Birmingham City Council

Birmingham Delays ICE Agreement, Wants to Assure It Won’t Lead to Police Involvement in Deportations

The Birmingham City Council has delayed approval of an agreement with U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement that would appoint several city police officers as customs officers for ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations jurisdiction. The 3-year deal would provide for the continuation of a previously established task force that District 2 Councilor Hunter Williams said is focused on “combating both human trafficking and large-scale narcotics operations in the city of Birmingham.” Mayor Randall Woodfin asserted that the agreement would not result in deportations or administrative removal of any undocumented Birmingham residents. “I have stated on a pretty consistent basis that the city of Birmingham does not have any interest in doing the federal government’s job, but there’s something more powerful than words, and that’s, like, your actions,” Woodfin said. “We’re not here to do the job of deportation.” But the association with ICE — and the unclear wording of the ordinance — left both advocates and councilors dubious of the proposal. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Three New Members Tilt Birmingham Council Toward Youth

Three new members of the Birmingham City Council took their seats for the first time Tuesday morning, a transition that some councilors suggested would usher in a new era of unity in city government. J.T. Moore, Carol Clarke and LaTonya Tate were sworn in as the councilors for Districts 4, 8 and 9, respectively, replacing William Parker, Steven Hoyt and John Hilliard. The three newcomers didn’t say much during their first meeting at the dais, mostly issuing brief statements of gratitude and humility. The council promptly turned to the business of selecting a new president and president pro tempore, a process that has been contentious in the past. Not so this time — District 7 Councilor Wardine Alexander and District 6 Councilor Crystal Smitherman were unanimously elected as president and president pro tempore, respectively, with no discussion and no additional nominations. District 5 Councilor Darrell O’Quinn said the ease of that vote “sets an important precedent for us moving forward,” adding that he is “extremely optimistic that this group is going to be able to work together.” District 3 Councilor Valerie Abbott was even more effusive, calling the new council lineup “a breath of fresh air.” “I think this is going to be the best council I’ve served with,” she said. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Women Will Hold the Majority on the Birmingham City Council Over the Next Four Years

Three new councilors will be sworn in Tuesday. Read more.

by Cody Short, WBHM

Birmingham Council Says Goodbye to Three of Its Members

The Birmingham City Council bid farewell to three of its members Tuesday, as well as to outgoing city finance director Lester Smith. Council President William Parker and District 9 Councilor John Hilliard lost their re-election bids in a runoff earlier this month, while District 8 Councilor Steven Hoyt decided not to seek reelection. Smith’s departure from Birmingham’s city government, meanwhile, was announced by Mayor Randall Woodfin at Tuesday’s meeting. Parker was praised for his work to bolster the city’s entertainment industry, Hoyt for his Education with a Purpose scholarship initiative and Hilliard for his work in economic development. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

No More Euphoria; Bham Council Revokes License of Infamous Club

The Birmingham City Council has revoked the business license of Club Euphoria, an Ensley nightclub deemed a “nuisance” by the surrounding neighborhood. The council originally considered shutting the club down in June after repeated instances of gun violence inside and outside the club, including the June 13 killing of 21-year-old Euphoria patron Lykeria Briana Taylor. The council was split on revocation then, settling on a 13-week delay to give owners time to tighten up their safety plan. At Tuesday’s meeting, Monica Hatcher, an attorney representing club owner Morris Bradley, told councilors that the club had “beefed up security” since June, including patrols around the surrounding neighborhoods to prevent club visitors from parking off-site. But numerous residents argued that Bradley hadn’t done enough to address problems of parking and loud noise. “I have multiple documented occasions where the loud noise and the nuisance was such that neighbors were calling me at all hours of the night,” said Costella Adams Terrell, president of the Rising-West Princeton neighborhood association. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Birmingham Council Backing UAB Football With Ticket Buy

The city of Birmingham will purchase 1,000 tickets to every UAB football home game for a total cost of $100,000, the City Council decided Tuesday. The tickets, which retail between $20 and $45 each, will be dispersed among city employees, youth groups and neighborhood associations, according to a resolution put forth by Mayor Randall Woodfin’s office. The decision received pushback from the council’s two most senior members, outgoing District 8 Councilor Steven Hoyt and District 3 Councilor Valerie Abbott, who said the city already was supporting UAB football to the tune of $3 million a year and the money could be better spent on city services. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Crestwood Blvd Hotel Has Eight Weeks to Clean Up Its Act, Council Says

USA Economy Lodge has had 151 calls over the past six months. The Birmingham City Council is giving it eight weeks to turn the operation around and could revoke its business license. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Birmingham Applies for Grants to Beef Up Surveillance, Readies to Open Real-Time Crime Center

The city of Birmingham will apply for state and federal grants to purchase new license plate readers and high-definition surveillance cameras, the City Council decided Tuesday. It also increased its contract for computer-aided dispatch maintenance services. The city plans to launch its “real-time crime center” later this month to combat the city’s rising rate of violent crime. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Birmingham Council OKs Rezoning to Allow Event Venue in Kingston

The Birmingham City Council approved a rezoning request Tuesday to bring a new, private event center to the city’s Kingston neighborhood despite concerns about its lack of compatibility with the city’s long-range land use plan and neighborhood demands that the venue not sell alcohol. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Project to Turn Old Ensley High Project Into Apartment Complex Moves Forward

Plans to redevelop the former Ensley High School into a 244-unit apartment complex took another step forward Tuesday, despite the continued misgivings of District 8 Councilor Steven Hoyt. The former high school, abandoned since 2006, was sold in April to the North Carolina-based developer Zimmerman Properties for $50,000. Zimmerman, in conjunction with the Housing Authority of Greater Birmingham, plans to redevelop the property into 244 apartment units for those earning between $16,000 and $45,000 annually. On Tuesday, in a largely procedural vote, the council approved assignment of the project to 2301 Ensley LP, a single-purpose operation created to “protect the project and (its) grant funds in the event of an accident at other properties in the Zimmerman portfolio,” Cornell Wesley, the city’s director of innovation and economic opportunity, told councilors. Read more.

by Sam Prickett