Tuscaloosa meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Tuscaloosa agendas: Saban Center amendment, River District parking contract lead recent items

Tuscaloosa's city committees and the City Council posted agendas for four meeting days in the past two weeks — Oct. 13, 14, 19 and 20 — covering construction contracts, a sewer line cleaning project and several rezoning requests. Minutes for those meetings have not yet been published, so what follows is what was scheduled for discussion, not what was decided. No vote tallies were available for any item.

Saban Center and River District parking top the dollar list

The largest figure on the recent agendas was a proposed contract amendment no. 4 with Davis Architects for the Saban Center project, listed at $375,730.62. It appeared on the Public Projects Committee agenda of Oct. 13 and again on the City Council agenda of Oct. 20. A separate amendment no. 1 with Turner & Townsend Heery for the same project was listed at $50,000.00.

River District Parking Lot Improvements appeared twice: a professional services proposal with TTL, Inc. for $339,000.00 before the Public Projects Committee on Oct. 13, and a contract with TTL, Inc. for the same amount on the Oct. 20 Council agenda.

Rice Mine Road slope repair and other public works

The Public Projects Committee and the Oct. 20 Council agenda both listed an award of the Rice Mine Rd Slope Repair project to John Plott Company, Inc. for $242,317.39. The Oct. 13 Council agenda also listed public works contracts with Knight Sign Industries, Inc. ($40,801.00) and Druid City Electric, Inc. ($35,000.00).

The Public Projects Committee on Oct. 20 listed a change order for the Bowers Park Pickleball Courts with WAR Construction, Inc. for a deduct of $79,432.32, generator preventative maintenance with Integrated Power Services not to exceed $99,970, a professional services contract with Everbridge, Inc. not to exceed $25,000, and a minor public works contract with Misc. Metals & Fabrication, LLC for $10,100 for the Water Resource Recovery Facility.

Sewer line and budget transfers

The Finance Committee on Oct. 20 listed a proposed $161,725 budget for Nucor Sewer Line cleaning and assessment, paired with a proposed $161,725 decrease to the Future Debt Srvc - 10-Yr Plan account. The Public Projects Committee listed a bid award to Suncoast Infrastructure, Inc. for the same work at $161,725.

On Oct. 13, the Finance Committee listed Water and Sewer Fund budget revision no. 1 to transfer $154,657 to Contingency, plus four District 7 Improvements Fund disbursements — for the I Dream Big Charter School boys basketball team, Southview Elementary School teacher appreciation, the Bryant High School football team and Elevate West Alabama. No disbursement amounts were given.

Land use and property

The Planning and Zoning Commission on Oct. 19 listed Z-28-26, a petition to rezone 24 acres south of 5500 Jug Factory Road from SFR-2 to IL; SD-06-26/S-81-26, 16 proposed townhome units at 2201-2217 13th Street and 1307 23rd Avenue; Z-27-26, to rezone 0.2 acres at 1515 12th Avenue from IL to NC; and S-83-26, Channing Park No. 2 Subdivision, 14 lots and one open space lot at 5851 31st Street.

The Oct. 13 Council agenda listed demolition cost and lien public hearings for 2806 Short Street, 2808 Short Street and 2317 Jack Warner Parkway. The Oct. 20 agenda listed zoning amendment no. 48 to rezone 0.2 acres at 58 Springbrook from SFR-2 to GC. The Community Development Committee on Oct. 20 listed a proposed amendment to the 2010 and 2026 Action Plans to sell or lease 1501 Culver Road, and a professional services agreement with TTL, Inc. for environmental assessment services not to exceed $40,000.

Other items

The Historic Preservation Commission on Oct. 14 listed 13 Certificate of Appropriateness requests, including a rear porch at 2010 Glendale Gardens, a pool at 2401 Glendale Gardens, a wall sign at 518 19th Avenue, a pool and garden shed at 2507 Glendale Gardens and a ramp at 651 20th Avenue. The Public Safety Committee on Oct. 13 listed a proposed no-cost agreement with Brycer L.P. for a digital tracking platform for the Fire Marshal Office, and a professional services contract with TargetSolutions Learning, LLC dba Vector Solutions (OCA-26-0786), which the Oct. 20 Council agenda listed at $237,386.88. The Administration and Policy Committee listed two 311 Call Center job descriptions (OCA-26-1431).

Council agendas also listed a proposed renaming of 26th Avenue East and Alberta Park in honor of Kip Tyner, a contract amendment for Placer Labs Inc. dba Placer.AI totaling $106,320.00, and introduction of amendment no. 1 to the fiscal year 2027 general fund and ELEVATE Tuscaloosa fund budgets.

Coming up

Oct. 27 — City Council: tentative $161,725.00 contract to Suncoast Infrastructure, Inc. for the Nucor Sewer Line Cleaning and Assessment Project; demolition public hearings for 2820 5th Avenue and 2830 5th Avenue; rezoning of 24 acres south of 5500 Jug Factory Road and 0.2 acres at 1515 12th Avenue; TTL, Inc. environmental assessment contract not to exceed $40,000.00.

Oct. 29 — Zoning Board of Adjustments: variance request ZBA-23-26 from A-1 Investments, Inc. for a liquor store at 520 15th Street, zoned UC, Council District 4.

Tuscaloosa council approves $725,000 in Northern Riverwalk land buys; committees take up grants, sewer work and a rezoning hearing

The Tuscaloosa City Council approved two land purchases totaling $725,000 for the Northern Riverwalk Phase II project at its Sept. 29 meeting, according to official minutes — the only meeting in the records provided where votes were taken. The council also ordered two structures demolished and adopted two ordinances. Council committees, meanwhile, met or are set to meet on insurance renewals, federal grant agreements, sewer treatment work and a rezoning hearing. Those items appeared on agendas; the records provided do not show that votes have been taken on them.

City Council, Sept. 29: land, demolitions, ordinances

From the official minutes, the council:

• Approved a $515,000 land purchase for Northern Riverwalk Phase II.
• Approved a $210,000 land purchase for the same project.
• Ordered demolition of structures at 2615 18th St and 3538 23rd St.
• Adopted Ordinance 9823 amending the FY2026 Water and Sewer budget.
• Adopted Ordinance 9824 electing a President Pro Tempore.
• Authorized a $262,919 contract amendment for the Freeman Park and Pool project.
• Approved various public works contracts totaling over $200,000.
• Authorized ALDOT maintenance agreements for traffic and lighting.

The minutes summary provided does not list individual vote counts for these items.

Committee agendas, Sept. 29: insurance and federal grants

The Insurance and Litigation Committee agenda listed three resolutions presented by Scott Holmes, with no vote shown: renewing Engineers Professional Liability 2027 coverage with MSIG Specialty Insurance USA, Inc. at a $20,225.25 premium; binding Fiduciary Liability coverage for the Police Officers and Firefighters Supplemental Retirement Plan through USI Insurance Services, LLC at an annual premium not to exceed $6,090.00; and renewing insurance for Holidays on the Plaza with Cincinnati Specialty Underwriters at a $7,501.27 premium.

The Public Projects Committee agenda listed a $12,405.35 minor public works contract with Premier Service Company, Inc. to repair lighting service in the Lift Station 3 parking lot, and a contract with Red Oak Paint Company not to exceed $45,000.00 for as-needed painting at City facilities in FY27. It also listed authorization for the Mayor to execute Program Year 2026 CDBG and HOME grant agreements — $930,381.00 in CDBG funds and $473,759.13 in HOME funds — plus subrecipient agreements including $100,000.00 to Habitat for Humanity for Critical Home Repair, $504,747.80 to COT for Let's Paint Let's Renovate, and $736,627.71 to the Tuscaloosa Housing Authority for affordable housing construction.

Oct. 6 agendas: zoning, naming, Saban Center

The City Council agenda included a public hearing on zoning amendment no. 47, which would rezone about 0.4 acres at and around 2111-2115 8th Street and 802-808 Almon Avenue from D to DP, with 21st Avenue Development, LLC as applicant. It also listed previously tabled demolition orders for structures at 1225 19th Alley, 17 Reece Court, 142 18th Court East and 6414 31st Street.

The Properties Committee agenda listed requests to honorarily designate Alberta Park as Kip Tyner Plaza and a portion of 26th Avenue East from University Boulevard East to 4th Street East as Kip Tyner Parkway, plus authorization for the Mayor to execute a declaration vacating part of Knoll Road tied to the University Boulevard East Improvements project.

The Finance Committee agenda included accepting an $800,000 Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside grant for Skyland Boulevard (US-11) streetscape work with a 20% city match of $200,000, and applying for a federal grant for 70 bulletproof vests for the Tuscaloosa Police Department. The Public Projects Committee agenda listed a $415,000 first-year professional services agreement with Thornton Musso & Bellemin, Inc. for intermediate sewer treatment at Lift Stations 39, 41, 2 and 33, and a $36,340 change order with Mark Johnson Construction, LLC raising a Lift Station 40 and 41 valve contract from $347,660 to $384,000. The Administration and Policy Committee listed a job classification for Director, Saban Center Facility Operations (OCA-26-1135). District 5 is listed as vacant on committee rosters.

Coming up

• **Oct. 13 — City Council:** public hearings on demolition costs and liens at 2806 Short Street, 2808 Short Street and 2317 Jack Warner Parkway; a Placer Labs Inc. dba Placer.AI contract amendment totaling $106,320.00; public works contracts with Knight Sign Industries, Inc. ($40,801.00) and Druid City Electric, Inc. ($35,000.00); the proposed Kip Tyner renaming; and introduction of amendment no. 1 to the FY2027 general fund and ELEVATE Tuscaloosa fund budgets.
• **Oct. 13 — Public Projects Committee:** a Rice Mine Rd slope repair award to John Plott Company, Inc. for $242,317.39; Saban Center amendments with Davis Architects ($375,730.62) and Turner & Townsend Heery ($50,000.00); and a TTL, Inc. proposal for River District parking lot improvements at $339,000.00.
• **Oct. 13 — Finance Committee:** a Water and Sewer Fund budget revision transferring $154,657 to contingency, and District 7 Improvements Fund disbursements.
• **Oct. 13 — Public Safety Committee:** a professional services contract with TargetSolutions Learning, LLC dba Vector Solutions (OCA-26-0786).

All items listed for Oct. 13 are agenda items; no outcomes were available at the time of writing.