First, here’s the video from today’s meeting:

And here’s a recap of the items the City Council passed today:

Item 9

An Ordinance “TO FURTHER AMEND THE GRANTS FUND BUDGET” by appropriating $18,750.00 to Library, LSTA Strengthening Youth and Family Program per award received.

The Birmingham Public Library was awarded a FY2018 Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant in the amount of $15,000 (with a required local match of $3,750), for use during the period 10/1/2017 to 6/30/2018. Funds are designated for the LSTA Strengthening Youth and Family grant category that targets children, teens, and families.

Use of funds:

Birmingham Public Library (BPL) provides hands-on STEM learning experiences for youth using various technologies. However, access to these resources is typically limited to structured learning times during library hours. According to the American Fact Finder 2014 estimates, 49% of Birmingham’s children live below the poverty line. While there is no available data measuring the availability of at-home technology access for these youth, we can safely conclude that access among this demographic is limited. BPL will use the LSTA funds to address this technology gap among Birmingham’s youth. BPL will purchase Chromebooks and will load these devices with STEM software to support learning programs offered at BPL locations across the city, and will also permit patrons to check-out these Chromebooks for home use. The capability of using this technology at home will enable young patrons to reinforce learning concepts, and also will provide a mechanism for further independent learning and exploration outside of classrooms and libraries.

Birmingham City School students using Chromebooks

For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294 or visit http://www.ala.org/advocacy/advleg/federallegislation/lsta

Item 11

An Ordinance authorizing the Mayor to execute a Mutual AID Agreement between the City of Birmingham and the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, for the purpose of providing reciprocal Emergency Response/Recovery assistance which includes joint planning, intelligence sharing and threat assessment development with contiguous participating political subdivisions and joint training at least biennially. The City will pay its own expenses as part of this Agreement and eligible expenses will be reimbursed to the City by the Alabama Emergency Management Agency.

This ordinance renews the City’s regular agreement with the State EMA that allows Jefferson County and the municipalities within Jefferson County to make the most efficient use of their powers by enabling them to cooperate with the State, the Federal Government, and with each other to provide and share services and facilities.

The State’s Emergency Management Plan can be found here:

And the Alabama Mutual Aid System Agreement can be found here:

For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294

Item 17

A Resolution approving and authorizing submission of an application to The Foreign-Trade Zones Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C., designating certain property on which Brose Tuscaloosa, Inc. is located in Vance, Alabama, as a Special Purpose Foreign-Trade Subzone and authorizing the submission of the application and the execution and submission of a transmittal letter by the Mayor

Brose Tuscaloosa is a manufacturer of car seats and doors for Mercedes Benz, and has previously operated without a Foreign-Trade Zone designation, which has greatly increased their customs fees when importing materials. The City of Birmingham has a Foreign Trade Zone designation at the Birmingham Shuttlesworth International Airport, and the Brose facility will now be considered a Subzone of the airport’s Foreign Trade Zone. This will allow Brose to significantly reduce their customs fees. Additionally, Brose has recently begun a Mechatronic Apprenticeship program with Lawson State Community College.

Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field of engineering that includes a combination of mechanical engineering, electronics, computer engineering and control engineering. Mechatronics stands for a combination of mechanical and electrical skills. The Mechatronics Apprenticeship Program is a triennial program that is based on rotation between classroom training at Lawson State Community College and full-time work at the Brose plant, usually on eight-week intervals. It allows students to learn not only theory-based information, but also experience hands-on instruction in the lab and on the shop floor. Students will be paid a weekly stipend during school periods and hourly wages while they are working in the plant.

After completion of the program students will receive an associate’s degree in Mechatronics and will have the opportunity to work in the Brose plant as a Specialist in Welding, Acoustics and Fastening, a Maintenance Technician or a Quality Lab Technician. Thus, systematic education and training offer numerous opportunities for development and growth after graduation.

For more information on the apprenticeship program, please visit:

https://www.brose.com/us-en/press/brose-tuscaloosa-presents-mechatronic-apprenticeship-program-in-cooperation-with-lawson-state-community-college.html

For more information on this item, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294

Item 18

A Resolution approving and authorizing the City to acquire, at no cost to the City, certain property interests in connection with the “Tiger Project 7 — High Ore Line Trail” to include: an easement covering approximately .54 acres from Red Mountain Greenway and Recreational Area Commission; approximately 1.14 acres from RGGS Land & Minerals, LTD., L.P., through FLT AH, LLC (Freshwater Land Trust), which will then transfer title to such acreage to the City; and approximately 2.40 acres from CALMAT Co. through Red Mountain Greenway and Recreational Area Commission or FLT AH, LLC (Freshwater Land Trust), which will then transfer title to such acreage to the City, and further authorizing the Mayor to execute all documents necessary to effectuate such property transfers.

The Birmingham City Council approved a Resolution accepting the bid of Gillespie Construction in the amount of $3,343,316.68 to turn former railways from Jefferson Avenue in Southwest Birmingham to the Red Mountain Park entrance, into pedestrian and bicycle lanes. These easements will allow the construction work to begin on the project, which is part of the larger Red Rock Trail System.

In 2010, the Freshwater Land Trust (FWLT), under the Jefferson County Department of Health and the Health Action Partnership, received funding through a Centers for Disease Control “Communities Putting Prevention to Work” grant to develop a greenway master plan for Jefferson County, Alabama. The purpose of this plan was to develop a feasible and “ground-truthed” master plan for greenways and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructures that would promote active and healthy living, use of alternate modes of transportation, and protect regional waterways. The funding for this project comes from a Federal TIGER Grant, received by the City of Birmingham in 2014. The TIGER Grant was for $10 Million, with the City contributing an additional $2,180,646, ALDOT contributing $1 Million, and other sources contributing $2,007,100 for a total project fund of $15,

187,746.

According to the Project’s Statement of Work Summary:

“The TIGER funds will be used to support portions of an overall Project to enhance the greater Birmingham area’s transportation infrastructure. Project elements will create complete streets and provide bicycle and pedestrian facilities to better connect residents with public transportation hubs and other activity centers. The largest Project components will include 8.83 miles of compete streets in Pratt City and Ensley; 6.34 miles of compete streets in Jones Valley; and 4.45 miles of complete streets and off-street trails along the Birmingham Civil Rights trail. The Project also includes multiple small project segments, largely complete streets, off-street trails, and one rail-to-rail segment.”

To learn more about the Red Rock Trail, visit http://www.redrocktrail.org/, and to see this particular stretch of trail, click on “Jones Valley”, at the top of the page, and then select “High Ore Line Greenway” on the left side of the page.

For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294

Item 19

A Resolution approving and authorizing the Mayor to execute a Purchase Sale Agreement with CSX Transportation Inc. under which the City will acquire approximately 35.72 acres of former rail line extending for approximately 3 miles roughly parallel to Bessemer Road to the Crossplex from CSX Transportation Inc. for use as a walking trail in connection with “Tiger Project 5” and a portion of the BRT Guideway, for a purchase price of $441,000.00.

This Resolution will allow construction on the Jones Valley section of the Red Rock Trail. To view this section of the trail, visit www.redrocktrail.org. Click on “Jones Valley” at the top of the screen, and then “Jones Valley Trail” on the left side of the screen.

For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294

Item 26

A Resolution finding and declaring that a “Neighborhood Officers Meeting” to be held from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 21, 2017, during which the Mayor, his executive staff and neighborhood officers will engage in strategic planning, exchange information related to important issues facing the City of Birmingham and provide related training, serves a public purpose and is within the inherent authority of the City to conduct, and authorizing the Mayor to contract and expend City of Birmingham funds in an amount not to exceed $6,000.00 to pay for the costs, including the provision of food, of such Neighborhood Officers Meeting.

On Thursday at the Birmingham Crossplex, the Mayor, his Executive Staff, the City’s Department Heads, and Birmingham City Councilors will meet with Neighborhood Officers from the City’s 99 Neighborhood Association to have a comprehensive discussion about how to best coordinate, cooperate, and communicate with City Hall.

To read a synopsis of the Birmingham Citizen Participation Plan, which established the Neighborhood Association, click here:

https://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Birmingham_Citizen_Participation_Plan

and to read the full plan document, click here:

For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294

Announcements and Reminders

Thursday, December 21, 2017

3:00 p.m. — Joint Planning & Zoning and Committee of the Whole Committee Meetings — 5th Floor Conference Room

Monday, December 25, 2017

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY — CITY HALL CLOSED

3:30 p.m. –Joint Budget & Finance and Committee of the Whole Committee Meetings — Conference Rooms “D & E” CANCELLED

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY — CITY HALL CLOSED

9:00 a.m. — Pre-Council Meeting — City Council Chambers; 9:30 a.m. — Council Meeting — City Council Chambers CANCELLED

2:00 p.m. — Joint Administration/Education and Committee of the Whole Committee Meetings — Conference Room “D&E” CANCELLED

3:00 p.m. — Joint Economic Development and Committee of the Whole Committee Meeting — Conference Rooms “D & E” CANCELLED

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

3:30 p.m. — Committee of the Whole Meeting-Conference Rooms “D&E” CANCELLED

Birmingham Public Library Board Vacancies

There are currently 2 opening on the Birmingham Public Library Board. If you are interested in serving, please send a cover letter and resume to darryl.lee@birminghamal.gov

And here’s the full agenda from today’s meeting: