council meeting.

We're at time. Thank you. Who else wants to address their city council? Come forward and give your name and address. Would you mind?

Yes, ma'am. My teenage son was... Ma'am, could you pull the microphone down a little bit?

There you go. Yes, I'm sorry.

On Saturday, July 11th, my teacher was sitting in my neighbor's yard. He was unlawfully placed in police custody by Texas Police Department. My son was placed in handcuffs and placed in the back of the police, which took away his ability to walk away. Officer Adams proceeded to ask my son incriminating questions, which took the situation from being a simple thing to him now being in police custody. The police never gave a description of who they were looking for, and they had no evidence of my son committing a crime or even being in the area where the crime was committed. Officer Adams did not give any articulate lawful order before placing my son into custody. With my son being in custody, they did not read him his juvenile Miranda rights, which informs him of the right to have his parent present. Once I came outside, I informed Officer Pope of who I was and was told not to come any further. As his mother, I was not informed exactly why my son was in custody. In order to legally place my son in custody, the officers needed probable cause. Upon speaking with Major Rester, he stated that my son had on black pants and white shoes, which was what the suspect was wearing, but according to state law, that vague description of black pants and white shoes is not enough to establish probable cause or reasonable suspicion to place him into custody. I also find Major Rester's information hard to believe because I heard Officer Adams ask my son if he had changed clothes or if he had anything else on. Major Rester also stated that this is a learning experience for his officers, but I find that inexcusable because things like this have caused so many melanated boys to be gunned down by police because they run out of fear or uncertainty. What if my son had run away from the officers? Also, this is not the first time something like this has happened. The first time was December 31 of 2024. The officers took my son's phone, which didn't allow him to call me. And once again, I was told, oh, he matched the description. With this situation, the officers refused to give identifying information when they was asked. Why was that? My son's constitutional rights was violated in more than one way. And he is afraid, stressed, and losing sleep. This situation on top of losing his father, being killed by gun violence, his cousin Jabari Peoples, who was killed by a police officer, and now this unnecessary treatment. My son also has conversion disorder, which is a psychological disorder brought on by stress. I am so afraid that he will lose his ability to walk again, which will be a major setback. So my question to you is, why is this behavior that violates the Constitution tolerated? If they were investigating a shooting, why was my son targeted out of the group of people that were standing in the yard just because he had on pants and shoes? When I made my presence known, why was I not allowed to go to my son? Why do people like Major Rester think it's OK for officers to learn in the field instead of in the academy? Why was officers so comfortable not giving identifying information? The police cannot be ignorant to the law that they take an oath to uphold. Let's see. Did y'all hear me clearly? Did I say everything clearly?

Okay, thank you. Yes, ma'am. Our executive director of public safety is here, and afterwards he will be glad to discuss it with you. Yes, ma'am.

And I would just like to say, too, as chair of public safety and as a mother, that I will be speaking with our director of public safety because I believe in transparency, and so I'm sure he'll be willing to work with you, too, to figure out exactly what happened and how we can make sure that all of our children are safe in the hands of law enforcement.

And thank you for coming. Thank you. Anyone else wish to address or see counsel tonight? Seeing none, subject to excise of mayoral veto in ordinance of the general nature of permanent operation, I'll ask the department to hear by order to otherwise implement counsel policy at this day and action.

I move we adjourn.

Move and second to adjourn. Voting Mr. Eman. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes.