Government

City Relinquishes Power Over Old Powell School, Raising Concerns About Historic Preservation

After a contentious discussion, the Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to relinquish its interest in the historic Powell School building, which has been vacant for more than two decades. Though developers of the property told councilors that historic preservation is their priority, they expressed doubts that they’d be able to save most of the 134-year-old structure. Now, with the city stepping out of the way, they won’t be compelled to. Councilors split over the discussion. District 3 Councilor Valerie Abbott said she was “aghast” at the idea of “giving the property away” to a developer with no guarantee of historical preservation. Mayor Randall Woodfin retorted that it made less sense to leave the dilapidated school building standing. “It is clear blight,” he said. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Birmingham Council Sets Agenda for the Legislature, Backing Exhibition Driving, Illegal Dumping and More Bills

The Birmingham City Council has set its legislative agenda for 2023, establishing lobbying priorities for when the state Legislature convenes in March. New priorities for the city include battling exhibition driving and allowing local banks to buy tax-delinquent properties, along with a slate of recurring issues. The council’s list was approved without recommendation from Mayor Randall Woodfin’s office, which in the past has lobbied for its own separate list of legislative priorities. Read more. Read the full City Legislative Package for 2023

by Sam Prickett

Alabama Has 5th Highest U.S. Gun Death Rate; Study Blames Weak Laws, High Ownership

The Violence Policy Center, a non-profit educational organization, used the most recent CDC data on gun death rates in the U.S. for its analysis. Read more.

by Taylor Washington, WBHM/Gulf States Newsroom

JeffCo Commission Agrees to Support Magic City Classic for 1 Year, Will Consider Longer Contract Later

Lashunda Scales was moved to tears Thursday as she lobbied to get a 3-year deal for Jefferson County to support the Magic City Classic. But Scales’ tears didn’t move her fellow Jefferson County commissioners to go beyond the 1-year, $500,000 commitment that was on their meeting agenda. The commission approved the professional services agreement with the Alabama Sports Council on a 4-1 vote with Scales voting no. Sheila Tyson hesitated before voting with commissioners Jimmie Stephens, Joe Knight and Steve Ammons. The money comes from the county’s economic development fund, although Stephens, the commission president, questioned whether that was the appropriate source. Read more. Earlier this week Commission Considering Funding to Keep Magic City Classic in Birmingham

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Commission Considering Funding to Keep Magic City Classic in Birmingham

The Jefferson County Commission today sent a resolution to the agenda of Thursday’s meeting to pay $500,000 to the Alabama Sports Council in support of the Magic City Classic. The resolution followed a vigorous discussion among commission members about the level of support the county will provide to the annual gridiron meeting between Alabama State and Alabama A&M universities. Commissioner Lashunda Scales initially presented a resolution for the county to pay the ASC $750,000 for each of the next three years to help keep the game at Birmingham’s Legion Field, where the past 80 Classics have been played. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Councilors Discuss Spending $500K to Send Neighborhood Leaders to Convention but With Report Requirement

Each year, the Birmingham City Council approves funding for hundreds of neighborhood officers to attend the Neighborhood USA conference. This year, though, that approval will likely come with the stipulation that attendees report back to their neighborhood associations on what they learned. Pending a council vote next week, the city’s 99 neighborhoods will each have the option to send two representatives to NUSA, which this year will be held in El Paso, Texas. The conference offers what it describes as “cutting-edge workshops” and “tools and training to improve and maintain great neighborhoods every year.” Read more.

by Sam Prickett

JeffCo Approves $5 Million Toward Construction of Amphitheater

The Jefferson County Commission today approved the next step in making a 9,000-seat, $50 million amphitheater part of The Star Uptown development on the campus of the former Carraway Hospital. A $5 million contribution from the county’s economic development fund goes toward building the event venue. The county also approved a guarantee to cover any shortfall on the project up to $10 million. The matter was approved on a 3-1-1 vote with Sheila Tyson voting no and Lashunda Scales abstaining. The panel vote came after citizens – mostly residents of the area where the venue will be built – voiced their concern about the future of their community. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Commission Sets Hearing on Funding for Downtown Amphitheater

Birmingham is one step closer to having an amphitheater in The Star Uptown development after commissioners placed a public hearing on the matter on the agenda of Thursday’s Jefferson County Commission meeting. Commission President Jimmie Stephens presented the resolution at the commission’s committee meeting Tuesday. It calls for a hearing concerning the county pledging $5 million on the project and making $10 million of its credit available if there is a shortfall in revenue to pay for the project. “This is the $5 million pledge that everyone has done up to now,” Stephens said. “The City of Birmingham, the BJCC, the (Greater Birmingham Convention and) Visitors Bureau have all added to it. And Live Nation.” Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Birmingham to Spend $4 Million on Home Rehab Program

Birmingham residents will have a short window this month to apply for the Critical Home Rehabilitation Program, which will distribute more than $4 million to homes in need of repair around the city. That’s the most the city has ever dedicated on housing rehabilitation, Mayor Randall Woodfin told councilors on Tuesday. He noted that, in the previous three years combined, the city spent $2 million to rehab 224 homes, at a cost of roughly $15,000 per home. This year, the city will spend $4 million to repair at least 250 homes, with an allocation of $30,000 per home. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Judicial Funding Fight Likely to Continue in Upcoming Legislative Session

An additional eight circuit court and five district court judges are needed in various parts of Alabama, including Madison and Baldwin counties, according to a recent report. That same report also says Jefferson County has more judges than caseloads there require. But reallocating judgeships has become a politically complicated issue in recent years. Fiscal conservatives in the State House have balked at spending millions on additional seats when Jefferson County and other districts have a surplus. Jefferson County’s well-muscled delegation has protected its judicial seats. But now, more lawmakers, including the new chairman of the House General Fund budget committee, appear willing to spend on at least a few new seats. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News