Government

Off the Lawn: Discussion About Enforcement of Neighborhood Parking Ordinances Threatened to Derail Birmingham City Council Meeting.

Most of the business addressed at the Birmingham City Council’s Tuesday meeting was fairly streamlined, until an extended discussion of a proposed zoning ordinance change led to a freewheeling conversation about parking. Specifically, the issue was how to prevent people from parking on their front lawns, the width of the city’s right-of-way, and the responsibility of the Birmingham Police Department to enforce parking ordinances. “We have gotten far away from the topic that is before the council, which is just the amendment to the zoning ordinance,” said assistant city attorney Julie Bernard at one point. “The issue that is before the council … does not have much to do with the issue that we have diverted to.” Read more.

by Sam Prickett, Weld: Birmingham’s Newspaper

Briarwood Presbyterian Church Police Department Bill Moves Forward in Legislature

Briarwood Presbyterian Church may soon join the ranks of the Vatican and Washington National Cathedral as a religious institution with its own police department. Critics of the bill to allow Briarwood to establish its own police department say the move is unconstitutional. But Briarwood representatives cite the increasing rate of mass shootings at churches, schools and commercial venues as reasons for bringing police officers on staff. Since the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee approved the legislation April 19, the Alabama House of Representatives is likely to vote this next week on whether to allow the Vestavia Hills church to establish its own police department. Read more.

by Hanno van der Bijl, BirminghamWatch

PARCA Survey: Most Alabamians Say State Officials Don’t Care What They Think

The divide between state government and its people is wide, and there’s no bridge in sight. In a recent survey conducted by the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama, more than two-thirds of those surveyed said state government officials don’t care what they think, and slightly less than two-thirds said they feel they have no say in what government does. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Birmingham City Council Approves Nearly $1.5 Million to Keep Grand Prix Race in the City Despite Concerns

Questions about budgets consistently being presented to the Birmingham City Council during the time of a vote took center stage in Tuesday’s meeting, including during the discussion of a three-year, $1,496,500 contract with Zoom Motorsports to manage Indy Grand Prix Racing at Barber Motorsports Park. Read more.

by By Cody Owens, Weld: Birmingham's Newspaper

Joining Forces: Jeffco Debates Combining Inspections, Storm Water and Development Offices

Jefferson County could someday come close to being a one-stop-shop when it comes to inspections, storm water and land development. Commissioners heard a report during their committee meeting Tuesday morning about merging those three departments, as called for by a federal receiver in charge of the county’s human resources. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

City Council Report: Repaving Roads, Not Moving Them

The April 11 meeting of the Birmingham City Council was a relatively uneventful one, with nearly all of the ordinances and resolutions considered by the council relegated to the consent agenda, which the council quickly passed. Read more.

by Sam Prickett, Weld: Birmingham’s Newspaper

Alabama’s Political Corruption: Three Governors and One House Speaker Convicted of Crimes Give State a Reputation

With Robert Bentley’s resignation as governor, Alabama’s history of top elected officials who have had their careers end because of scandal continues. In the past 25 years, three governors have faced criminal charges during or soon after their terms of office, and a speaker of the House was forced out after convictions on a dozen ethics violations. The state’s chief justice was removed from office twice – not on criminal charges, but for willfully disobeying federal judges’ orders. With four top elected officials now convicted criminals, is Alabama leading the nation in political corruption? Read more.

by Robert Carter, BirminghamWatch

Coverage of the Bentley Saga

Important Events in Bentley’s Tenure as Alabama Governor (Associated Press) Robert Bentley, Alabama Governor, Resigns Amid Scandal (New York Times) Robert Bentley: An Unlikely Governor … An Unexpected End (Montgomery Advertiser) Spencer Collier: Bentley finally got what he deserved (AL.com) Why It Took Alabama’s Governor So Long to Resign (Governing) Alabama Governor Resigns Under Threat

by BirminghamWatch

Bentley Resigns, Ivey Becomes Governor. Both Promise Smooth Transition After Wild Political Day

Alabama started Monday morning facing a week of impeachment hearings expected to center on sordid details of the governor’s relationship with an aide and his use of law enforcement to cover it up. But by the end of the day, the state had a new chief executive who pledged to “steady the ship of state,” and former Gov. Robert Bentley had fingerprints and a mug shot on file at the Montgomery County jail. Bentley resigned Monday afternoon and took a deal to plead guilty to two misdemeanor charges stemming from information the state Ethics Commission handed over to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office last week. Read more.

by Virginia Martin, BirminghamWatch

Gov. Kay Ivey Makes History

Kay Ivey made history in 2002 when she became the first Republican elected state treasurer since Reconstruction. She made history again Monday when she became the second woman to hold the office of governor in Alabama. Ivey succeeded Gov. Robert Bentley, who resigned from the office amid threats of impeachment and looming criminal charges tied to his relationship with adviser Rebekah Caldwell Mason. Read more.

by Sherri Goodman, BirminghamWatch