Government

Birmingham Council Sets April 19 Hearing and Vote on New Districts Despite Disenfranchisement Concerns

The Birmingham City Council has set an April 19 public hearing on its proposed redistricting plan, which will likely culminate in a vote despite concerns from some councilors that the timing of the redistricting’s implementation could be interpreted as voter disenfranchisement. Municipal law requires the city to draw new district lines after each federal census, which happens every 10 years, to make sure that population is roughly balanced among the nine districts, which each elect representatives to the City Council and the school board. Due to delays caused by COVID, the council didn’t receive the 2020 census results until earlier this year, even though there was an election in fall 2021. Some councilors, such as Councilor Darrell O’Quinn, expressed concerns over the timing of the new map’s implementation. For the changes to be made so early in a four-year term, O’Quinn said, “would essentially nullify (voters’) participation” in the 2021 election. Read more.

World Games’ High-Risk Rating by Homeland Security Will Mean Extensive Federal Security Assistance, CEO Tells Jefferson County Commission

Birmingham’s upcoming World Games will get the highest level of security attention from the federal government. The games has been given a level-one Special Event Assessment Rating by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, a move that designates the games as a high-risk event but that will bring in federal officers to help secure the area. Nick Sellers, the games’ chief executive officer on Thursday briefed the Jefferson County Commission on the move. The level-one designation is reserved for major events with large crowds, such as the Super Bowl, Kentucky Derby and Indianapolis 500 — usually about six events per year. Read more.

Yours, Mine or Ours? Jeffco Commission Discusses Who Should Get Credit for Distributing Relief Money for Food

The Jefferson County Commission heard Tuesday from entities seeking funds for feeding people adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. But the discussion spilled over to who was getting credit for the federal funds being sought. Commission President Jimmie Stephens closed the meeting by saying it appears that American Rescue Plan Act funds were being distributed by individual elected officials. “If we will depoliticize what we do, I think that this commission can move forward as a better unified body,” he said. “It's the entire commission who votes through majority, through resolution, as actually the donor of those funds. Read more.

Birmingham Council OK’s Plan to Bring Grocery Store to Five Points West

The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to approve an incentives package for a new Food Giant supermarket in the city’s Five Points West area. The store will be located at 2257 Bessemer Road, the former location of a Winn-Dixie store that shut down in 2018 after the chain filed for bankruptcy. In 2020, former NFL player Karlos Dansby announced plans to open a new grocery store in that location, but those plans fizzled ignominiously. Food Giant, owned by the Albertville-based Mitchell Grocery Corp., will receive $640,000 from the city for property improvement, in particular to divide the existing 50,000-square-foot building into two units; the Food Giant will take up only an estimated 22,000 square feet. Read more.

Birmingham Has $53.4 Million Surplus, Will Fund 5% Pay Raises and Upgraded Trash Collection

Due to conservative budgeting and higher-than-expected sales tax revenues, a recent audit revealed that the city of Birmingham had a $53.4 million surplus for the 2021 fiscal year. On Tuesday morning, the City Council voted to spend $39.5 million of that surplus on a variety of items — most significantly a 5% across-the-board raise for all city employees. The raise will cost the city $11.6 million this fiscal year and is pending approval from the Jefferson County Personnel Board, which is slated to meet in early April. Woodfin also said he would be recommending in his budget proposal for the year beginning July 1 that city employees get merit raises of up to 5% in the next budget year, which could mean a raise of up to 10% for some city workers within the next four months. Other spending will include buying new garbage trucks and dedicated trash bins, paving streets and spending on the World Games. Read more.

Birmingham Asks Public to Consider Proposed New Council and BOE District Lines

The Birmingham City Council is considering the approval of new City Council and Board of Education district lines, redrawn to take into account population shifts shown by the 2020 census. City law mandates that districts be redrawn after each census to make sure that Birmingham’s population is evenly distributed among them. Each district elects a member of the City Council and the school board. The proposed changes would be in effect for the next two municipal elections, in 2025 and 2029. The council held a public hearing March 29 to hear residents’ thoughts on the new district maps, and tweaks could be made based on those comments. The proposal would shift territory out of relatively overpopulated districts — Districts 1 and 2, for example — and into underpopulated districts — Districts 4, 6, 8 and 9. Read more and see the full proposal.

ICE Withdrawing Detainees From Etowah County Detention Center, Cites ‘Serious Deficiencies’

U.S. immigration officials announced Friday that they would stop using the Etowah County Detention Center, in Gadsden, to house detainees. The decision was based on the jail having “serious deficiencies,” according to a press release from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Etowah County Detention Center, which houses the county’s jail and the federal detention area, has come under a litany of complaints for decades. The complaints have included physical conditions at the jail, improper actions by personnel and inadequate health care. Etowah County Sheriff Jonathon Horton told the Gadsden Times that the news came as a shock to him. "It was just a bombshell," Horton told the Times. He also said ICE just this week notified him it would be sending 135 more detainees to the jail. The detention center, where the county has its jail as well as the federal detention area, has come under a litany of complaints for decades. The complaints have included physical conditions at the jail, improper actions by personnel and inadequate health care. Read more. BirminghamWatch’s Virginia MacDonald explored complaints about the Etowah County Detention Center in this 2019 report:

Alabama Site for Detained Immigrants Has History of Abuse Charges, Efforts to Close It.

Birmingham Dismisses Tickets Issued Before 2011

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has announced pardons for more than 756,000 outstanding traffic and parking violations that were issued before Jan. 1, 2011. Woodfin characterized the initiative, called Stop and Go — an acronym for Suspend Traffic Obligations Permanently & Grant Opportunities — as a “second chance” for residents living under the threat of fines or arrest. Read more.

Birmingham Mayor Promises Raise for Police in Next Budget

Mayor Randall Woodfin has promised Birmingham police officers a raise in the city’s next fiscal year. “Officers are feeling a considerable amount of pressure over not being appreciated,” Woodfin said during Tuesday’s City Council meeting, which was attended by several “concerned” off-duty police officers. Woodfin mentioned stressors on the police department, including smaller recruitment classes and growing retirement rates, as well as the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s not just our police,” he said. “Our fire department, public works and general service employees all feel the pinch. (But) what’s unique about these men and women that you see (here) is that they were not afforded the opportunity to take off over the last two years. They were not afforded some other things other employees received because they’re on the front line of public safety. As an administration, I know this council (agrees). We as an administration agree, they deserve a raise. They’re going to get a raise.” Read more.

Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court Nomination Sparks Black Girl Magic in Local Judges

Jackson is the first Black woman to be nominated to the high court. But in Jefferson County, Black women already hold many judgeships in the court system. Read more.