[0:00] Hey, good morning everybody. It's good to see everyone this morning.

[0:03] Ladies and gentlemen, now in the hands of our capable city clerk, Miss Jessica

[0:06] » This is the pre-meeting of the Mobile City Council, Tuesday, March the 10th.

[0:10] We have approval [clears throat] of minutes from March 3rd.

[0:12] » Any issues anyone? Okay.

[0:16] » Appeals, we have request for wave the noise ordinance on March the 28th on

[0:20] Springhill Avenue from 4:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

[0:23] On Blacklawn Street, May the 9th from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.

[0:29] Government Street on May 16th from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.

[0:34] » Mr. President. >> Yes.

[0:36] » If we can change that to 10:00 p.m., please.

[0:46] Venetia Venetia Road on April 25th from 5:00 p.m. until 11:00.

[0:52] Airport Boulevard on April the 11th from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00. Medal of Honor

[0:57] Park on March the 22nd and April 25th from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 2:30 to

[1:04] 4:30. >> Any issues on Woods or Fleming?

[1:07] Okay.

[1:10] » Public hearing, today is the public hearing to consider the rezoning

[1:13] property located at 1724 Michigan Avenue from B2 to B5.

[1:19] » One second, you're good with your appeals also, Mr. Penn? Okay.

[1:23] All right.

[1:26] » Today is the public hearing to declare the structure at 1861 Loiseau Street

[1:31] a public nuisance and order it demolished

[1:34] and to declare the structure at 3150 Riverside Drive a public nuisance and

[1:39] order it demolished. >> Okay.

[1:43] » Presentation of petitions and other communications to the council. Sydney

[1:47] Cramer, Mobile Arts Council present Alex Lafton, Mobile's new poet laureate.

[1:54] Estella Trada, failure of the city to provide mandated oversight to Mobile

[1:59] Housing Authority. Valenia Green mental health awareness.

[2:04] Aven Warner concerns about removal of Heritage oak in Taylor Park.

[2:09] Rodney Tumer present a program to curb youth

[2:12] violence. Ordinances held over 64009

[2:17] consider rezoning property located at 7211 and 7221

[2:23] Cottage Hill Road from R1 to R3. 14012

[2:32] amend section 14-3 the Mobile Municipal Code to authorize settlements in an

[2:37] amount under $15,000.

[2:42] Resolutions held over 09230 transfer funds from capital reserves to HVAC

[2:47] maintenance and repairs for various city facilities contract amendment with

[2:51] Gorham Air Conditioning Company $300,000.

[2:56] 13231 authorized change order number one with

[3:00] Thompson Engineering for citywide bridge inspection.

[3:04] That's a $130,000 increase. 21232 authorized contract with Anderson

[3:10] Delaney to teach tennis lessons. 21233 234

[3:15] are also contracts with Stephen Iker and Cordia Simmons to teach tennis lessons.

[3:25] 21235 authorized contract with Henderson Building Solutions for an independent

[3:29] commissioning services Mobile Arena project.

[3:33] 212 >> Mr. President.

[3:34] » Uh yes. >> I I do have a question um

[3:37] for administration. Um again, this is the one where it's definitely um

[3:42] a lot under um budget in terms of the amount, but my question is

[3:47] again with the performance evaluation um in the method of payment it speaks to

[3:54] the invoices have to be satisfactory, but yet it does not speak to the

[3:58] performance or the evaluation. Uh, the payment is going to be made according to

[4:03] this if the invoice is satisfactory. Am I missing something or is this a, you

[4:09] know, there's um, something else going on with this in

[4:13] terms of it? Because if you go to the back, it shows that it's going to be a

[4:16] monthly basis for the invoices.

[4:22] » Yes. So, so Henderson will bill on a monthly basis for their services just

[4:26] like the design architects and the testing firms.

[4:30] Uh, they're

[4:32] you know, at the end of the commissioning they

[4:35] will provide a full commissioning report of all their

[4:39] the work they've done and their services and and

[4:42] they're basically documenting that everything is functioning according to

[4:46] contract. So, that that will be their, you know,

[4:50] the basis of, you know, evaluating their services is their final report and they

[4:56] won't receive final payment until that report is accepted by the city.

[5:02] » Okay. So, a follow-up question. Um, I was looking at another contract with

[5:06] Thompson Engineering and they have these, uh,

[5:10] uh, task meetings where they are throughout

[5:14] the project, their progress meeting and they're getting feedback and then that's

[5:17] when they decide, okay, that task is complete so now we'll pay that payment.

[5:21] What I hear you saying is that with this one they'll continue to pay all the way

[5:25] up, really the performance evaluation will come at the very end when they do

[5:29] the final inspection or the final test. >> Yeah, and in engineering contract like

[5:34] with Thompson, that that works differently because they have specific

[5:37] deliverables. >> Okay.

[5:39] » [snorts] >> Uh, on commissioning there are not

[5:42] interim deliverables. It's just that a final report. So, uh, basically we'll

[5:47] pay them on a percentage basis once we get them working on them on

[5:52] percent based on a percentage on a monthly basis.

[5:57] » Okay. So, then So, my follow-up question, understanding that it's it's

[6:01] not the same as Thompson, but again, there's performance and there tests that

[6:05] have to be conducted throughout the process. So, if So, what I hear you

[6:09] saying is that if they fail a test, then somehow they go in and they take care of

[6:13] that, they give them feedback showing that that test has been

[6:16] completed. >> So, Henderson doesn't perform the test.

[6:19] The general contractor performs the test. Henderson witnesses them and then

[6:24] documents that they're all in compliance with the design.

[6:28] » Okay. So, Henderson will document throughout that process that they are in

[6:31] compliance. >> Yes.

[6:33] » Okay. And that's what I'm asking. So, that report, is that provided to the

[6:37] city to let them know that they are in compliance, go ahead and issue the

[6:41] monthly payment. >> Well, it won't be a monthly report. But

[6:45] yes, at the end of the commissioning for the entire facility, all the

[6:48] commissioning activities, they will supply a report and if there's anything

[6:52] in that report that documents non-compliance, then the contractor is

[6:57] responsible to repair that and retest it.

[7:00] » Okay. All right. I Thank you. And And that helps explain.

[7:04] It's just that if we are in this contract, it looks like, you

[7:08] know, there's a satisfactory approval for an invoice, it has to be

[7:11] satisfactory, but we don't speak to uh the pro you know, the uh program

[7:16] evaluation in terms of its satisfaction before payment. And so, if we can just

[7:21] consider that, outlining some similar to what you just shared with me, so we can

[7:25] see that, you know, how that process is working and making sure that there's

[7:29] accountability for the work. >> Right.

[7:32] » Okay. Thank you.

[7:35] » Councilmember Clark.

[7:40] » 21-236 authorized contract with Mobile Sports Hall of Fame for technology

[7:46] integration and facility build-out services for interactive visitor

[7:50] experience. >> Mr. President.

[7:52] » Yeah, Mr. Waring. >> There were some modified languages uh

[7:55] to be added to this. I think the best way to do it is table it and re-

[7:58] introduce it. I think we've got general agreement with with the administration

[8:02] to use that method. >> All

[8:04] Everyone in agreement? All right, we're going to table it.

[8:09] » 21-237 authorized contract with Thompson

[8:12] Engineering for Mobile River Fender System Replacement.

[8:17] » Mr. President. >> Yeah, Ms. Ingram.

[8:19] » If someone can um share just an overview, I think this is awesome. First

[8:24] of all, let me just thank [clears throat] you for the fact of

[8:26] these needs assessment, constantly assessing what our needs are and making

[8:30] sure that they're safety in terms of the fenders. Uh if I can if we could

[8:35] just get an overview just for the public, but also for me in terms of, you

[8:40] know, there three there four tasks, but only two tasks really outline what's

[8:45] happening, but you can clearly see that there progress meetings happening. I

[8:49] mean, this this contract uh you know, it really laid out how it's

[8:53] going to work in terms of the progress uh monitoring. But, my question is more

[8:58] about the last two tasks, which is the bulk of the contract.

[9:02] » Yeah, and I've talked to Nick Amberger. He's going to review those and then

[9:05] he'll be getting with you on what exactly to expect on those two tasks

[9:09] you're talking about. >> All right, thank you.

[9:13] » 25-238 accept permanent permanent drainage

[9:17] easements, permanent utility easements, and or permanent drainage easement for

[9:21] temporary construction easement agreement for tracts of land for the CIP

[9:26] Woodcock Creek West Branch Drainage Improvements

[9:29] Project. 31-239

[9:33] adopt the CDBG, ESG, and HOME plan year two 2026-27 action plan.

[9:40] » Mr. President. >> Yeah, Mr. Penn. We will have a title

[9:42] meant committee um meeting next Tuesday, so we need to hold this over to March

[9:47] 24th.

[9:52] » Mr. President. >> Yeah, Ms. Singer.

[9:54] » Um regarding um the entitlements, thank you for that, Mr. Penn. That would be

[9:58] very informative, especially for us new people. But I do have a question for

[10:02] administration. You know, I just want to commend Ms. Jennifer Green, uh Carlene

[10:07] Clark, and all of you all for finding various funding sources so we can do

[10:11] these great projects. We could not do it if we didn't have these multiple fund

[10:14] sources. However, my question is, what structures or process do we have in

[10:19] place to communicate with the public who's trying to partner, like

[10:23] nonprofits, who's trying to partner with the city? For example, there's a 2026

[10:29] community impact grant through Lowe's, where you can get up to 3 to 10 million

[10:34] dollars to revitalize community spaces. But if they don't do that in the timely

[10:39] manner, they they can't make that happen. So what structures or

[10:43] communication is in place so a nonprofit would know how to partner with the city

[10:48] to do that?

[10:56] » [clears throat] >> Good morning. I really appreciate you

[10:59] escalating that so we could look into that policy. So you're correct. One of

[11:04] the things that we're working on with just the reorganization of the grants

[11:06] management department is a structure for how outside organizations can propose to

[11:11] work with the city. So that will come out well ahead of next

[11:15] year when you're looking at that grant opportunity. Um we recognize that that

[11:19] might have been a little bit of an area that could use improvement, and we're

[11:21] actively working on making a way to communicate. It will be in the form

[11:25] probably of an application that they can fill out well ahead with some structure

[11:29] on how and when they have to do it with advanced time So, we have enough time to

[11:33] go through our internal review process. >> And thank you for that. Let me ask you

[11:38] this, if you, you know, considering like that the application for the 2026

[11:43] Community Impact Grant, they only give you a window of 6 weeks. So, if we can

[11:47] think about how that fits so that they can apply because again, what I'm saying

[11:52] to our citizens is that it takes all of us, you know, you all are doing an

[11:55] awesome job in finding resources, but the community needs to also support and

[11:59] be a part of that and they can do that through grants like this. So, if we can

[12:03] consider those 6-week spans also so that they're able to qualify in a timely

[12:08] manner. >> Absolutely. It's a really common thing

[12:10] that happens where you have a short turnaround. So, we're definitely

[12:13] factoring that in. One of the things I was going to respond to your email that

[12:17] we have going through is that I'd like to put that on our calendar like in the

[12:21] fall so we can get together as a group to talk about it knowing that that's

[12:25] going to be released again with that time frame so we can be fully ahead of

[12:28] our application time period. So, when we get into the position where it's

[12:32] released, we can go and have everything ready ahead of time, all of the

[12:35] approvals that we need um to go through with uh Mayor Cherry got us ahead of

[12:39] time. So. >> Okay. Again, I I just want to commend

[12:42] you for um the process improvement uh reflecting on that and figuring out ways

[12:47] that we can have structures for our community to get involved. Thank you all

[12:50] so much for the work that you're doing. Thank you.

[12:52] » Very important. >> Thank you.

[12:53] » Madam Clerk.

[12:57] 6240 and 241 authorized release of claims and settlement agreement.

[13:02] Ordinance is being introduced. 64013 is the rezoning on Michigan Avenue from B2

[13:08] to B5. Consent resolutions being introduced. 37242, 243, and 244 are

[13:15] recommending approval to the ABC Board for issuance of a retail beer table wine

[13:19] off premises only license to Fast Way Gas and Convenience Store on Moffett

[13:23] Road for issuance of a a events retail liquor license to Skalny Aerie Irish

[13:29] Social Club on Marine Street for issuance of a retail beer table wine on

[13:34] or off premises license to Jerusalem Cafe on O'Shield Road.

[13:39] 60-245 approval of order special bonus to the

[13:42] Parks and Recreation employee of the month.

[13:45] 6246-247 through 253 are determined

[13:51] appropriations to Barton Academy PTO, Spencer West Lawn Elementary School,

[13:56] Trinity Gardens Falcons Athletics, The Learning Tree Inc., Bright Academy,

[14:01] Mobile Law Enforcement Foundation Inc., Young Life of Mobile, Westside Athletic

[14:07] Association serve a public purpose and approve payment.

[14:11] 4269-270 are declaring the structures at 1861

[14:15] LaSalle Street and 3150 Riverside Drive public nuisances and ordering them

[14:19] demolished. 58-271 declare the weeds noxious weed laying group 1676.

[14:26] Resolutions being introduced 01-254 authorize amendment to agreement with

[14:32] Pyrotecnico fireworks for Independence Day fireworks display services.

[14:38] This is an increase to $60,000. >> And my be some questions why is this and

[14:44] we know that our country is celebrating our 250th

[14:48] birthday. But I know that the city might be having

[14:51] some big plans. Are those plans being revealed yet or they coming uh coming

[14:55] out soon or uh what will we all plan on doing? Coming out soon.

[14:59] All right, looking forward. >> 01-255 authorize agreement with Mobile

[15:05] Museum Board for management of History Museum, Fort Conde, and Phoenix Fire

[15:10] Museum. >> Mr. President.

[15:11] » Uh Mr. Reynolds, I haven't got it totally up to speed. This is the first

[15:14] I've seen of this um operating agreement or this uh

[15:18] Yeah.

[15:21] We haven't seen this before. So is a substantial modification to the way that

[15:25] that board's been operating. Can somebody just sort of give me the

[15:28] overview as to why it's necessary and then what changes are going to be

[15:32] implemented by moving to this method.

[15:47] » How about that? There we go. Right. So, this money is, you know,

[15:51] needed because it's part of our overall funding for the museum. You know, we

[15:54] wouldn't be able to do our programming and stuff.

[15:57] All the events we do without it. So, we've had this performance agreement, I

[16:02] believe, something similar to it since I believe 2020. So, it's a continuation of

[16:07] that.

[16:12] » The only difference is that the bylaw changes have been made that were

[16:17] requested in 2022. So, it's just a continuation of that

[16:20] 2022 agreement. >> I guess I don't recall those bylaw

[16:26] changes that were requested or >> The term limits There were term limits

[16:31] that were put into the bylaws for the board members. Previously, there were no

[16:35] term limits and now there's a 2-year cooling off period in between 2-year two

[16:40] consecutive terms. >> But in this control by ordinance though,

[16:43] I mean, don't we have an ordinance? >> have an ordinance.

[16:45] » Is that what y'all are doing, amending the current ordinance?

[16:48] » No, this is a this is an agreement and perform

[16:51] operating agreement. >> Because we spent a long time years ago

[16:53] trying to figure out how to deal with the museum and the board and what their

[16:58] terms are and what their responsibilities are. So, I just I'm not

[17:02] sure what it is you're trying to do. >> What we're Here, we're trying to we're

[17:06] trying to get the operating agreement in effect. It was due the old operating

[17:10] agreement expired in fall of last year along with the rest of the operating

[17:14] agreements for the museum. This just extends it another 3 years.

[17:20] » The same thing. >> Same thing.

[17:22] » Nothing Nothing changes. >> The only The only changes that were

[17:24] requested in 2022 were term limits on the

[17:29] board members. Those term limits have been put into

[17:32] effect now in these bylaws, but the agreement itself is a continuation of

[17:37] that that was approved in 2022. >> All right, I'm going to I'm going to

[17:43] read into this and see what the I mean I I guess I don't understand how how

[17:49] we can effectively bypass an ordinance by way

[17:53] of you know, if we if we as a city council

[17:57] establish an ordinance that says these are the terms, these are the spots, you

[18:03] know, whatever it is and then there there should not be any we shouldn't

[18:06] change from that. So, if if we're going to pass this agreement that modifies

[18:11] that, are we just need to have a discussion about

[18:13] it and truly understand what the implications of that are.

[18:16] » I'll get you a copy of the 2022 arrangement and then get you a copy of

[18:20] this most recent one as well. >> Okay.

[18:22] » That's what it is. >> Um Corey, [clears throat]

[18:25] I guess kind of what you're doing here what you're attempting to do here

[18:29] is number one, since the agreement expired, this is the new agreement

[18:33] moving forward. And then also too, since 2022,

[18:37] I guess my understanding of kind of what's occurred is the history museum

[18:41] board has gotten their house right in terms of the bylaws and the governing

[18:45] documents to match the ordinance. >> That's correct. To match the ordinance

[18:48] that was passed in 2022, the history museum has passed the bylaw changes that

[18:52] were requested in 2022 by that that ordinance, that that operating

[18:58] agreement. >> And then this is just in here you're

[19:00] just referencing basically the bylaws that govern the the board

[19:07] in this agreement and pretty much makes the ordinance, the bylaws, and then the

[19:11] agreement is is in line with what I guess what the ordinance from 2022 says,

[19:16] I guess. That's what we're accomplishing. Okay.

[19:17] » That's correct. >> Um and also, too, John's killing it, by

[19:19] the way. Uh I appreciate all you do. Um your

[19:23] programming, I'm excited about what you got coming up, but I love the program

[19:26] that you have now. So, I did want to take a moment while you're here to say

[19:29] that you're doing a great job, by the way.

[19:31] » Anyone else? >> Don't Does our ordinance say that?

[19:36] » I I I >> Okay. We'll we'll we'll We'll figure

[19:37] that out between now and next week.

[19:41] » Madam Clerk. >> Zero.

[19:44] Um 08-256 through 260

[19:49] are approving purchase orders

[19:53] to Invasive Management, Prime Professional Concrete Pumping and

[19:57] Finishing, Safe Haven Companies, Southern Realty Management Group, Thomas

[20:01] A. Galloway for storm drainage and vegetation removal.

[20:05] 08-261 approved purchase order to Emergency

[20:09] Equipment Professional to provide and install Samsara vehicle sensor cables

[20:15] for Mobile Fire Rescue Department, $16,505.

[20:20] 08-262 approved purchase order to Group 1 4 Pensacola for Ford Expedition,

[20:26] $84,302.41,

[20:30] and 08-263 approved purchase order to Hardy Chevrolet for two Chevrolet

[20:35] Tahoes, $126,900. 08-264 approved purchase order to

[20:41] Intelligent Video Solutions for police interview recording and documentation

[20:45] system, $20,920. 08-265

[20:50] approved purchase order to Magnet Forensics USA for 1-year subscription to

[20:55] enhance mobile device software for Gulf Coast Technology Center, $69,870.

[21:02] 08-266 approved purchase order to Syntech

[21:05] Systems for annual renewal of fuel management software for municipal garage

[21:11] $16,988.

[21:15] 08267 approved purchase order to Tablet Command for annual renewal of incident

[21:20] management software for Mobile Fire Rescue $38,500.

[21:25] 08268 approved purchase order to Vulcan for street name sign brackets for

[21:31] traffic engineering $28,050. Announcements.

[21:35] » Uh council. >> Mr. President.

[21:37] » Mr. Reynolds. >> If you recall, we had passed a um

[21:40] corporate maintenance agreement several weeks back for the Gateway initiative.

[21:43] Apparently, you have to do it on the ALDOT. They have a an official ALDOT

[21:47] form. Um and it's

[21:51] I mean, it's just putting what we passed into that form.

[21:54] Possibly, I'm going to have a meeting between now and the next meeting to make

[21:58] sure we're all buttoned up in that respect. But, if if if we are, I'd like

[22:03] to try to add it to the agenda today and pass it by way of consent.

[22:08] » All right, we'll we'll look at it. >> passed a probably 10-page contract that

[22:12] says you know, way more than just

[22:15] uh what their form is. So, it's just a basically a formality, I believe.

[22:19] » All right, we'll look at it. >> Okay, thank you.

[22:21] » Mr. Woods. >> Uh Mr. President, I wanted to take just

[22:23] a second. Um we had opening day um out at Westside uh this weekend on Saturday.

[22:28] And um I just wanted to briefly real quick tell uh Carleen Stout and uh

[22:31] Shauna Smith, thank you for all you and your team. Uh thank you for all the work

[22:35] that you put in. We had 900 kids um playing this game round. Um I saw every

[22:40] single one of them parade by home plate. Um it took about an hour and a half.

[22:44] But, um uh I just want to say thank you. Uh lots and lots of people were

[22:48] complimenting about how how nice the park looked and how good it looked. So,

[22:51] thanks for all your time and effort and your team's time and effort. So, thank

[22:53] y'all. >> Okay.

[22:55] Anyone else? Anything from administration?

[23:00] Okay. We'll see each other downstairs at

[23:02] 10:00. >> Well, um let's look at them.

[23:03] » Oh, I'm sorry. >> On the resolutions to wave um

[23:10] we've got 08-256

[23:15] down to 261

[23:20] and then the next page 264 66, 67, and 68.

[23:28] » Any objections to any one? >> No sir.

[23:30] » All right. All right. We'll see each other

[23:32] downstairs at 10:30.

[23:41] » Okay.

Mobile City Pre-Council Meeting, March 10, 2026

Transcript