City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening, everyone. We ask that you stand. The Tuscaloosa City Council has now come to order. We're going to begin tonight's meeting with a prayer, and then we ask that you remain standing for our Pledge of Allegiance. Let's bow 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 to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Yes. Yes. Minutes stand approved. Proclamation statements by mayor and council. Before we get to the recognition for municipal court, I want to ask Wesley Snyder to come up here. Wesley is one of our great city employees, works in urban development. You also may know his father, who's a longtime police officer with the Tuscaloosa Police Department. Wesley is a young man who has faced such a difficult hardship, certainly as a father, I can't imagine. But him and his family have wanted to do something, are doing something with that, that I think is certainly to be congratulated and to be honored

supports this. I'm going to make sure 311 has this, so if anybody's watching this tonight, if they need more information, they can also contact 311. I tell you, I've told you this before. I don't know if I'd have the courage you've had to take something that happened and turn it into something so damn good. Thank you for what you're doing.

And if you know his dad, you're not surprised what a good young man that is. All right, changing gears. I want to ask Jessica Stewart to come up and join me. As you know, each year, instead of accepting payments for tickets within Municipal Court, we accept school supplies for the young people in the Tuscaloosa City Schools. So before I introduce the school board representatives that are here tonight, I'm gonna ask Jessica just to briefly, or Ms. Stewart, to briefly, you know about this program, but just one or two minutes about the program that we have for the public, and then we'll invite ou

We have Kalisa Boorman and Lee Allen here. So if you would, come forward. What we'd like to do is take a photo, do a little photo op. So I'd ask the city council if you would come down from the dais. And maybe we all circle back here. Sure. And then after that, Ms. Boorman, if you'd say a few words.

What's your comment? good good yes sir thank you thank you thank you and one last one last thing I do want to highlight is as team members and especially at our team meetings and hopefully throughout our organization we talk about our core beliefs and core belief three we term is serving underserved communities the fourth is talking about shared responsibility What the municipal court team has done under Ms. Stewart's leadership certainly meets core belief three and core belief four. I couldn't be more proud of you and your team members for making those core beliefs a reality. So please thank

Thank you, Ms. Howard. Any other council announcements tonight? Any agenda item comments by citizens? No, sir. Unfinished business. Clerk?

Second. It's been moved and seconded. Mr. Williams?

Any other questions, Mr. Williams? Okay. Thank you, Mr. Williams. If you will be available, I imagine there may be some questions. Before I ask the owner and owner's representatives, He'll come forward. First, I want to thank Councillor Howard for being the tip of the spear on this for really over a year now and her just relentless advocacy to work this through, the myriad of codes that are required with this. I can't say enough about Mr. Williams and our staff with an urban... urban development. They have done a fantastic job of navigating this through a myriad of different laws that have to

Any questions of Mr. Holmes before I ask Mr. Winter to come up and address City Council? Okay. Mr. Winter, we certainly know you, but if you wouldn't mind, please give your name and address.

First of all, I want to apologize to you having to deal with this.

Mr. Sincroft, would you be so kind as to stand up?

Here's the contract we signed. So we've got the architect in place, we've got the contractor in place, and now what we need to do

Mr. Winter, let me make sure before you run out of time. What Mr. Holmes outlined.

In return, you secure the building, you pay back taxes, your water and sewer bill, and simultaneously you begin negotiations with the city attorney's office on a memorandum of understanding that the council could possibly consider two weeks from tonight.

So what you're saying is you and your client agree to that?

Thank you. So at this time, does the city council have any questions for Mr. Powell, Mr. Winters?

I honestly don't physically know if we can get the fencing up in 30 days.

I'll just say I'm pretty frustrated by it. I mean, I've been watching this property for two years be completely unlocked, no deadbolts, doors wide open. And two weeks ago, you asked us for two weeks, you'd make – a large leap forward on this. We have. And then I go down at 9 o'clock this morning. I got you that you're saying a lot's happened since 9 a.m., but I rode the property at 9 a.m., and nothing had happened. And while boarded-up doors do get torn down... The back doors of this building have never been boarded up as of 9 a.m. this morning.

To be fair, that was the message two weeks ago. No, it wasn't.

I could have that property boarded by morning if I had to.

I'm being clear. If we give two weeks and it's not all done, I got no desire to keep this going because as a city, we have one lever. It's condemnation. We can't go down there and fix it and secure it and do it all ourselves. But it's not reasonable to have 20 or 30 open apartments down there.

Any other questions for Mr. Winter or Mr. Powell? All right.

This is a public hearing when it was introduced. Does anyone here wish to speak for or against? If you would, please come forward and give your name and address.

Thank you, Mr. Collins. Anyone else wish to address their city council tonight? Seeing none, we will close the public hearing. Is there a motion to table for two weeks in return that the facility be the legacy of Country Club Hills, the legacy of Country Club, that be secured, that within that two-week period there's a payment of any back taxes and water and sewer bills, and the agreement that both parties will work towards an MOU that ultimately delivers what's in the PowerPoint slide deck? Do I hear a motion?

I'll second. It's been moved and seconded. Any discussion? Seeing none, voting Mr. Lanier. Yes.

Motion passes 5-0. I think Mr. Winter, Mr. Powell, I think you heard the message loud and clear. I would not come back here in two weeks and not have accomplishments to show. Thank you very much. Consent agenda. Clerk.

Been moved and seconded. Voting, Ms. Howard.

Yes. Consent agenda is adopted. Public hearings. Clerk.

Is the owner here? If you would, sir, please come forward and give your name and address.

How long do you think you need to get the housing code violations wrapped up?

I think 90 days is what Mr. Williams is recommending. Okay.

Okay. It's been moved and seconded for 90 days. Is there anyone here who wants to speak for or against the demolition?

You think you can get it done in 90 days, though?

Yes. Seeing none, voting Mr. Lanier. Yes. Yes. Yes. Demolition is tabled for 90 days. Good luck.

I'll second. Moved and seconded. Mr. Williams.

Okay. Thank you, Mr. Williams. Is the owner or owner's representative here? Anyone here from 1219 19th Alley? Mayor. Yes, if you would, please come forward and give your name and address.

Okay, so. Any questions? All right, thank you, sir. Any questions of staff? This is a public hearing. Is there anyone here wishing to speak for or against the demolition? Seeing none. No, sir. If you would, please come forward and give your name and address.

No. I'm not sure what the commercial zoning is.

If you would, please come forward and speak into the microphone.

Anyone else wish to speak? Seeing none, I'm voting to demolish Ms. Howard.

Okay. The owner's here. If you would, please come forward and give your name and address.

Any other questions? Doesn't sound like we have a choice. I think she understands what she said.

Ms. Kreutz, was this zoning... existing prior to framework or did this change during the framework?

We have a motion and a second. Any other discussion? Seeing none, is there anyone here that wishes to speak for or against the demolition? Seeing none, voting to table for one week, Mr. Lanier. Yes.

The demolition is tabled for one week. Ms. Howard, I need to step away just for a second, but I'm going to ask that you take over the meeting agenda. I should be back in just a few minutes.

Yes, ma'am. Thank you, Ms. Howard. Unless there's any questions, I see none. Voting, Ms. Howard?

I'm going to ask you. Would you like to hear from Ms. Shoemaker? You're a freshman. Ms. Shoemaker, you have been called forward. Almost.

Any other questions for Ms. Schumacher? Nope.

Thank you, Mr. Baker. We'll continue to vote on Mr. Busby. I think the vote was with you.

Here, I'm going to go ahead and call a unanimous vote on that. We fall apart when you're not here. I think I led to this. Clerk.

Second. It's been moved and seconded by Mr. Lanier. Yes. Yes.

So moved. Second. It's been moved and seconded by Ms. Howard.

Second. Been moved and seconded by Mr. Lanier. Yes. Yes.

Second. Been moved and seconded by Mr. Lanier. Yes. Yes.

So move. Second. Moved and seconded by Ms. Howard.

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

Resolutions adopted. Ordinance and resolutions of general nature of permanent operation for introduction. Clerk.

It's been moved and seconded. Voting Ms. Howard.

Second. It's been moved and seconded. Voting Mr. Lanier. Yes. Do I hear a call for unanimous consent? Call for unanimous consent.

Moved and second. Voting Mr. Lanier. Yes.

Bills are paid. Citizens' comments and other communications. Any citizens wish to address their city council tonight? Okay. Yes, ma'am. If you would, please come forward and give your name and address.

Thank you. I do want you to know I thought our city engineer was going to be here tonight. I'm not certain. Must be a miscommunication on my part. I saw pictures earlier today. I do want to speak with Mr. Gardner. Based off the pictures, I think there's a very legitimate concern. So if you can give me until tomorrow by noon, I think we can begin piecing together some answers for you. I'd hate to say I can solve this right now because I need to know the extent of the issue, the extent of my authority in this matter. But let me see what I can do because based off the pictures that were shown to

Yes, let's go ahead and take it. And you will hear from us tomorrow by noon. I promise you. Anyone else wish to address their city council tonight? If you would, please come forward and give your name and address.

Thank you. Anyone else wish to address their city council tonight? Seeing none, subject to the exercise of mayoral veto and ordinance of the general nature of permanent operation, all departments give an order to otherwise implement council policy that stay enacted. Do I have a motion to adjourn? Second. It's been moved and seconded to adjourn. Voting Mr. Lanier.