City Council - Regular Meeting

0:43 – 2:03•CSC.J. Small

IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE THIS MORNING. WELCOME TO OUR SEPTEMBER 1, 2026 MEETING. AT THIS MEETING, WE DO HAVE RULES. AT THIS TIME, I ASK IF ANYONE HAVE ANY TYPE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICE, INCLUDING CELL PHONES, PLEASE AT THIS TIME PUT ON THE OFF OR THE VIBRATED POSITION, THE OFF OR THE VIBRATED POSITION. Any person that is desiring to address the Mobile City Council must sign in the ordinance resolution of public hearing agenda item before entering the meeting. When addressing the council, the speaker must give his or her name. Any person that is desiring to speak to the council on a non-agenda ite

2:07•CSC.J. Small

Second. Properly move and second in discussion. All in favor? Aye. All opposed? Minutes approved.

9:33 – 9:45•GGGina Gregory

Before you all leave, could we have everyone who is here to support this effort please stand, everyone wearing the yellow, gold. Thank you. That's great, thank you.

17:17•CSC.J. Small

So moved. Second. Properly moved and seconded any discussion. All in favor? Aye. All opposed? Agenda is adopted.

17:41•CSC.J. Small

Second. Prop to move and second. Any discussion? All in favor? Aye. All opposed? Appeal passes.

17:57 – 18:09•CSC.J. Small

This opens the public hearing for this particular said item. Is anyone present that would like to address the council on this item? If not, this particular public hearing is closed.

18:19•CSC.J. Small

This opens up the public hearing for this particular said item. Is there anyone present that would like to address the council on this item?

18:25 – 18:43•BRBen Reynolds

Mr. President, I just want to make one statement on this one, that the applicant has withdrawn this application. And we can just leave it on the agenda until next week, and we can just remove it. OK, President. Oh, you want to table it today? OK, we'll just go ahead and table it today, if you don't mind.

18:45•CSC.J. Small

Is anyone else present? If not, this public hearing is closed.

18:52•BRBen Reynolds

Do you want to speak on this public hearing, the 4600 Hamilton Boulevard? If you want to speak now is your opportunity.

19:03•CSC.J. Small

You're speaking on 4600 Hamilton Boulevard? Okay. The public hearing is open back up again.

19:29 – 19:40•BRBen Reynolds

Yes, applicant has gave us a letter withdrawing their application for rezoning. Okay, so then that's it. That's it for now. Yes, sir.

19:41•CSC.J. Small

Sorry. No problem. Thank you. All right. And why is the president? If not, this public hearings close.

19:58•CSC.J. Small

Just open the public hearing for this particular said item. Is there anyone present that would like to address the council so you might come down to the podium and stating your name?

22:35•CSC.J. Small

Any questions or comments from this council?

22:39•CSC.J. Small

Is there anyone else present that would like to address the council on this particular said item? If not, this public hearing is closed.

23:01•CSC.J. Small

This opens up the public hearing for this particular said item. Is there anyone present that would like to address the council on this item? If so, you may come down to the podium by stating your name.

24:20 – 24:51•CSC.J. Small

Yeah, as Mr. David coming up, that property has been blighted for years and years. I mean, even the daycare right in this door would like to buy it, you know, please i'm begging you know myself personally because i have to pass that every single day yeah and it's it's horrible yeah i've started yeah i've i've started and then if you just feel a little bit more lean with me i got me a contractor like i said

24:58 – 25:10•CSC.J. Small

If you want to sell it, the daycare right next door would like to buy it. Mr. Davis, did you pull a permit you know of? OK.

25:59 – 26:15•CSC.J. Small

All right. Thank you. Yeah, I might ask this council that's hold is over 60 days if we can go ahead and get everything together. But please, I'm begging. Yeah. All right. Thank you. Is anyone else present that would like to address the council on this particular said item? Not this public hearings close.

Thank you. I do want to acknowledge that the performance contract application for this year required a more rigorous process in terms of being able to gather the data so that we are able to evaluate all of the contracts at the end of this year. So I do want to recognize that that process was put in place. Thank you.

39:57 – 40:24•CSC.J. Small

Yes, sir. Ashley, it's your three minutes. And don't get me wrong. Everyone on this council, we love our veterans. But I believe what you're asking us to do, and I would like for my attorney, our attorney to... talk about a little bit more and that this council is not able to do it. And as you can explain to them why Mr. Maples, what he's asking for, where are we limited at?

Mr. Shreve, I guess just for clarification, I mean, it's zone B1. I guess the hang-up here is I don't believe that we've seen a conditional use for the use that he says that he has. I guess right now maybe there's an existing use at the property that he's talking about, and in order to get it from that existing use, over to what he needs in order to get a business license from the Revenue Department, a conditional use permit would need to be made. I guess that's the clarification. I guess right now it's zoned appropriately. It's just there's a use that's associated with this property.

43:06•CSC.J. Small

So could you just tell him what his next steps he needs to go ahead and do? Absolutely. I've communicated with your attorney, so he knows.

Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to... This is a communication to the Council, so I truly want to thank Miss Deborah, Miss Sabrina, Mr Hill and Mr Chad for coming down. As you see, they explained the situations they talked about it. That's what it's about. You can communicate to the Council without being disrespectful or doing anything like that, and so that's what took place. I did want to acknowledge Miss Mass spoke about the. The budget, so the mayor creates the budget, and now it's a proposed budget. Now it's in the council hands. A lot of people don't understand that. You have three

Mr. President, I would like to thank the young man that just left the podium. Thank you for your service to our country, and thank you for your service and commitment to our community. Thank you.

45:18•CSC.J. Small

Probably moving second in discussion. All in favor? Aye. All opposed? I will lay it over.

45:36•CSC.J. Small

Proper move and second in discussion. All in favor? Aye. All opposed? I don't pass.

47:54•CSC.J. Small

From the 2nd, probably move the 2nd in discussion.

47:58 – 49:12•BRBen Reynolds

Yes, sir. Mr. president, Mr. Reynolds, I think this, uh, feasibility study for this Marina is. I think it's a very popular thing that people want to see happen. We've traveled to some cities and saw it in downtowns, like Tampa. Of course, Tampa is not an industrial port quite like ours is. There are other cities that have this amenity, and I think it would be nice if the city of Mobile had this amenity. And the first step in seeing if it makes sense or if it's possible is to engage with someone who knows these things and have them conduct a feasibility study. I think it's a popular thing among

I would like to acknowledge our way forward with the contract with Watermark Consulting for Africatown Welcome Center. I want to thank the administration for moving this forward. It allows us to get closer to the opening of the Welcome Center. And again, this contract is specifically for the design process for internal. And so I'm excited to know that it is moving forward and we're getting closer to an opening date. Thank you.

49:44 – 50:34•BRBen Reynolds

Yes, sir, Mr. President. One other thing regarding the independent contractor services agreement with Thompson Engineering. I think what we found out last term was that we had adequate funds and capital accounts to do major projects, but we lacked the capacity to move them forward through engineering services and other things. And I don't know whose idea it was under the previous administration to embed an engineering firm or engineering staff within our city staff so they could help move the ball forward on some of these projects. I'm told that this has been a tremendous success and a tremend

50:36•CSC.J. Small

Any other discussion? All in favor? Aye. All opposed? Item passes.

50:55•GGGina Gregory

except for with the exception of 64 dash 0, 3, 5.

51:04•BRBen Reynolds

I move to waive the rules for immediate consideration of item 6, 4, 0, 3, 5.

51:10•CSC.J. Small

Right. Second. I'll be moving second in discussion. All in favor? Aye. All opposed? Rules away. Not a clerk.

51:26•CSC.J. Small

Move to table. Second. Properly move and second in the discussion.

51:29 – 51:42•BRBen Reynolds

Yes, sir, Mr. President. Ms. Reynolds. We have received a letter from the applicant wishing to withdraw this application for rezoning, and therefore the only action really before us is to table the item.

51:43•CSC.J. Small

And other discussion all in favor aye all opposed.

51:56•CSC.J. Small

So moved second after moving second in discussion.

52:00•GGGina Gregory

We need to spin the rules moved away the rules for immediate consideration. Sorry of these resolutions as read.

52:07•CSC.J. Small

Second. Proper move and second in discussion. All in favor? Aye. All opposed? Rules waived. Madam Clerk?

52:42•CSC.J. Small

Properly move to second in discussion. All in favor? Aye. All opposed? I don't pass.

53:19•CSC.J. Small

Second. Second. Proposed to move and second. Any discussion? All in favor? Aye. All opposed?

53:33•CSC.J. Small

Motion to move off of layoff for 60 days. Second. Proposed to move and second. Any discussion? All in favor? Aye. All opposed? Aye. Layoff for 60 days.

53:47 – 53:58•GGGina Gregory

Move to waive the rules for resolutions 08-955 and 21-960, with the rest being laid over for one week.

53:58•CSC.J. Small

Second. Second. Probably move and second any discussion. All in favor? Aye. All opposed?

54:22•CSC.J. Small

Second. I'll move and second in discussion. All in favor? Aye. All opposed? Item passes.

55:15•CSC.J. Small

So moved. Second of the moving second in the discussion. All in favor. Aye. All opposed. Love hearing this call.

Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. Reynolds hinted or alluded to the Thompson contract. District 6, through CIP, has been able to take advantage of some of that as well with another partner of the city. So I just wanted to say thank you to engineering. I'm keeping the status. THE LARGEST REPAVING CONTRACT IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNCIL AS FAR AS INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS. DISTRICT SIX FUNDED THIS YEAR, AND I'LL GIVE CREDIT TO COUNCILMEMBER REYNOLDS. SOME OF THAT WAS IN HIS DISTRICT AS WELL, BUT ON The engineering company and the partners have really got started pretty quick. Right now they're in Lamplig

56:47•CSC.J. Small

Thank you, Mr. Woods. District 2, Councilwoman Ingram.

Thank you, Mr. President. Greetings, District 2. I want to join in with the mayor in encouraging all of the District 2 residents and others that are interested in the Downtown Development District to attend the workshop that's scheduled September 2nd at 6 p.m. Again, you know, administration has put a lot of work into this, making sure that it is designed in the way that you can have maximum community engagement for all stakeholders, developers, residents, all of them. So please make sure you attend and let us hear your voice. also on thursday september the 10th at 7 pm we will have our next d

57:56•CSC.J. Small

Thank you, Councilwoman Ingram. District 4, Councilman Ramos.

58:00 – 58:29•BRBen Reynolds

Thank you, Mr. President. I want to let everybody know about the District 4 annual meeting that's going to take place on September 29th at Mobile Christian from 6 to 8 p.m. If you show up, bring your questions, bring your concerns. We'll have someone from 311 there. We'll have taking them down and putting them in. We ask that everybody who comes to speak be concise with your questions. Don't go on long rants and take up all the time from everyone else, but please show up. That's what we want.

58:29•CSC.J. Small

Thank you. Thank you, Councilman Reynolds. District 5, Councilman Fleming.

Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to thank the administration and along with Councilwoman, Ms. Vice President Gregory, for all their hard work and assistance to help move the North McGregor project forward. I'm glad to see us finally getting this underway. I think it'll enhance that corridor. And also would like to say I had the privilege to go to the Mobile Museum of Art this past week to experience the Gateway exhibit. If you haven't had a chance or whenever you do get a chance, go by and check it out. Truly, we are lucky to have some of these renowned artists here in our area, and I think

District 1, Councilman Penn. Thank you, Mr. President. It was a great day, a great weekend in District 1 this past weekend. We have one and two of the best high schools located in my district, John L. LaFleur Madigan High School, as well as UMS Wright Preparatory Academy, both won their football game. So congratulating to the coaches, to the administrators and to the student athletes for amazing job this past weekend. My son and I had an opportunity to attend the Arthur Ashe annual tennis clinic that was hosted by Mobile Parks and Recreation and the Tennis Center. It was an amazing event. My s

1:02:11•CSC.J. Small

Thank you Mr. Penn. District 7 Vice President Gregory.

1:02:14 – 1:03:54•GGGina Gregory

Thank you, Mr. President. The mayor spoke about, as did some of my colleagues, the gateway to galleries, from subway to the galleries, graffiti to galleries, that's out at the Mobile Museum of Art. Do take your time to go out and visit this exhibit. It is really wonderful and you need to see it. It will be here for a year, so it starts today and goes through September 1st of next year. This past week, I just have to say thank you and hats off to our communication staff with the mayor's office as well as parks and rec. We had two events in my district on the same day, and that is definitely pus

1:03:54•CSC.J. Small

Thank you, Vice President. Anything from the administration? Motion to adjourn. Properly move and second in discussion. All in favor?