City Council - Regular Meeting

Yes.

As far as this request, I'm having a hard time a little bit on this. Obviously, I heard a lot from the neighbors on about three neighborhoods right around there. At this point in time, from my understanding of what's occurring here, there's no real plan or no real need to take this to a B1 at this point in time. I kind of consider this a little bit of speculative zoning, so I just want to note that I'm not in favor of this one.

Thank you. There's still the plumber hearing, so we just still have the plumber hearing and vote next week. Okay. Madam Clerk.

Presentation of petitions and other communications to the council, Sue Saviak, Tourism in Mobile, Apostle Valenia Green, request revocation of Cotton State Barnes business license due to consumer fraud. Ordinance is held over 64028, considered proposed rezoning of property located at 2609-2651 Spring Hill Avenue, 152-157-159 Mobile Street and 144 Highland Avenue from R1 and B3 to B1.

Mr. President.

Yes.

This is this property that owned by Covenant Presbyterian Church. They provide a lot of services to the city. They're going to be establishing a parking lot to their growing church, growing ministry in District 1. And then they're going to be also renovating their building. Thank you, Mr. President. Okay.

64-0. Let me come back to the two at the bottom in my district on Moffett Road. She hasn't read them yet. Sorry, what?

She hasn't read them yet.

Oh, I thought you went through them all. Okay, never mind. Getting ahead of things.

64-0-29 considered a rezoning of property located at 4630-4700-4960 Dolphin Island Parkway from B3 to B3 to remove previous condition of rezoning.

That's fine.

64-030 and 031 are the applications for rezoning property located at 5101 Moffett Road from B2 to B3 and 5361 Moffett Road from R1 to B3. Vice President. These are mine.

On both of these, the first one is going from a B2 to a B3. It's on a fairly short piece of land there, if you're familiar at all with that, in between Moffett Road and Overlook. There will be no buffers on this, and there is a residential area to the south. There are some residents back in there who I've spoken with, and they are not in favor of going from a B2 to a B3. The whole idea of a B3 is just really something that bothers them. I do understand that the property owner is cleaning up the lot, which is good news. However, taking it to a B3 is something that is just not appropriate for that area. On the second one, going from an R1 to a B3 is even less appropriate. This particular parcel sits right in the middle of single family homes. There's a new subdivision that has been approved right next door. And while a different zoning might be more appropriate, like a B1, we can't make that change. If that's something that the applicant wants to do, she has to start over with this whole process. Going forward, and I've talked to Shayla a little bit about some of these things, We need to better explain to people when they come to the city looking for answers as to what they need to do for a zoning change. When she came to the city and told them what it was she needed, what she wanted to do on her property, which is to allow moving trucks and build an almost 1,300-square-foot storage building behind her business, the appropriate zoning would be a B3. But there's got to be somewhere in between there that we're able to speak with these applicants and help them understand that if you're going from an R1 to a B3, you may get a little pushback from the neighbors, you know, and just walk them through the process a little bit and maybe guide them to, you know, a different direction. But that's for another day. Both of these, I'm going to ask you all to join me in denying both of these requests.

OK. All right, Madam Clerk.

Resolutions held over 25752, grant a permanent easement to Alabama Power to provide new underground service for Fire Station 19. 25753, grant a permanent easement to Alabama Power to provide new underground service to Japanese Gardens. 31754, authorize the mayor to apply, accept, and receive a grant from the Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency. Ordinances being introduced, 64032, consider a proposed rezoning of the property on Greelock Road. Consent resolutions being introduced, 03756, point Diane Steele to the History Museum of Mobile Board. 3757, recommend approval to the ABC Board for issuance of a lounge retail liquor class one license to B. Bob's downtown 213 Conti Street. 58, seven, five, eight authorized removal of weeds group, 1678, 67, five, nine determined appropriation to DJ black entertainment serves a public purpose and approved payment.

Yeah. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, we're going to table this particular, um, resolution um and we'll be adding um nothing we'll we'll be talking between meetings and jonathan we'll begin with all the council members this particular event was a partnership with parks and rakes already um they provided a event um and i was supporting the service of the dj for that particular event but we got to make sure the wording is correct now in the resolution thank you

6760 and 761 determine appropriations to Boynton Oak Society and Mobile Bay Area Veterans Commission server public purpose and approved payments. Resolutions being introduced 08762 approved purchase order to charge point for annual renewal of cloud software maintenance services for electric vehicle charging stations $15,070. 08763. Approve purchase order Dana safety supply for law enforcement. But if it's for Chevrolet, Tahoe's $41,773.77 08764 for purchase are to lead textile trading for 24 stainless steel baggage tables for cruise terminal $39,984 08765 approve purchase order to gains utility construction company. for storm drainage vegetation, 08766, 767, 768, 768 are all for drainage vegetation debris removal. That's Invasive Management, Hughes 360 Services, Safe Haven Company. 08769, approve purchase order to Melvin Pierce painting or painting of 20 cruise terminal bollards bowlers uh twenty three thousand five hundred zero eight seven seventy approved purchase order sunbelt fire for fire boots and helmets sixty thousand four hundred seventy dollars zero eight seven seventy one approved purchase order to the university south alabama for 2026 summer semester paramedic courses twenty thousand one hundred sixty nine dollars fifty cents 08772 approved purchase order to Zold Medical Corporation for one year preventive maintenance service plan for defibrillators, $34,668. 09773, transfer funds from General Fund Athletic Aquatics to Capital Account Africa Town Welcome Center for consultant contract, $100,000.

Mr. President? Yes. If we can get admin, first of all, we're excited about this because, again, This is moving us closer to the opening of the Africatown Welcome Center. If we can have Ms. Smith just to share with the public what this funding will allow us to do in terms of moving us to the next stage. of completion for the Africa Town Welcome Center. Thank you.

No problem. Good morning. This will help us with the finalizing of the contract that we're doing. So we're getting ready to go under contract with Watermark, which will be leading the design inside Africa Town Welcome Center. The extra $100,000 is to work with the AV company that's going to come and do the AV work that we're contracting from Watermark. Birmingham to be able to come and do that. And so being able to do this will start us into our process of designing and collecting the information of what will happen inside Africa Town Welcome Center.

And just as a follow up in our meeting again, thank you for the meeting last week with the community. We did acknowledge the end of December 1st of January. We might be opening depending on where we are with the collection of artifacts and stories and so forth. And I just want to get that out to the public so they know what we are in the timeline.

Yes.

That's all I have. Thank you, Mr. President.

09774 authorized one-time lump sum payment to RSA ERA City of Mobile retirees under the provisions of Section 2 of Act 608, the regular session of the 2026 legislature, $253,440. zero nine seven seven five authorized one-time lump sum payment of two rsa ers for eligible mobile transit authority retirees under the provisions of section two of acts legislative regular session five thousand six hundred for uh employees but our normal cost of the plan which isn't our yeah and that's what i was asking about chief the um

Thank you.

Mr. President, so this is a bonus. It's not a cost of living adjustment. That's correct. Is this the $1 per month of service? Month of service. Okay, so that's really going to vary all across the board.

That's right. And to Councilman Woods, there was talk of a 13th check and all this other. That's not possible in the state. would have been possible but the the problem with the police and fire pension plan is the lack of cost of living adjustments not this 13th 13th check is like a bonus i mean it just doesn't help the retirees in the long run okay all right thank you all right thank you clark zero

09776 authorize a modification and name change of capital fund transit fleet and equipment to transit assets. 21-777, authorized contract with Ike Construction Corporation for installation of new playground equipment at LaFerretta Park Playground Court, $449,000. Mr. President?

Yes. This one is in my district, and I'm really excited to see this moving forward. We were actually ready to start earlier than this, but we didn't want to take the playground down during the summertime. we're moving forward with the contract and we won't start taking the current playground down until after kids go back to school. So looking forward to this, this playground has been at Lovretta since Steve Nodine was in my seat. So that tells you how far back this goes. It is definitely time for a new playground there. The equipment, while it lasted was great but you can only do so many repairs and patches to this kind of equipment so we're really looking forward to getting the new playground equipment in we held a number of community meetings to let the residents help select the equipment what it's going to look like even the color scheme so so i'm really looking forward to this and we'll have a great grand opening for this playground when it's ready final part

21778, authorized professional services contract with Minikin Resources Incorporated to provide governance review and improvement consulting services, 90,000.

Mr. President?

Yes.

I have several questions regarding this. First of all, I'm excited about the fact that we are reviewing and we are implementing conduct a review across the boards, but what would be the consistent review of those boards?

I talked to Councilman Reynolds a little bit about this. And what I probably need to do is get a little more details from Ms. Minican of what exactly we can expect for this service that she's providing. But it does deal with board governance. We've engaged her before with board governance just to improve our processes.

And when you do that, thank you, Chief, that would definitely help. But when you do that, Chief, it also recognizes that this is a company that we've used in the past. And it states that we made, you know, that they made great progress. If we could see what reviews, you know, see the reports from the past, what were the recommendations? And did we actually implement those recommendations in the past? Because it states that, you know, in the past we have improved as a result of this service.

Yeah, and I think that's a fair to get that type of assessment in as well as what the expectations of this current contract will be and what boards she'll be working with.

That would be great.

Thank you so much. 21779, authorized contract of USS Alabama Battleship Commission. Doing business as USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park for replacement of teak deck on Battleship USS Alabama 125,000. 21-780, authorized contract with Longview International Technology Solutions for post-disaster support services, $500,000 for three years. 37-781, revoke the business license at 1172 West Interstate Service Road South.

Mr. President. Yeah, Mr. Woods. Ben, obviously there's been emails going around from Mr. Maples. the uh and then on friday as well the i guess council for for the company um all weather roofing uh did reach out they um they offered a letter saying that there is their intention to surrender the business license um and i know we've had i know at least me and mr maples have had conversation regarding do we have to take action since they did um send a letter council did send a letter notifying the city that they were intended to surrender the license After talking with the departments, the license has not been received in hand from anybody in the city. So technically the license is still out in the world somewhere. And I guess with that being said, and Mr. Maples can probably opine on it, I think we do need to move forward with revoking the license since the license is not in hand by anybody in the city.

So you would need to move forward if from an administration perspective, the license has not been effectively surrendered. So if it has, it's moot because there's no license to revoke. If it has not, then you would proceed.

I guess, uh, Logan, like an opine on that. Um, and in the opinion of y'all's department, it has not effectively been surrendered, I guess.

It is not Mario's downstairs checking now. Maybe it happens in the next hour. But we'd let you know.

Thank you. Vice President, Mr. Pan.

Even if it shows up during the council meeting, us officially as a board, as a body, voting to revoke the license is not going to make, it's not going to change things. It will still be revoked. It will still be surrendered. But I think as we take action, that will help people understand. It will help spread the word that, you know, the council has done what we could do and that, you know, this license has been revoked either way. So it's not going to hurt. I think it will help.

Thank you, Mr. President. I do with my colleague. I think at this point we have to take action. We have to also let my constituents know that we are serious and this is a serious matter. So regardless of what take place, I will my decision stays the same.

Mr. President.

Yes, Miss Ingrid and Mr. Fleming.

I concur with that. I mean, and again, to your point, like we're checking to see if it's there and confirming that if we go ahead and move forward with our authority to make sure that we know it has been revoked, then we have truly addressed the needs of our constituents. So I concur with my colleagues.

Yeah, I just want to say I agree too. I think given the public attention that this has received and everything that we have heard, we need to make a statement, um, just to show support for all the victims. So I agree. All right.

Mr president, um, I want to go back to 21, seven, eight, zero. Um, can we get some more information about the post disaster support service? As well, I notice in the contract is a three year term and it's renewable without the city council approval for the three additional one year. And is this something that we do normally with these type of contracts?

Good morning. Yeah, it's a pre-positioned contract for disaster services. This contract specifically is for our first responders or essential workers to ensure shelter, laundry services, food, and also emergency generation and roof tarping. The structure in which it's done is to adhere to FEMA standards so everything's pre-procured so we can seek the reimbursements on the back side. As for the three years, we've done that with our other pre-positioned contracts to make it easier and keep them all in line so they're renewing once they're established, renewing in unison.

Yes, sir. Madam Clerk.

Announcements.

Counsel. Counsel.

anything from the administration vice president we have a number of items that if everybody agrees we can lay the rules on let's see I'm starting with them well the one ordinance we're gonna lay that one over so Never mind. Going down to resolutions being introduced, starting with 08-762, all the way down to 08-769, then 08-771, 772, and then 09-775. And that's all of them. Well, do you want to do that one with that? There's no money attached to it, but everybody's okay with that one. Okay. And that would be it then.

Okay. All right. We'll see you downstairs at 1030.