Regular City Council Meeting

· Item number:Item #17 · 🏗️ Property Recovery $ Total cost: undisclosed

Museum feasibility study: City contracts Davis Architects

City funds a study to explore expansion or renovation of the Birmingham Museum of Art, shaping what public cultural space looks like in coming years.

👥 Counterparty: Davis Architects, Inc. 🏛 Funding source: Unknown 📋 Action type: Resolution

· Item number:Item #18 · 🏗️ Property Recovery $ Total cost: undisclosed

Council approves Easter Egg Hunt at Harrison Park

Free community Easter event at Harrison Park on April 2. City funds support family-friendly recreation in public spaces.

🏛 Funding source: General Fund 📋 Action type: Resolution 📍 Location: Harrison Park

· Item number:Item #19 · 🏗️ Property Recovery $ Total cost: undisclosed

Mayor authorized to pursue federal gun-violence grant

City seeks U.S. Department of Justice funding for gang and gun-crime reduction efforts. Grant award could expand public safety resources in Birmingham neighborhoods.

👥 Counterparty: U.S. Department of Justice 🏛 Funding source: Federal Grant 📋 Action type: Resolution

· Item number:Item #20 · 🏗️ Property Recovery $ Total cost: $100

City funds $100 for neighborhood association event announcements

Residents will hear about neighborhood association and advisory committee meetings via calling post announcements. Helps ensure community members can participate in local civic events.

🏛 Funding source: General Fund 📋 Action type: Resolution

· Item number:Item #21 · 🏗️ Property Recovery $ Total cost: undisclosed

City funds Wenonah High girls basketball team trip to Newark

Council is spending public money from the general fund to cover travel costs for a school sports team tournament. This is a discretionary use of city resources for student athletics.

👥 Counterparty: Birmingham Board of Education 🏛 Funding source: General Fund 📋 Action type: Resolution

· Item number:Item #22 · 🛡️ Public-Safety Tech & Privacy ✨ $ Total cost: $326K

Council awards $326K contract to maintain city streetlights

City keeps streetlights working across Birmingham through a competitive bid process. Reliable lighting affects neighborhood safety and pedestrian visibility.

👥 Counterparty: Utility Lines Construction Services, Inc. 🏛 Funding source: Unknown 📋 Action type: Contract award

· Item number:Item #23 · 🏗️ Property Recovery $ Total cost: undisclosed

Council approves employee expense reimbursements

City employees are reimbursed for work-related costs from public funds. Itemized review ensures transparency in how tax dollars cover travel, training, and other official expenses.

🏛 Funding source: General Fund 📋 Action type: Resolution

· Item number:Item #24 · 🏗️ Property Recovery $ Total cost: undisclosed

Council approves itemized employee expense accounts

City employees' travel, meal, and other reimbursable expenses are submitted for public review and council approval, ensuring transparent spending of tax dollars on staff operations.

🏛 Funding source: General Fund 📋 Action type: Resolution

· Item number:Item #25 · 🏗️ Property Recovery $ Total cost: undisclosed

Council approves employee expense reimbursement accounts

City employees receive advance funds for work-related expenses. Affects payroll and operational spending from general fund.

👥 Counterparty: city employees 🏛 Funding source: General Fund 📋 Action type: Resolution

· Item number:Item #26 · 🏗️ Property Recovery $ Total cost: $146K

311 Call Center overhaul: $146K sole-source deal with Planet Technologies

City replaces its 311 customer-service system with new software and consulting from Planet Technologies. Affects how residents report complaints, request services, and reach non-emergency city support.

👥 Counterparty: Planet Technologies, Inc. 🏛 Funding source: Unknown 📋 Action type: Resolution

· Item number:Item #27 · 🏗️ Property Recovery $ Total cost: $1K

City reimburses Mayor's assistant $1,360 for DC conference

Emily Frost's travel and lodging for a January 2015 conference in Washington, D.C. are funded from the general fund. This is routine expense reimbursement.

🏛 Funding source: General Fund 📋 Action type: Resolution

· Item number:Item #28 · 🏗️ Property Recovery $ Total cost: $2K

Council approves $1,643.95 travel expense reimbursement for Chief of Staff

Mayor's Chief of Staff claims reimbursement for out-of-pocket travel costs to New York. Public deserves transparency on how executive staff expenses are approved and spent.

👥 Counterparty: Chuck Faush 🏛 Funding source: General Fund 📋 Action type: Resolution

· Item number:Item #29 · 🏗️ Property Recovery $ Total cost: undisclosed

Council approves employee advance expense accounts

Reimburses city staff for out-of-pocket work expenses. Lets employees recover costs incurred on city business.

🏛 Funding source: General Fund 📋 Action type: Resolution

· Item number:Item #32 · 🏗️ Property Recovery $ Total cost: undisclosed

Silver Cab granted 5 operating licenses for taxicab service

Grants Silver Cab Company authority to operate taxis in Birmingham. Citizens may see more taxicab options on the road.

👥 Counterparty: Silver Cab Company, Inc. 🏛 Funding source: Unknown 📋 Action type: Resolution 📍 Location: 1713 Lomb Avenue, Birmingham

· Item number:Item #34 · 🏗️ Property Recovery $ Total cost: $150K

City backs $150K small-business loan to Ezell's Express Crestwood

Birmingham commits public funds to support a local small business through a 24-month loan. The outcome affects both the company's operations and how the city deploys economic development resources.

👥 Counterparty: Ezell's Express Crestwood, LLC 🏛 Funding source: General Fund 📋 Action type: Resolution

· Item number:Item #36 $ Total cost: undisclosed

Council appoints member to Planning Commission

Planning Commission decisions shape zoning, development approvals, and neighborhood character. This appointment fills a vacancy left by Lawrence Walker's resignation.

🏛 Funding source: Unknown 📋 Action type: Appointment board

· Item number:Item #37 · 🏗️ Property Recovery $ Total cost: $419K

Council rescinds 2014 construction contract with Johnson Kreis

City is canceling a decade-old $419K construction agreement, likely freeing up the project or vendor relationship for reallocation. Details on the project outcome are incomplete.

👥 Counterparty: Johnson Kreis Construction Inc. 🏛 Funding source: Unknown 📋 Action type: Resolution 📍 Location: 160 Village Street, Suite 100, Birmingham

· Item number:Item #38 · 🛡️ Public-Safety Tech & Privacy $ Total cost: $420K

Florentine Building sidewalk project awarded to Johnson Kreis for $420K

City commits $420,000 to repair and improve sidewalks at the Florentine Building, a key downtown asset. Work will enhance pedestrian safety and accessibility in the area.

👥 Counterparty: Johnson Kreis Construction Inc. 🏛 Funding source: Unknown 📋 Action type: Contract award 📍 Location: Florentine Building

· Item number:Item #40 $ Total cost: undisclosed

Public hearing set: Vacate air rights above 1st Avenue North alley

Council will hear a proposal to allow vacation of 637 square feet of air rights over a downtown alley between 1st and 2nd Avenues, likely enabling a developer to use that airspace. Public comment accepted at March 10, 2015 hearing.

🏛 Funding source: Unknown 📋 Action type: Public hearing set 📍 Location: 1st Avenue North alley (runs parallel to and between 1st Avenue North and 2nd Avenue) 📅 Public hearing: 2015-03-10

· Item number:Item #41 $ Total cost: undisclosed

Public hearing set March 10 on vacating Powell Avenue

City is considering closing a 26,296-square-foot section of Powell Avenue between Morris and 1st Avenue South. Decision could affect property access, traffic patterns, and development potential in downtown.

🏛 Funding source: Unknown 📋 Action type: Public hearing set 📍 Location: Powell Avenue between Morris Avenue and 1st Avenue South 📅 Public hearing: 2015-03-10