Virginia Martin

Birmingham’s New Council Members Sworn in; Abbott Elected President

Oct. 24, 2017 – Birmingham City Councilor Valerie Abbott was elected president of the Birmingham City Council this morning. The vote was taken after new council members were sworn into office for the 2017-2021 term. Six incumbent councilors – Abbott, Lashunda Scales, William Parker, Sheila Tyson, Jay Roberson and Steven Hoyt – and three new council members – Hunter Williams, Darrell O’Quinn and John Hilliard – started their terms today. Mayor William Bell remains as mayor until Randall Woodfin, elected in the Oct. 3 runoff, takes office Nov. 28.

by Sam Prickett

Woodfin Announces Leaders of Transition Committees

Oct. 23, 2017 — Mayor-elect Randall Woodfin announced Tuesday the chairs of three of his administration’s citizen-led transition committees. Herschell Hamilton and Detective Ralph Patterson will head up the Neighborhood Revitalization and Public Safety Committee, Dr. Nancy Dunlap and Richard Rice will co-chair the Social Justice Committee, and Daniel Coleman and Annie Allen will helm the Transparency and Efficient Government Committee. Woodfin introduced the six co-chairs during a press conference at the Negro Southern League Museum, describing their committees as a continuation of his campaign’s “neighborhoods-up” strategy. “We’re still committed to not just a grassroots process, but committed to how we move our city forward for all the people that live in the city limits of Birmingham,” he said. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

New Bham Councilor John Hilliard Says He Can’t Do It Alone, Residents Must Share Responsibility for the District

This is the fourth in a series of interviews BirminghamWatch conducted with newly elected city officials. John Hilliard might become the Birmingham city councilor for District 9 when he is sworn into office Tuesday, but he wants his constituents to understand that they share responsibility for improving their district. He speaks of himself as a facilitator — someone who will bring together various groups in his community to plot out solutions to the issues of crime, economic stagnation and blight facing their neighborhoods. On the Wednesday morning just six days before his inauguration, Hilliard found himself swarmed by phone calls and scheduled meetings — the result, he said, of a “firestorm” of a transition process. Speaking with BirminghamWatch, he described his plans after he takes office, his goals for economic revitalization, and the importance of millennial involvement in urban communities. Read the Q&A.

by Sam Prickett

Proposal to Build Bridge Over the Little Cahaba Open for Comments. Opponents Fear Danger to the Drinking Water Supply, ALDOT Points to Improved Traffic

The river runs through it – the “it” being the undeveloped areas adjacent to the Little Cahaba River. But will a new road also run through this pristine watershed that protects the quality of a major source of drinking water for most residents of Jefferson and Shelby counties? The Alabama Department of Transportation is taking written comments from the public until Nov. 1 on whether to widen and extend Cahaba Beach Road from near U.S. 280 across a new bridge and connect it to Sicard Hollow Road. ALDOT regional engineer DeJarvis Leonard said the cut-through project would take many years to complete but would improve access between roads on either side of the Little Cahaba River and reduce travel times. Environmentalists’ concerns include potential degradation of drinking water by the construction, traffic and potential future commercial development. They also point out the river is a prime recreation area for canoeing, kayaking and hiking. Read more.

by Hank Black

Old Arguments Plague Birmingham City Council Members to the End

Oct. 17, 2017 -- Three outgoing councilors bid their farewells during Tuesday’s meeting of the Birmingham City Council, the last before the new council’s Oct. 24 swearing-in. But the impending infusion of new blood did little to keep the council from engaging in one perennial debate — about funding for the Magic City Classic — or to keep it from appointing a handful of new parks and transit board members, despite protestations from one councilor. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Birmingham Zoning Committee Gives Thumbs Down to Gas Station Near the Cahaba

Oct. 17, 2017 — The city of Birmingham’s Zoning Advisory Committee voted Tuesday night not to recommend rezoning a Grants Mill Road property for development of a gas station and convenience store. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

After Delays, Concord Storm Shelter Needs to Be Finished, Commissioner Says

Oct. 17, 2017 – Jefferson County Commissioner Jimmie Stephens said he’s tired of giving excuses to residents of Concord concerning the storm shelter for which they’ve been waiting. “They’ve been waiting for six years for that storm shelter,” he said at Tuesday’s committee meeting. “It’s time we took action and completed that storm shelter for the citizens of Concord. They have experienced numerous, large tornadoes. They need this shelter and protection for their community.” The contractor who was to build the shelter went bankrupt. And while the building is up, commissioners said, the roof is not tied in. “It’s important that we correct his mistakes,” Stephens said, “so we can move forward and get that done as quickly as possible.” Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

2 Lawyers, Drummond Exec Plead Not Guilty in Corruption Probe

Two partners in a Birmingham law firm and a vice president of one of the world’s largest coal companies have pleaded not guilty in federal court to charges of conspiracy, bribery, wire fraud and money laundering. Read more.

by Virginia Martin

Newly Elected Birmingham City Councilor Hunter Williams Calls for Broad Coordination to Move the City Forward

This is the third in a series of interviews BirminghamWatch will be conducting with newly elected city officials. New District 2 Birmingham City Councilor Hunter Williams is all about coordination — with neighborhoods, with the mayor’s office, with local businesses and utilities — and making sure those perspectives are represented when considering solutions to Birmingham’s issues. Williams defeated his incumbent opponent, Kim Abbott, née Rafferty, with the largest margin of victory in any of the Oct. 3 runoffs – 71.43 percent to 28.57 percent. Williams attributes his victory to voters’ frustration with a lack of growth in District 2. “It became apparent that the district was becoming somewhat stagnant in terms of growth,” he said. “And I mean not only economically. Our infrastructure was not being taken care of specifically in our district. It was very hard to see any sort of progression.” During his term as councilor, Williams hopes to restart that growth. His plan involves placing focus on existing District 2 features such as Ruffner Mountain and Banks High School, and making sure that infrastructure repairs and community policing both take into account the specific needs of their communities. Read the Q&A.

by Sam Prickett

Public Meeting Set on Proposed Bridge Across the Little Cahaba River; Environmentalists Worry It Will Threaten Water Quality.

The Alabama Department of Transportation will discuss its proposed route for a bridge across the Little Cahaba River during a public meeting Tuesday, Oct. 17. Environmentalists have opposed the proposed extension of Cahaba Beach Road across the river, saying the construction and potential development of the pristine area could threaten the health of a major source of drinking water. Read more.

by Hank Black