Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin
On Tuesday, for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Birmingham City Council opted for an all-virtual council meeting — though, at least initially, that format kept them from accomplishing much.
Council President William Parker initially floated the idea of teleconferenced meetings during the beginning of the outbreak of COVID-19 last year, but the council, instead, continued to gather in its chambers with masks and spaced seating. The recent spike in cases — along with Mayor Randall Woodfin’s recent COVID diagnosis and hospitalization — finally pushed the councilors fully online.
But there they were reminded by city attorney Nicole King that they could perform only “essential functions of the city,” which on Tuesday mostly consisted of declaring 19 dilapidated buildings to be public nuisances, approving payment for city vehicle repairs and allocating small neighborhood expenditures.
Half the items on Tuesday’s agenda, mostly noxious weed abatements, were delayed because they required the opportunity for public comment, which was not an option in the teleconference format.
During the 10-minute meeting, Woodfin chief of staff Cedric Sparks did provide the council with a brief update on the mayor’s condition. The city announced Monday night that he had been hospitalized with COVID-related pneumonia. Sparks said Tuesday morning that Woodfin “is in very great spirits” and that city business would continue in his absence.
“Just know that the team is ready to assist, and we’re going to keep moving forward,” Sparks said.
Mayor Randall Woodfin plans to pardon more than 15,000 Birmingham residents convicted of marijuana possession.
The plan is for Jefferson County to purchase lots one and two of the property, which would remain under county ownership. The Greater Birmingham Humane Society would purchase lot three and build an animal hospital and adoption control facility there.
Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, has been found guilty of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Many rural health leaders believe community health centers, which were born in the 60s to reach low-income communities of color, were a missing piece in achieving equity in the vaccine rollout.
The five-member board will have the authority to investigate citizen complaints and will have some subpoena powers to aid those investigations.
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