The following items were passed during the Tuesday March 18, 2014 Birmingham City Council Meeting:
Revoked the business license(s) issued to GFC Foods, Inc., d.b.a. Good Friends Chinese and Seafood, President, 1720 Dennison Avenue SW, Birmingham.
Other items approved by the Council at today’s meeting include the following:
1. Approved an Ordinance authorizing the issuance, execution, sale and delivery of $4,550,000.00 Principal Amount General Obligation Warrant of the City of Birmingham, Alabama and the payment thereof. In conjunction with this ordinance, the Council also approved an Ordinance “TO FURTHER AMEND THE CAPITAL FUND BUDGET” for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, by appropriating $1,950,000.00 to Public Works, Landfill Equipment, $1,010,000.00 to Police Vehicles, $570,000.00 to Fire Vehicles, $160,000.00 to Equipment Management, Fuel Truck, $340,000.00 to Public Works/Vehicles and $500,000.00 to IMS Hardware. For more information please contact the Office of Councilor Valerie Abbott at 205-254-2355.
2. Passed a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to extend an Agreement between Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity (JCCEO) and the City of Birmingham and that JCCEO be authorized to spend the remaining grant funds plus program income for the completion of the remaining houses and NSP3 eligible activities as required by regulations. For more information please contact the Office of Councilor Valerie Abbott at 205-254-2355.
3. Passed a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to issue, on behalf of the City, a firm commitment to allocate $500,000.00 of the City’s HOME funds to Alethia House for the development of thirty (30) units of affordable housing in support of Alethia House’s application to the Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA) for Low Income Housing Tax Credits and, if the project receives tax credits from the AHFA in 2014 funding round, to enter into an agreement and disburse the $500,000.00 from the City’s HOME funds. For more information please contact the Mayor’s Office of Community Development 205-254-2483.
4. Passed a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a Project Funding Agreement with the Rotary Club of Birmingham under which the Rotary Club will provide funding in the amount of up to $3,500,000.00 for use by the City in connection with the revitalization and improvement of City-owned property located on First Avenue South, between 20th and 24th Streets, and historically known as the “First Avenue Cut.” For more information please contact the Office of Councilor Valerie Abbott at 205-254-2355.
5. Referred to the Committee of the Whole a Resolution supporting the redesign and replacement option for the I-20/59 bridge corridor through Downtown Birmingham, as presented by the Alabama Department of Transportation, in the interest of public safety as well as securing the integrity of intrastate and interstate traffic and commerce along this corridor. For more information please contact the Office of Councilor Kimberly Rafferty at 205-254-2348.
6. Referred to Committee of the Whole a Resolution that the Mayor acquire the Carraway Hospital Campus within the next (30) to sixty (60) days. For information please contact the Office of Councilor William Parker at 205-254-2464.
7. Passed a Resolution respectfully requesting the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life of Magic City event be permanently renamed “The Maxine Herring Parker Relay for Life of Magic City,” which will occur on June 13, 2014 at the Birmingham CrossPlex. For more information please contact the Office of Council President Pro Tempore Jay Roberson at 205-254-2498.
8. Referred to Committee of the Whole a Resolution appointing Leslie Patton and Associates as a consultant to provide assistance with the transition of the Office of City Council and reorganization of Central Staff for an amount not to exceed $25,000.00, from March 17, 2014 – June 30, 2014 and authorizing the Mayor to execute the appointment letter. For more information please contact the Office of the Birmingham City Council President Johnathan F. Austin at 205-254-2678.
9. Approved an Ordinance “TO FURTHER AMEND THE ZONING DISTRICT MAP OF THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM” (Case No. ZAC2014-0001) to change zone district boundaries from R-3 Single Family District and R-6 William C. Byrd, III, representing the owners Limbaugh Toyota, BD Toy, LLC, and the City of Birmingham, for parcels of land generally abutting property located at 2200 Avenue T Ensley, situated in the NW ¼ of Section 5, Township 18-S Range 3-West, and the hearing of all interested parties. For more information please contact the Office of Council President Pro Tempore Jay Roberson at 205-254-2498.
10. Approved a Resolution endorsing the City’s Comprehensive Plan entitled “The Plan-City of Birmingham Comprehensive Plan,” adopted by the Birmingham Planning Commission and dated “October 2, 2013,” and the Future Land Use Plan, adopted by Birmingham Planning Commission on February 5, 2014 including all maps, charts, tables, text and other matters bound therein. For more information please contact the Office of Council President Pro Tempore Jay Roberson at 205-254-2498.
Announcements and Reminders:
1. The Public Improvement and Beautification Committee Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 19, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. in Conference Room D & E.
2. The Special Called Administration and Education Committee Meeting is scheduled for Friday March 21, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. in Conference Rooms D & E.
3. The Joint Budget and Finance and Economic Development Committee Meeting is scheduled for Monday March 24, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. in Conference Rooms D & E.
4. The Planning and Zoning Committee Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday March 25, 2014 in the 5th Floor Engineering Conference Room.
5. The Committee of the Whole Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday March 26, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. in Conference Rooms D & E.
Are you unable to attend the Birmingham City Council meetings? Watch Council Meetings on demand. From anywhere in the world you can log on to www.birminghamalcitycouncil.org and click on the tab Watch Council Meetings; or from the comfort of your home, tune to Bright House Cable Channel 340. The Birmingham City Council meetings are free and on demand.
The City of Birmingham will make reasonable accommodations to ensure that people with disabilities have equal opportunity to enjoy all city services, programs and activities. If accommodations are required for public meetings, please contact Chiara Morrow, Assistant Public Information Officer, with reasonable advance notice by emailing chiara.morrow@birminghamal.gov or by calling 205-254-2055.
City Releases Mid Year Budget Adjustments
Monday’s Budget and Finance Meeting of the City Council included the proposed mid year budget adjustments with an emphasis on Public Safety departments and community and neighborhood projects.
The list includes funding for:
· Update to the City’s permitting system
· Demolition of Abandoned Structures
· Police Efficiency study (including staffing and beat assignments; the last study was done 30 years ago)
· 28 new police vehicles
· New landfill equipment
· New fire vehicles and fuel trucks
· Street improvements
· Library improvements
· Park Improvements (including pool improvements, HVAC repairs and Legion Field updates)
Money from a transfer of completed capital projects, the Adams Inn unused demolition funds (from fund 102), and refinancing of existing debt will be used to pay for the proposed adjustments. Each fiscal year a mid year budget adjustment is done. As previously reported, the City is in the process of shifting its fiscal year to the more common September 30-October 1 year instead of the current June 30-July 1 fiscal calendar.
Currently, the City of Birmingham is one of only a few governments that still have a fiscal year that runs June 30-July 1 of each year.
“The bulk of the City’s revenues come in during January and February making it difficult to make any financial adjustments before the end of the fiscal year,” said Finance Director, Tom Barnett.
City departments hold the line on expenses throughout the year based on the projected revenues. However, this change would allow departments to have a more accurate idea of what is available to adequately serve citizens’ needs while maintaining fiscal responsibility. City departments are again holding a tight reign on spending to allow these mid year adjustments to be made reflecting the City’s priorities in spending.
“The budget is our road map through the year. We are constantly making adjustments based on revenues and expenditures,” continued Mr. Barnett.
“We have seen tremendous improvement in our crime numbers. We need to continue to give our Police Department and other public safety departments the tools that they need to keep the City safe and clean,” said Mayor William Bell.
The City Council recently approved $2 million in additional money for the Mow More program to combat overgrown lots, adding the $1 million for the demolition of abandoned structures at the fiscal mid year point, will give a $3 million infusion into cleaning up the City and clearing lots.
Additional budgetary adjustments will be made throughout fiscal year.
