The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday delayed a vote to purchase about 100 new surveillance cameras for the police department, with councilors expressing concerns about the millions of dollars in extra costs.

The council last year approved an agreement with Alabama Power putting about 300 cameras on power poles throughout the city. The cameras feed into the police department’s Real Time Crime Center.

Mayor Randall Woodfin brought the request for additional cameras to the council Tuesday. He said he submitted the measure at the request of Birmingham police officials who wanted to get them installed soon because crime typically increases in the summer. Woodfin said police officials are also concerned that upcoming tariffs will further increase the costs of the equipment.

Councilor Valerie Abbott asked why the members didn’t get a chance to read the changes to the agreement before voting on it Tuesday, especially considering they increased the total cost of the agreement from $5.4 million to $9.7 million.

“That’s a really big jump and I would like to know what we’re doing,” she said.

Chaz Mitchell, chief of operations for the city, said the cost includes the cameras, implementation costs, maintenance fees and fees to Alabama Power. The requested amendment also would add 20 months to the five-year agreement approved in 2024.

Other council members also asked why the request didn’t originate in a committee.

“The truth is you already approved this contract with Alabama Power last year,” the mayor said. “The amended agreement adds more cameras at an additional cost. There’s nothing else in it.”

The city received $4.5 million for the camera network last year as part of the 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act.

City Provides Vacant Lots for Affordable Housing Project 

The council on Tuesday also approved an agreement under which the city will convey five vacant lots at 125 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. for the development of eight single-family homes.

The Houston-based developer, Park Street Homes, specializes in affordable home construction projects and answered questions from the council Tuesday regarding the process.

The group focuses on underdeveloped property in urban centers and has overseen successful developments in Houston. This would be the group’s first expansion into Birmingham.

Under the agreement, the city will put in up to $360,000 to assist with the project in Smithfield.

“I want to thank these developers for leaning into the community outreach component of this project and really listening to the residents,” said Councilor J.T. Moore, chair of the Community Development Committee. “Creating pathways to homeownership and affordable housing is crucial to Birmingham’s growth, and I want to thank everyone involved for going above and beyond with this community development effort.”

In other business, the council:

• Approved a pair of items to help repair storm water drains and alleviate future flooding issues. The first agreement is with Global Construction and Engineering, totaling $500,000 to repair storm water drain covers across the city that have fallen into disrepair. These issues have contributed to flooding during the recent instances of heavy rain. The second agreement is with Smith Industrial Services to utilize fiber optic cameras that will be deployed into storm sewers with the goal of locating obstructions. That contract totals $250,000.
• Approved $1 million in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to assist with ongoing infrastructure upgrades at Birmingport.
• Approved an amended agreement with Black Women’s Mental Health Institute to extend the free mental health counseling services for residents in Districts 6 and 9 until 2026. Councilor Crystal Smitherman and LaTonya Tate contributed a combined $400,000 in federal ARPA funds to stand this program up in their districts.