2026-10-27 - City Council

00:03This is a regular meeting of the Mobile

00:04City Council, Tuesday, October the 27th.

00:08Please stand for our invocation led by

00:10Pastor Tony Legear, Public Safety

00:11Chaplain, and remain standing for the

00:13Pledge of Allegiance.

00:14>> Good morning, everyone.

00:15>> Good morning.

00:16>> Well, let's just pause for probably what

00:18could be the most important 60 seconds

00:21of the day.

00:22Where we affirm our dependence upon a

00:24great God.

00:26So, let's pray.

00:29Our Father, we do just that. We pause.

00:34We say thank you to you for your

00:35goodness to us. We humble ourselves

00:37before you, God, knowing that we are

00:39far, far from

00:41perfect, even godly, sometimes.

00:44But, we're asking that your Holy Spirit

00:45would favor us in this room.

00:48Spirit of God, may we humble ourselves

00:51in such a way

00:52that the goodness of God is reflected.

00:54We pray that you would favor our leaders

00:57with wisdom.

00:58May you counsel them by your spirit and

01:01walk us through these challenging days.

01:04And Father, our hope is in you.

01:07Favor them with your strength today, we

01:08pray in Christ's name. Amen.

01:11>> Amen.

01:13>> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

01:15United States of America

01:17and to the republic for which it stands,

01:20one nation under God, indivisible, with

01:24liberty and justice for all.

01:27>> [clears throat]

01:37>> Roll call. President Small.

01:38>> Here.

01:39>> Vice President Gregory.

01:40>> Here.

01:40>> Councilmember Penn.

01:42>> Here.

01:42>> Councilmember Ingram.

01:43>> Here.

01:43>> Councilmember Reynolds.

01:44>> Here.

01:45>> Councilmember Fleming.

01:46>> Here.

01:46>> Councilmember Woods.

01:48>> Here.

01:48>> Statement of rules.

01:49>> Uh good morning, everyone.

01:51>> Good morning.

01:51>> It's good to see everyone this morning.

01:53Welcome to our October 27th, 2026

01:56meeting.

01:57At this meeting, we do have rules. At

01:59this time, I ask if anyone have any type

02:02of electronic device, including cell

02:03phones, please at this time put on the

02:06off or the vibrate position. The off or

02:08the vibrate position.

02:12Any person that desire to address the

02:14Mobile City Council must sign in

02:16indicating the resolution, the

02:17ordinance, or public hearing agenda item

02:19before entering the meeting.

02:21When addressing this Council, the

02:23speaker must give his or her name.

02:26Any person that desire to speak to the

02:27Council on a non-agenda item must

02:30contact the City Clerk office no later

02:32than 2:00 p.m. the Thursday prior to the

02:34Council meeting.

02:36The subject that he or she wish to

02:37express to Mobile City Council must be

02:39identified and pertain to the City of

02:41Mobile business.

02:43Anyone who has not given proper notice

02:44to the City Clerk office and wish to

02:46speak on a non-agenda item will not be

02:49allowed to address this Council.

02:51Each speaker is allowed 3 minutes to

02:53address this Council. A bell will sound

02:55to indicate the end of 2 minutes. 1

02:57minute will remain for summarizing. The

02:59second bell will indicate that your time

03:00has expired.

03:02When addressing this Council, there will

03:03be no personal address to any individual

03:05Council members. All statements are to

03:07be made to the chair who will recognize

03:08any Council member who wishes to

03:10respond.

03:11To maintain the quorum, there will be no

03:13undue applause or public outcry allowed.

03:15Madam Clerk.

03:19>> Approval of minutes of October 20th.

03:21>> So moved.

03:21>> Second.

03:22>> After moving second, any discussion?

03:25All in favor?

03:26>> Aye.

03:26>> All opposed? Minutes approved.

03:29>> Communications from Mayor Stimpson

03:30Gaillard.

03:32>> He's on his way down.

03:36Tell you what, Councilwoman Ingram,

03:38we're going to go ahead and do your

03:39proclamation. We can just come back to

03:40the mayor.

03:43>> Thank you, Mr. President. If Anthony

03:46Widener would meet me at the podium,

03:47please.

04:13>> Good morning, everyone.

04:14>> Morning.

04:15>> I have the privilege to read the

04:17proclamation

04:18to uh representing the Mobile County

04:21Health Department.

04:24Whereas childhood lead poisoning is a

04:28serious public health concern, yet it is

04:32100% preventable.

04:34And whereas even low levels of lead in a

04:37child's blood can result in lifelong

04:40health impacts, developmental delays,

04:43and learning difficulties. And whereas

04:46the federal government, including the

04:48Centers for Disease Control and

04:50Prevention, the US Environmental

04:52Protection Agency, and the US Department

04:55of Housing and Urban Development,

04:57alongside local communities, have

04:59designated October the 25th to the 31st,

05:022026

05:04as National Lead Poisoning Prevention

05:06Week. And whereas the Mobile County

05:09Health Department and the Alabama

05:11Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention

05:14Program strives to support efforts to

05:16keep children living in Mobile County

05:19and in the state of Alabama lead-free.

05:22And now, therefore, I, Councilwoman

05:24Samantha J. Ingram of District 2 and the

05:27members of the Mobile City Council, do

05:29hereby proclaim October the 25th to the

05:3231st, 2026

05:35as National Lead Poisoning Prevention

05:37Week, done at the city of Mobile,

05:39Alabama on the 27th day of October,

05:422026.

05:44Thank you.

05:47>> [applause]

06:06>> Greetings to the council and all

06:07members. Thank you for allowing me the

06:09opportunity to speak today.

06:11Uh my name is Anthony Widner and I'm the

06:12lead poisoning prevention outreach

06:14educator for Mobile County working under

06:16the direction of Toki Dunn, director

06:18Pebbles King, executive director Dr.

06:20Stephanie Woods-Crawford, and all of us

06:22working under the direction of the

06:23health officer Dr. Kevin Michaels at the

06:25Mobile County Health Department.

06:27Lead is an old problem that rears its

06:28ugly head all around Mobile County from

06:31tradition mean traditional means of

06:32exposure like paint and soil to more

06:34modern routes of exposure that we're

06:35finding through research by

06:36collaborating with universities across

06:38the nation. We're finding that all these

06:40new routes of exposures can be

06:41detrimental to the health of young

06:43children as well as adults. And part of

06:45my job is letting people know that there

06:47are still ways to protect themselves

06:48from this negative health ailment and

06:50keeping people updated on the ways to

06:51protect themselves from this invisible

06:53threat is what I do on a daily basis.

06:55In honor of this awareness week, I have

06:57asked the RSA building to be lit purple,

06:59the color of lead poisoning prevention

07:01week, so be on the lookout for a purple

07:03skyline tomorrow night and remember that

07:05that is uh for the children of Alabama.

07:08Again, I thank the council for

07:09recognizing the importance of this issue

07:11and thank you to the mayor's office for

07:12acknowledging this proclamation for lead

07:14poisoning prevention week.

07:16>> Yeah, thank you so much for all y'all

07:17work y'all do for the community.

07:19>> Thank you.

07:21>> Mayor Chair Gaillard.

07:24>> Good morning council. Good morning

07:25everyone.

07:26>> Good morning.

07:28>> [clears throat]

07:28>> We certainly have a lot to talk about

07:29this morning, but I I wanted to

07:32start the day by talking about a few

07:33good things

07:35uh that happened last week.

07:37Um specifically on uh I attended the

07:40graduation of cohort number 10 of the

07:43C251 Citizens Academy last week.

07:47Citizens Academy is about giving

07:48residents an inside look at how our

07:51municipal government operates. It's

07:53organized by our community affairs

07:56department. Miss Portia's here, Mr.

07:59Brandon Colvin. Uh they really lead that

08:01charge. They do an incredible job of

08:04organizing um so many participants not

08:07just from the community, but also

08:09internally with the city and

08:12the goal of it is to help participants

08:14understand how our departments run the

08:16city day on a day on day in day out

08:19basis. Uh, to the new graduates, I hope

08:22you'll take what you've learned and

08:23learn and help your neighbors understand

08:25more about what's going on in your city.

08:29I want to thank the Community Affairs

08:30Department for leading that charge. Uh,

08:33I'll probably talk about it in a minute,

08:34but I ran into like five of our

08:37graduates this weekend and they were so

08:39excited about that program and the

08:41knowledge that they gained from it.

08:43Looking forward to be ambassadors for

08:45our city and I look forward to that for

08:47them.

08:48Uh, on Saturday, I also had the chance

08:50to welcome the Carnival Spirit back to

08:52the to the city of Mobile and the

08:54Mobile, Alabama cruise terminal for yet

08:56another season of cruising out of the

08:58Port City. Uh, through our cruise

09:02terminal, we will welcome thousands of

09:04tourists to our city to peruse our

09:06shops, eat at our restaurants, and visit

09:08our local attractions. Uh, Sheila

09:11Greganus and the cruise terminal staff

09:13do a fantastic job of getting our

09:15cruisers on and off the ship in a kind,

09:18understanding, and extremely efficient

09:20way. Frankly, you cannot appreciate it

09:23until you see it. Uh, it is, as some

09:25might say, controlled chaos, but it is

09:27truly controlled. Uh, and and it is why

09:31we continue as a city to win awards from

09:34Carnival for number for being their

09:36number one in customer service

09:38satisfaction right here in Mobile. Uh,

09:41in May, we'll be the home port for a

09:43larger Carnival Valor ship and Valor's

09:46arrival will mark the return of

09:48year-round cruising to the Port City.

09:51It's a great thing and I saw it

09:52firsthand this weekend.

09:54Uh, finally, also on Saturday, I had the

09:57opportunity to visit uh, the Mobile

09:59Museum of Art for a free family day

10:01celebrating the incredible Gateway from

10:04Graffiti to Gallery exhibit. Uh, it was

10:06truly a wonderful day. Uh, I was able to

10:08bring my daughter, everybody else had

10:11practice. Um,

10:12But the Gateway exhibit celebrates some

10:15of the most popular leaders

10:17of the street art movement including

10:18Banksy, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith

10:22Haring, KAWS, and Kenny Scharf.

10:25Truly, if you haven't had a chance to

10:27visit the Mobile Museum of Art to see

10:29this exhibit yet, you absolutely should.

10:32The Mobile The exhibit will be at the

10:34Museum of Art through August 2027.

10:37I encourage you make plans to go see it

10:39today. It's truly spectacular, one of a

10:41kind.

10:43And with that, I do want to turn our

10:45attention to what I think is on most

10:47people's minds.

10:51This past week, we talked

10:54a good deal about

10:56a transaction, the transaction

10:59as I refer to it.

11:01And that was a transaction that resulted

11:03in 14.7 million dollars of taxpayer

11:05dollars

11:07leaving the hands of of the city and

11:09going to the wrong destination.

11:12I think we have a lot of people that are

11:15angry about that.

11:16I don't blame them.

11:18You know, those are my tax dollars, too.

11:21And the truth is that

11:23the wasting the waste or misspending of

11:27taxpayer dollars is one of the gravest

11:29sins that a government can conduct, you

11:32know, can commit.

11:33And so

11:35I want to speak to the people today to

11:38say we don't take it lightly. This

11:39council doesn't take it lightly. My

11:41administration does not take it lightly.

11:44We are certainly engaging professionals

11:46in the field.

11:48Just yesterday, I met with Secret

11:50Service, the FBI,

11:52many others on protections that we can

11:55put in place going forward.

11:58We continue through council and and

12:01other means to have conversations with

12:03the FBI

12:05this morning, last night.

12:08Very continuous communications.

12:12I think we have two primary goals as a

12:14city.

12:15One

12:17is to do everything that we can to

12:18ensure that the proper protective

12:20measures are put in place where this can

12:22never happen again.

12:24Um

12:26frankly, we had a lot of protective

12:27measures in place.

12:30Um the truth is mistakes were made and

12:32there are mistakes

12:34that were made.

12:36There were plenty of mistakes to go

12:38around.

12:39We suffered from a bit of bad luck as

12:40well.

12:42Uh but there are plenty of mistakes that

12:43we've identified.

12:45We're going to continue to cooperate

12:47with the external independent

12:49investigations. There there are

12:50multiple. Of course, with the FBI, the

12:52Secret Service,

12:54uh law

12:56with one law firm, Polsinelli, our

12:58insurance carrier has also engaged a law

13:00firm and we also have a forensic

13:03forensic team who's going to come

13:04through and review everything that we

13:06do.

13:08Nobody has worked harder since the

13:11knowledge of this transaction came out

13:14uh than Mr. Logan Gowan, our our finance

13:16director. He has truly combed through

13:19each and every communication that we

13:20have available to us that occurred as a

13:23result of this

13:25uh that occurred in connection with this

13:27transaction.

13:29Um there's no way

13:33to spin this as a good thing, but I do

13:34want to make a few promises.

13:38Uh one is that when we're complete, it's

13:41the this city's goal

13:43to be the national example of how to

13:45protect your transactions. We are truly

13:48working with the best people in the

13:49field in the country

13:52and already we've had calls from other

13:55municipalities

13:57wanting to know what we've done to

13:59address this because they've experienced

14:01it.

14:02This level of financial crime and

14:04financial fraud

14:06uh is a growing industry

14:08uh

14:09totaling about $4 billion in 2020 just

14:12last year. That number got up to 20.8

14:15billion dollars of American dollars

14:17that were stolen through theft and fraud

14:20related to cybercrimes like this.

14:24Um involving emails, involving

14:27people getting in the middle of

14:29legitimate transactions. And so for some

14:32of the details, I do want to allow

14:35Mr. Logan Gewin to to have some words.

14:39But what I want to

14:41really stress is that you know, there's

14:44no whitewashing this. There's no

14:45sweeping this under the rug and acting

14:48like it's not a big deal. This is a huge

14:50deal.

14:51And we are treating it as such.

14:53Uh there is no level of effort or

14:56resource that we will not go to to see

14:58this money recovered.

15:00Uh and to ensure that this does not

15:04throw off Mobile's momentum. Mobile has

15:08so many good things coming.

15:11This will not change that.

15:13It might make it more difficult at

15:14times, but no one will stop the momentum

15:17of Mobile. We will continue to grow as a

15:19city. We will continue to provide a

15:21better quality of life for our citizens.

15:24>> [clears throat]

15:24>> We'll continue to grow in opportunity uh

15:27and household income

15:29and and I hope in population as well. So

15:33uh I want to thank everybody that's here

15:35to hear that

15:37and to talk about this today. Uh I want

15:39to pass the mic on to Mr. Logan Gewin

15:41for a few words.

15:52>> All right.

15:53I'll be using this mic for

15:56>> [clears throat]

15:56>> um I'll just repeat much of what we

15:59talked about at pre-council.

16:02Just the actual mechanics of how this

16:05happened. This was a

16:07communication which began in May.

16:11An inquiry that was put into the

16:13department from a

16:15false vendor.

16:17False documents exchanged. There were

16:18some efforts in that communication to

16:21make it look legitimate.

16:23Copying people who had actual names.

16:26Um

16:27and

16:29through a series of conversations over

16:34um conversations, phone conversations,

16:36email

16:38document exchanges over

16:40I would say the next couple months, a a

16:42level of a trust a level of a trust was

16:45established

16:47get some vendor information altered.

16:50Uh one of the

16:52key key

16:54uh key problems that that I believe is

16:57that a invoice from the

16:59real vendor was exchanged with a fake

17:02vendor, which as this moves up the chain

17:06helped to legitimize that communication.

17:09Also, the mere fact that there'd been a

17:112-month long communication helped to

17:13legitimate uh legitimate that

17:16in the eyes of

17:17some of of the other people that went up

17:19the chain.

17:20So, this did result

17:23uh eventually in a request to

17:26change the recipient account information

17:29>> [snorts]

17:29>> to the bank and that eventually

17:32resulted in a transaction.

17:35Um

17:36As I explained this morning, that

17:37transaction was put through on October

17:392nd.

17:41The first initial inquiries after that

17:43began to be raised, I believe on October

17:457th.

17:47Uh very unfortunately

17:50as I mentioned this morning, there was

17:53uh regardless of the human element here,

17:56there was still a lot of circumstantial

17:58luck across the entire chain that was

18:00very unfortunate. Uh it's like

18:04I I don't know the right

18:06word for it, thread the needle 100

18:09times. Um

18:10but one of those pieces with it was I do

18:12not believe the hurricane helped. Um

18:15The hurricane distracted

18:18vendor

18:20other financial parties, city for

18:22what appears to be four or five days.

18:24There's also a bank holiday the Monday

18:26following.

18:27And I think that helped. And um

18:30that is one of the things that provided

18:31time to

18:33to not catch this

18:35uh by the team. Um

18:38I

18:40eventually I learned about this on

18:42Friday the 16th when it all came to

18:44light

18:46uh and notified the mayor shortly after.

18:50The

18:51>> [clears throat]

18:52>> uh another thing I did point out in

18:54pre-council. I mean this this is a

18:58routine's a big word, but this is a

18:59regular transaction uh with a regular

19:02cadence. It's

19:04I mean I would describe this clockwork

19:06since the contract was begun

19:1018 months ago.

19:11Um this is this is routine. The team's

19:14on it. Um

19:16the team this is below the mayor's view

19:19as far as what he needs to look at each

19:21month. We of course have regular arena

19:24updates which include financial updates

19:26and project updates, but

19:29the mechanics of the payment are

19:32they're simply below his level. Um

19:34and

19:36um

19:38I I just want to make that clear.

19:40So

19:42>> [clears throat]

19:46>> what what else can I answer for you?

19:48>> And if I may just say one thing. Um

19:52you know, good people make bad mistakes.

19:56I think we all know that in our lives.

19:57Good people make bad mistakes.

20:00There's a great deal of anger that goes

20:01into a loss of this size, of this

20:04nature.

20:05And that is to be expected and that is

20:07natural.

20:10>> [clears throat]

20:10>> But we have separated, you know, with

20:13the city has terminated one individual.

20:15There

20:16other individuals involved.

20:20You know, I ask that the public

20:22consider where that anger should be

20:23directed.

20:25Good people make mistakes, too.

20:28Bad people steal life savings without

20:31a moment's care.

20:33Bad people

20:35enter themselves into legitimate

20:36transactions and steal money.

20:39Uh

20:40I I assure you they deserve your anger.

20:42They They deserve

20:44the anger that you have inside of you.

20:49Everyone wants to know how could

20:50something like this happen, and that is

20:52the question we've been asking ourselves

20:54for every day since this came to light.

20:57Uh we generally know, and we want to

21:01but we don't know everything. We know

21:03internally, [clears throat] through our

21:04internal investigations, everything

21:05that's happened, but we don't know

21:07everything that happened in connection

21:08to this. That's why we have these

21:10independent investigations. That's why

21:12the FBI is actively investigating this,

21:15and the other firms are also involved.

21:18There are things that we don't know yet,

21:20and there are things that as a city we

21:21need to protect our opportunities for

21:24recovery of these funds.

21:26And because of that, we do have to limit

21:28to some degree the detail

21:30that we give. But in the end,

21:33uh there was a failure in that

21:36uh account information was able to be

21:38updated without proper

21:41verification, and that was a failure.

21:43Uh and there were there were others that

21:47that we can't detail at this time, but I

21:49want you to know as soon as we can, we

21:51will share every detail as it relates to

21:53this

21:54transaction. We will continue to keep

21:57your representatives on the council

21:59updated as they've asked, and they

22:01deserve.

22:02Uh we will do that through weekly

22:04meetings

22:05uh at their request. Uh and we are also

22:08going to bring in trusted members of the

22:10public to review our current procedures.

22:13Again, I would like to tell you every

22:14procedure that we have in place now. I

22:17I've talked about hard checks for

22:19anything any amount with two commas in

22:22it to limit our exposure to these cyber

22:25criminals.

22:27Uh we have other things that we put in

22:29place as far as contemporaneous

22:30communications around other transactions

22:34that I don't really want to discuss so

22:36as not to make us a target and give bad

22:38guys a playbook.

22:40Um Mobile is doing a lot of good. A lot

22:43of new stories about our new $300

22:46million arena, which I still contend

22:48will be the finest mid-size arena in the

22:50entire country.

22:51That draws unwanted attention.

22:53With the good can come the bad and we

22:56have experienced that and it is our goal

22:58to ensure that we don't ever experience

23:00it again.

23:02And certainly if the council has any

23:04questions.

23:07>> I do encourage all the citizens um

23:11to go back and watch pre-council.

23:14Um that's one reason why that's the main

23:16reason why we was late starting council

23:18meeting on this morning

23:20uh because um we went into very

23:23depth discussion about this unfortunate

23:26loss of our city. And again, I do

23:28encourage all the citizens to go back

23:31and watch pre-council on this morning

23:33from this morning. Also, would like to

23:36uh as the mayor had mentioned a little

23:38bit that um

23:40my um

23:42colleague um Mr. Woods

23:44uh is uh had brought up to our attention

23:47about bringing in a advisory committee.

23:50And um to

23:52um

23:53to us

23:55and that we are going to um which you if

23:57you looked at the agenda resolution

23:5903-1170

24:02uh is um we are looking to do a ad hoc

24:05committee um advisory committee. Uh we

24:08did one back under the Jones

24:10administration when the city was facing

24:12the 1% sales tax. And we called it the

24:15city budget finance committee.

24:17And uh Mr. Woods which is the chairman

24:19of our finance uh committee um and also

24:23with this council uh we're probably

24:25looking to uh pass this resolution on

24:27next week. Um the council most of the

24:30council members had not had the

24:31opportunity to to read the resolution

24:33thoroughly, but I'm looking to hopefully

24:36to pass this on next week. And again, um

24:38this is going to be a ad hoc committee

24:41where we're going to be looking for

24:42trusted individuals that have background

24:44in financials to look at the practice of

24:46the financial department of the city of

24:49Mobile.

24:50But again, I do advise all the citizens

24:52to go back and please watch the

24:54pre-council meeting from this morning.

24:56All right.

24:57>> Mr. President, uh Mr. Penn.

24:59>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um and I agree

25:01with

25:02Councilman

25:03Smalls that we um are already asking the

25:07questions. I have 40 questions. I can

25:09even get through all my questions during

25:12pre-council meeting. I will say I'm

25:14submitting those questions to the

25:16administration. And next week we will

25:18have a committee meeting. Um and so

25:21hopefully we'll be able to get those

25:23answers. Um we did they they was able to

25:25answer some today in pre-council, but we

25:29will have other questions for them for

25:31next week. Um and I have 40 questions

25:34and I'm planning after I get those

25:36answers, I will put that in my

25:37newsletter. I will submit it to my

25:39district so you know exactly what's

25:41taking place in the city of Mobile.

25:42Thank you, Mr. President.

25:43>> Mr. President.

25:44>> Um yes, ma'am.

25:46>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um and I want

25:48to concur with the uh sentiments from

25:50President Small along with Councilman

25:52Penn.

25:53Several of you I want to thank the

25:55citizens who've reached out and sent

25:56questions. Several of you uh emailed

25:58questions directly to me. I will be uh

26:01submitting those questions also to

26:03administration along with uh my

26:06questions that I presented during the

26:08meeting and the additional questions.

26:10But again, I want to thank you to the

26:11citizens who have reached out and that

26:14and and I want you to know that your

26:15voice is being heard. Thank you.

26:17>> Mr. Woods, would you uh go ahead

26:19announce those committee dates?

26:22>> Yes, sir. Uh looking for next week

26:2411:30. Um we'll set a time um after

26:27council here make sure that announcement

26:28goes out. Um I hope hopefully 12:30 1:00

26:31we'll have that meeting. And then uh 2

26:33weeks from that day, um that that

26:35meeting will be focused kind of again in

26:37order to maximize

26:39the amount of amount of answers that can

26:41be provided um in a timely fashion. Uh

26:44my colleagues will be submitting

26:46questions uh for the administration to

26:48to take a look at and provide some

26:50answers to. Um and then also we'll we'll

26:53kind of ask some questions regarding

26:55maybe potential future impacts on future

26:57budgets on that meeting as well. Um

26:59again,

27:00you know, right now it's

27:02the budget for this year is set, it's

27:03locked in um based on revenues of the

27:05city um with anticipated expenses. Uh

27:09the the you know, anything moving

27:10forward with could be, you know, nothing

27:12too in detailed, but um at least kind of

27:14at least put the radar up of what what

27:16this could could look like. And then um

27:182 weeks from that day on 11/17

27:21um at 12:30 uh p.m. 1:00 we'll we'll set

27:24a time as well when we do this. We'll

27:26have a another follow-up meeting. Um

27:28again, just to try to keep um

27:31kind of a clearinghouse of information

27:32regarding you know, the the transaction

27:35and and anything revolving regarding

27:37that. So, that's that's kind of the game

27:38plan from the finance committee meeting.

27:40And then the resolution, obviously, it's

27:42on agenda. Um

27:44that uh Council President Small

27:46mentioned. Uh it's not a obviously we're

27:49with this body we we do hold

27:51investigative authority based on the

27:53Zaxby's. Um this by no means is an

27:55investigation. I don't think there's any

27:57other entity in the United States

27:59outside of the FBI and the Secret

28:00Service that can do what they're about

28:02to do, what they are in the process of

28:03doing to uncover the the thief and and

28:06all and and

28:08find out where the transaction went to.

28:09And so, there's there's really no need

28:11to investigate the why, what, when,

28:13where um when it comes to this body, at

28:14least in my opinion. Um I know the

28:16administration's bringing in some

28:17experts to kind of handle that as well.

28:19But again, this resolution that that is

28:21on agenda

28:22um is is basically uh compiling some

28:24some citizens that work every single

28:26day, um Mobilians that work every single

28:28day and see these type of situations and

28:30and work to prevent these either through

28:32a CPA firm that they work for financial

28:34institution or or other institutions

28:36that are constantly under attack just

28:37like the city of Mobile is. So, I'm

28:40looking forward to to this committee and

28:41and then also what their job will be

28:43tasked with is basically reviewing

28:44policies and seeing you know, these are

28:47strong policies, but we do we do this

28:50here. We do this where we work. This is

28:51what we recommend. So, anything

28:53additional like that. I know coming from

28:54the banking industry, bankers talk a lot

28:56and review each other's policies cuz

28:58iron sharpens iron sharpens iron and

29:00that's that's really kind of what we

29:02want to want to do. Not just really just

29:04a secondary outside the city of Mobile

29:06to look at our our policies and

29:08procedures of the finance department.

29:09And I do appreciate the mayor. Again,

29:11all council members have have joined in

29:13to to sponsor this. The mayor joined on

29:15as well. So, I'm looking forward to to

29:17working closely with them to to just get

29:19some extra eyes from from Mobilians in

29:21the city. Thank you.

29:23>> Mr. President.

29:24>> Yeah, Mr. Lyons.

29:25>> Um I would like to thank Councilman

29:27Woods for forming this committee, kind

29:29of bringing in some outside experts that

29:32are part of our community to help

29:34provide that extra oversight that we can

29:37lean on to make sure we are protecting

29:40our policies, our procedures, how we

29:42transfer money.

29:44We have a lot of talented financial

29:46experts here in the banking industry,

29:48CFOs, accountants and I think it's a um

29:52a wise thing for us to do to go back

29:54behind ourselves and and check to make

29:57sure we are

29:58doing the right thing.

30:00Um I really just

30:02This has been a tough week for

30:03everybody. I'd like to thank the mayor

30:06>> [clears throat]

30:06>> and Mr. Ewing

30:08for sharing the timeline of events

30:10leading up to the fraudulent transaction

30:12that caused us to lose the 14.7.

30:15We all were were you know, how did this

30:18happen? When did it start? They they've

30:20been able to disclose that information

30:23and not jeopardize the investigation.

30:26Uh I I would also like to echo what Mr.

30:29President Small said about watching

30:31pre-council. We were able to ask

30:34questions. We still have

30:36a lot of questions. Um, but I believe

30:39this administration and the mayor and

30:42Mr. Gwin are being fully transparent.

30:44And they are telling us what they can.

30:47So, we still have questions. I have

30:49questions. I know you all have

30:51questions.

30:52As this investigation unfolds, we we

30:55will hopefully be able to share some

30:57information with you as we receive it.

30:59Um, because you deserve it. So, this

31:02council is committed um, for full

31:05transparency, full communication, full

31:07cooperation. Thank you.

31:09>> Mr. President.

31:10>> Yes, Marshall.

31:11>> Um, thank you, Mr. President. Appreciate

31:14that. And

31:15for those of you who did not attend our

31:17pre-conference meeting, uh, a lot of

31:20good information was shared during our

31:22pre-conference meeting because that was

31:23really the first time that we as a

31:25council had an opportunity to question

31:27the mayor and his team about exactly

31:29what transpired to get us in this

31:31position in the first place. So, if you

31:34have a chance, please do go back and

31:36look at that. However, just to share

31:38with you all, of course we have the same

31:40questions you do.

31:41How did it happen? How could it happen?

31:44Who's responsible both internally and

31:46externally?

31:48How do we prevent these things from

31:49happening in the future? And how does

31:52this impact the next budget? You know,

31:55of course we as the council have a lot

31:57of projects ongoing. Uh, we really like

32:00our CIP dollars at $4 million we get

32:03every year. And the last thing we want

32:05to see is for that to be um, messed with

32:08basically. For for that to be decreased

32:10in any way, shape, or form because of

32:12anything that's happening.

32:14Uh, we also don't want to see any

32:16projects have to be pushed back or just

32:19not done because of impact of this

32:22nearly $15 million

32:23catastrophe that we have on our hands.

32:25And I think it can be termed a

32:26catastrophe. I mean, we certainly are

32:29working toward trying to recover funds.

32:31And I think what the mayor and his staff

32:33are doing is laudable. We've got the

32:35FBI. We have Secret Service forensic

32:38accountants going through this. We're

32:39doing everything we can to figure out

32:42how all this came about and you've heard

32:44the timeline

32:46and trying to recover as much funding as

32:48possible. But again, we have all of

32:51these things

32:52in the future, projects that are

32:53planned, CIP dollars that we have plans

32:56for. We don't want to see anything

32:57happen to those. This committee that

33:00Josh Woods, Councilman Woods, is

33:02proposing is a good step forward for

33:04this council to be more responsive, to

33:08do our duty, which is to investigate,

33:11and to find answers to questions.

33:13Councilman Small, President Small,

33:15mentioned a committee years ago

33:18when we were looking at increasing the

33:20sales tax. He was appointed to that

33:22committee. That was one of the first

33:23times that he actually was involved in

33:25city government. And so this is similar.

33:28We're looking for information. We're

33:29looking for

33:31um

33:31ways to answer your questions, for us to

33:33get answers to our questions, and maybe

33:35to make some more changes, to have a

33:37different set of eyes on how we do

33:39things here in the city. It's always a

33:41good thing to have other people with

33:42expertise come in and look at things for

33:44us and make some suggestions. So these

33:47are some steps going forward that we can

33:49do. It is certainly not over. I know we

33:51have heard from a lot of people out

33:53there who have a lot of questions and

33:54like the mayor said, are angry. Well, of

33:56course we're all angry that this

33:58happened.

33:59So we are doing the best we can at this

34:01point to bring you these updates. The

34:04council is asking for regular updates. I

34:06know the public wants regular updates

34:08and we are going to do our part to make

34:10sure that this happens.

34:15>> Madam Clerk.

34:18>> Adoption of the agenda.

34:20>> So moved.

34:21>> Second.

34:21>> Properly moved and seconded. Any

34:22discussion?

34:24All in favor.

34:25>> Aye.

34:25>> All opposed. Agenda is adopted.

34:28>> Appeals, we have requests to wave the

34:29noise ordinance on October 31st on

34:32Elmira Street, April the 3rd on in Mardi

34:35Gras Park, November 14th on Venetia

34:38Road, and December the 5th on Dolphin

34:40Island Parkway.

34:42>> So moved.

34:42>> Second.

34:43>> Properly moved and second. Any

34:45discussion? Uh the Venutian road has

34:47changed at the 10:00 a.m. I mean, excuse

34:50me, 10:00 p.m.

34:53Any other discussion? All in favor?

34:55>> Aye.

34:56>> All opposed?

34:57Item passed.

34:58>> Public hearing today is a public hearing

35:00to consider the application of Tiffany

35:01Monique Williams for a certificate of

35:03public convenience and necessity to

35:05operate a sedan service.

35:06>> This open up the public hearing for this

35:08particular said item. Is anyone present

35:10that would like to address the council

35:11on this item?

35:14If not, this public hearing is closed.

35:17>> This is a public hearing to consider the

35:18vacation of a public alleyway adjacent

35:21to property located north of 144

35:24Highland Avenue.

35:25>> This open up the public hearing for this

35:27particular said item. Is anyone present

35:29that would like to address the council

35:30on this item?

35:34If not, this public hearing is closed.

35:36>> This is a public hearing to consider a

35:37vacation fee as a condition of the

35:40vacation of a public alleyway adjacent

35:43to property located north of 144

35:45Highland Avenue.

35:46>> This open up the public hearing for this

35:48particular said item. Is anyone present

35:50that would like to address the council

35:51on this item?

35:54If not, public hearing is closed.

35:56>> Presentation of petitions and other

35:58communications to the council.

36:00Dr. Vincent Robinson.

36:08>> Good morning.

36:09>> Good morning.

36:10>> Uh to me. Mayor Stimpson, to this

36:12amazing council, and no pun intended,

36:15I'm in District 1, so to the number one

36:17city councilman,

36:18Councilman Penn. Um Vincent Robinson,

36:21I'm here with my wife today, Mishaundia.

36:23We are the founders, and I am the lead

36:25pastor

36:26of Rightway Christian Center Church

36:27located at 4712 Moffett Road or Highway

36:3098. Uh and we have something amazing

36:33that we're doing that I believe the city

36:35would be uh this partnership with the

36:37city would be something that we could uh

36:39see flourish and cause our city to have

36:42favorable outcomes. Uh we're renovating

36:4473,000 square feet of building that we

36:46purchased there on the corner of Moffett

36:49and Shelton Beach Road. And we noticed

36:51that uh there was no storm shelter, and

36:54we did not want to have a building that

36:55would just have a Sunday service and be

36:58of no benefit to its community or city.

37:01So, part of our renovation plan is to

37:03actually provide or structure the

37:05building in a way that it could provide

37:07a storm shelter. We know that Mobile is

37:08in a hurricane, although we pray against

37:11those, and we're excited that we only

37:13get a little wind and a little water

37:14thus far. But, if that were to happen or

37:16if we found ourselves in a freeze, uh

37:20Right Way is in the second highest

37:22elevation of the city. Uh West Mobile is

37:25actually the Forest Hill area, and

37:26unfortunately, there is no way for the

37:29people uh that could be possibly

37:31affected by a storm or by a hurricane to

37:34have anywhere to go to receive food,

37:36shelter, clothing, or anything of that

37:38matter. So, we're renovating the

37:39building that will be a 12 uh 100-seater

37:41sanctuary, but it will be movable so

37:43that we can set that room up for

37:45anything that would be catastrophic or

37:47any need that will be beneficial to uh

37:50our city or even to our community. We'll

37:52have a full-service kitchen there uh

37:54that can serve from 800 to 1,000 meals,

37:58uh

37:58an amazing parking lot. We give over

38:0010,000 thousands of pounds of food away

38:03every month, and that became very taxing

38:05on uh our members and our volunteers.

38:07And so, we're also building a little

38:09market uh

38:11That's my time.

38:12Okay. 2,000 square feet of building

38:14we're going to use to do a little

38:15market. Uh we're partnering to do an EV

38:18station there. And there are many other

38:20things that we're going to be doing, but

38:21I just wanted to bring this to the city

38:22to let you know that we're here, and we

38:24would definitely love to partner with

38:25our city to see great things happen so

38:27that it's not a building that just sits,

38:29but it's a building that can serve.

38:32And I gave you all some information that

38:34you can look at along with the video of

38:36the building.

38:37>> Mr. President,

38:38>> uh Mr. Penn.

38:39>> Uh thank you, Mr. President, and thank

38:40you, Dr. Robinson, for coming and Pastor

38:42M um uh uh Pastor Masinde here for for

38:45being here as well.

38:46Um, the work that Right Way is doing in

38:48District 1 is just pretty amazing.

38:51Um, every month they are providing

38:5210,000 lb of food. I think this

38:55opportunity

38:56um, to create that partnership. Mobile

38:58has one of the great grant programs, I

39:01believe, not just in the city of Mobile,

39:04um, or the Alabama, but the state and

39:06and as well as the country. And so, I

39:09think there's some opportunity here. And

39:10so, hopefully we can find that

39:12opportunity with our grants uh, writers

39:15um, to look at ways to support

39:17initiatives like this because one, when

39:19the hurricane came this way,

39:22the areas that was open, I think was

39:24Stilldoor, it was another um, Colin

39:26Rhodes,

39:27um, and Causey, I think, and it wasn't

39:29located in that area. So, we don't have

39:31any storm shelters at that time located

39:34in that particular area for the

39:36community. And this would be a great

39:37opportunity. So, thank you so much for

39:39the hard work that Right Way and

39:40yourself is doing.

39:41>> Thank you, sir.

39:43>> Thank you so much, Dr. Robinson, and uh,

39:45congratulations on your progress.

39:48>> [clears throat]

39:49>> Matthew Miller.

40:02Good morning.

40:03>> Morning.

40:04>> Thank you for the opportunity to address

40:05the council. My name is Matthew Miller

40:06and I'm a lifelong resident of Mobile

40:08and I live in District 6.

40:10I come before you today to talk about

40:12the $14.7 million in taxpayer funds that

40:15were sent to a fraudulent entity. And

40:17much, if not all of that money, may

40:18never be recovered. This represents a

40:21catastrophic breakdown in the safeguards

40:23intended to protect taxpayer dollars.

40:26The Zoghby Act established the Mobile's

40:28mayor-council form of government, giving

40:30the mayor executive responsibility and

40:32giving you on the council legislative

40:34authority and oversight.

40:36But, here's something I want to remind

40:37you all. Section 11-44C-87

40:41of the Alabama Code gives this council

40:43the authority to investigate city

40:45departments, officials, subpoena

40:47witnesses, administer oaths, and compel

40:50the production of evidence. You don't

40:52have to wait for the mayor's

40:53administration to tell you what

40:54happened. You have independent

40:56investigative powers, and I'm asking

40:58that you all use them.

41:00Ultimately though, the buck stops at the

41:02mayor's desk.

41:03Section 11-44C-37

41:06gives the mayor administrative

41:08supervision over city departments and

41:10requires him to keep this council

41:12informed about city finances.

41:15Something went terribly wrong.

41:17The safeguards intended to prevent the

41:18fraudulent payment of this magnitude did

41:21not prevent it. Why? We don't know yet.

41:24But this was $14.7 million. We're not

41:28talking about a million or 5 million or

41:3010. This is a lot of money.

41:33I want to put this perspective into I

41:34want to put this into perspective.

41:37Everybody in this room is familiar with

41:38a Chevy Tahoe.

41:39Police and fire department use them

41:41every day, as do various city officials.

41:44A 2016 Chevy Tahoe LT has a starting

41:47price of $63,700.

41:50Do you know how many brand new Chevy

41:51Tahoes could have been purchased with

41:53$14.7 million?

41:55The answer is 230.

41:58230 brand new Chevy Tahoes. That's an

42:01entire parking lot of Tahoes gone.

42:05Mobile's not a wealthy city, and many of

42:07our residents struggle to pay their

42:08bills, and some even work two jobs just

42:11to put food on the table.

42:13So, $14.7 million is life-changing money

42:16for the overwhelming majority of Mobile.

42:20If a private business lost $14.7 million

42:22to fraud, there's a good chance it would

42:25not survive. But because this is

42:27government money, are we supposed to

42:29accept assurances that the city can

42:30afford this loss?

42:32No.

42:34Think about what $14.7 million could

42:36have accomplished. Roads, sidewalks,

42:38parks, renovated fire stations, or

42:41finally opening Brookley by the Bay.

42:43It could have supported better pay for

42:44city employees, firefighters, and police

42:46officers.

42:47This was no minor bookkeeping error, nor

42:50was it a rounding error. This was a

42:52catastrophic loss of public money.

42:56But the damage goes beyond 14.7 million.

42:59This incident has shaken public

43:01confidence in our municipal government,

43:03our mayor, and his administration.

43:05So, let me ask you something.

43:07How do we rebuild that trust?

43:09You don't rebuild it with carefully

43:11worded statements or meetings behind

43:12closed doors.

43:14Can I have an extra minute?

43:16>> Yeah. One minute.

43:18>> You rebuild it with transparency,

43:19accountability, and honest answers to

43:21the people of Mobile.

43:23So, council members, you were elected to

43:25serve the citizens of Mobile.

43:27I'm asking all seven of you to do your

43:29job.

43:30Demand answers, demand transparency, and

43:33demand accountability.

43:35Sometimes the truth is going to hurt,

43:37but accountability is not optional.

43:40I'm asking you to hold public hearings,

43:42ask questions, and do it in open

43:44sessions. Give the citizens of Mobile

43:47answers in public and not behind closed

43:49doors. The citizens of Mobile deserve

43:52nothing less. Thank you.

43:54>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

43:55>> Mr. President.

43:56>> Uh Mr. Penn.

43:56>> Uh thank you, Mr. Miller, for coming

43:58down.

43:59I just

44:03>> Please put your electronic device

44:05on silent or vibrate.

44:07And also, please stop talking to

44:09yourself cuz your voice is echoes up

44:12here and we can't hear the speaker.

44:13Mr. Penn.

44:14>> Uh thank you, Mr. President. Thank you,

44:15Mr. Miller, for coming. I received your

44:17email. I'm responding to that email this

44:19morning.

44:19>> Thank you for that.

44:20>> Yeah, no problem. And And at the same

44:22time, what you stated to the council, I

44:24agree. We have to

44:25do our jobs. And I agree that we we need

44:28to investigate departments. We need to

44:31investigate and know exactly what's

44:33taking place. I don't disagree with your

44:35statement. I do want to make sure and

44:38and I'm saying this, Mr. Miller, in a

44:40way

44:41the the

44:43our city understand exactly what's

44:44taking place. You made a valid point.

44:46You said You made a statement that if a

44:48company, a private company, was to lose

44:50this amount of money, it could bankrupt.

44:52>> I I can't think of any company in Mobile

44:56I'd love an example, but tell me a

44:58company in Mobile that could lose $14.7

45:00million and still have the doors open

45:02and pay employees.

45:03>> Yeah, and and and that's a valid point,

45:05but I do want to remind the the this

45:09the city of Mobile, the residents of

45:10Mobile because of this uh council and

45:12this past administration

45:14you look at our reserve funds um we've

45:17done very well financially. Um so it's

45:19not going to bankrupt the city. But this

45:22is major. I totally agree. What I could

45:24do with $14.7 million in District 1

45:27it'll be a game changer.

45:29I understand your concern and you have a

45:31right to be upset, you have a a right to

45:33be angry, but I can promise you this

45:36from my office and this council and what

45:38I believe we're going to do everything

45:39we can to figure out to ask the hard

45:41questions and I believe the

45:42administration is going to work. If you

45:44go watch that pre-council, I don't know

45:46if you were there for the pre-council

45:47meeting.

45:47>> I I wasn't. I

45:49I I think we probably should have

45:50pre-council more in public than on the

45:52ninth floor.

45:52>> Yeah. And and so and and that's a good

45:55suggestion. Um and so next week we will

45:57have a public committee meeting. We have

46:00another public committee meeting.

46:01There's no there's no closed doors. Even

46:03before this meeting, we didn't do any

46:04closed doors. The information we

46:06received was the same information you

46:08received at the same time.

46:09>> Yeah, I I agree. Yeah.

46:10>> And so so I just want to just want to

46:12make sure that the public understand and

46:14I thank you so much for sharing and

46:16sharing your concerns. Thank you, Mr.

46:17Miller. Thank you.

46:19>> Anybody else have any questions?

46:20>> Uh no, just a a quick statement. No

46:23question, but um you had mentioned doing

46:26something in public. We did do it in

46:28public at 9:00 and we do it every week

46:30at 9:00 every Tuesday and everybody's

46:32invited. That was our first time to ask

46:36questions of the administration, so

46:38that's why it happened that way. We are

46:40doing this in public as well, just a

46:42different venue, different time, but you

46:44were invited every week, Tuesday 9:00,

46:46ninth floor.

46:48The $15 million just to remind

46:50everybody, I know the administration has

46:52talked about this and there's a little

46:54bit of confusion, I think, on all of our

46:56parts. $15 million was set aside in the

46:59arena project as an owner's contingency

47:03for things to come up. Contingency means

47:05things that may come up that you're not

47:06planning. Well, this was certainly

47:07something we were not planning for.

47:09And that $15 million that was set aside

47:12in the owner's contingency, it's been

47:13used to pay the monthly bill that is

47:16still coming due. So, yeah, we weren't

47:18planning to use that, but we're having

47:20to.

47:21That does go forward in questioning,

47:23okay, we weren't planning to use all

47:25that $15 million. We hoped there would

47:27be some left over to go for

47:29projects in the next budget in 2028. And

47:32I think that's the rub that a lot of us

47:34have.

47:35Um what's

47:36what might not happen because there's no

47:38money to no no money left over out of

47:41the contingency. So, those are some

47:42things that we have to deal with going

47:44forward, but this year's budget, the

47:462027 budget, is still intact. Money is

47:49still there.

47:50So, I appreciate you coming forward, Mr.

47:52Miller. Your questions are great. We

47:54appreciate it. This is a great document

47:55that you have given us, and we will

47:57continue asking those questions and

47:59getting as many answers as possible. I

48:01think what Director um

48:03Gwin spoke about today, how this

48:06happened,

48:07how the invoice got into our system,

48:11is

48:12probably the most important information

48:14that we have received so far since all

48:15this happened. You know, how did it go

48:17forward? How did it happen? How did it

48:19get into our system?

48:20And I appreciate you being forthcoming

48:22with that.

48:23And that is

48:24information that we all needed, so thank

48:26you for that. And again, Mr. Miller,

48:28thank you for coming forward. You always

48:30have great questions and great

48:31information.

48:33>> Council Clerk.

48:34>> Nina Dorch.

48:40>> [clears throat]

48:46>> Good morning, everyone. My name is Nina

48:48Dorch.

48:49Um I reported 14.7 I know it's been a

48:51topic, but I'm just going to go over

48:53what I had. Um $14 million fraudulent

48:56trans- transfer is a catastrophic

48:58financial loss.

49:00But this is not routine city business,

49:02and I want to know why it was not

49:04warranted to have a special emergency

49:07meeting dedicated to understanding what

49:09happened, what failed, and what happens

49:12next.

49:13Also,

49:15Councilwoman Gregory, you answered one

49:17of my questions because one of my

49:18questions was what kind of contingency

49:20plan did the city have set aside? Was it

49:23um

49:24owner contingency, contractor

49:26contingency, or general fund

49:28contingency? So, thank you for that

49:30because to me, I wanted to know that um

49:33that particular fund because it was it

49:35intended to cover, who controlled it,

49:38and what it could be used to cover for

49:40the losses, basically.

49:42And then also, what account was this

49:46money actually paid from?

49:48Was it the general fund? Was it capital

49:51projects, a bond proceed, or an arena

49:55specific account? That matters because

49:58the source of funds determines what

50:00financial obligations, restrictions, and

50:03potential consequences the city must

50:05address.

50:06Who was the payment going to? We talked

50:08about the invoice, but I think that

50:11because that is not confidential

50:14information, that is public information,

50:17we should be able to see that

50:18information. So, I'm requesting that you

50:21all share the invoice with us publicly.

50:25We deserve to know who was supposed to

50:27receive that money. Okay?

50:30And then the next thing I wanted to know

50:31is over the past 10 years, has there

50:34been other instances of suspected fraud

50:38and vendors receiving payments for

50:39incomplete work, undelivered services,

50:42or questionable invoices? And if so, has

50:45those transactions already been

50:47investigated, and were there any funds

50:50recovered from them?

50:52I'm also, as stated on the letter that I

50:55sent via email to everybody including

50:57the administration,

50:59I would like is independent forensic

51:02and a 10-year financial review? Under

51:05the Zagame Act, the council has

51:07independent investigative authority and

51:09we've already talked about that, but in

51:102024,

51:12you all exercised that authority to

51:14investigate matters involving the Mobile

51:16Mobile Police Department. I'm asking

51:19that you exercise that same authority

51:21now. And will this council authorize the

51:24independent investigation into that

51:26$14.7 million? I I just think we need to

51:30know whether this was an isolated

51:32incident or whether broader weaknesses

51:35have gone undetected.

51:38And one final point that I do want to

51:40make, a hand-delivered check is not a

51:43financial safeguard. We cannot mistake a

51:46change in how a payment is delivered for

51:48a solution to an underlying problem. We

51:51got to move forward with stronger

51:52financial controls. And really,

51:56acknowledgement is not the same as

51:58accountability. You know, acknowledging

52:00that something happened is only the

52:02beginning, but accountability means

52:04establishing the facts, identifying the

52:06failures, correcting the weaknesses, and

52:10demonstrating to the public what has

52:12changed. I just don't feel like we have

52:14set that forth and it's 25 days into

52:19this. You know,

52:20it's a little late. We're behind the

52:22eight ball.

52:23Thank you.

52:25>> Mr. President, yeah, Mr. Penn. Um thank

52:27you, Ms. Daughtry, for coming down. I

52:28also received your email. Um and I

52:30responded to your email as well. I think

52:33you you asked some great questions. So,

52:35I do I do want to answer some of them

52:37that I found out in pre-council. Um the

52:39second question I think you asked about

52:42Well, maybe it was the last question. I

52:43might go out of order. You asked about

52:45the capital, like what fund did it come

52:47out? We found out the day I asked that

52:49question, it wasn't in the capital

52:51account. Um we're going to give more

52:53information um of how that system

52:55worked.

52:56Um and so, next Tuesday, we'll figure

52:59out I guess they're they're they'll be

53:01able to answer why it wasn't in capital.

53:03Um and I think it was um, Logan stated

53:06that it was a person before his time, a

53:08director that changed that. And so, we

53:11will have some more information on

53:13Tuesday. I received that today.

53:15Um,

53:15you asked another question that I wanted

53:17it.

53:18Can you read that question again?

53:19>> Um, was it

53:21I asked about the What was it paper? You

53:24You just answered that, General Foreman.

53:27And

53:30answered the question about contingency

53:31fund. You answered that. Yes.

53:33And the invoice. I asked about the

53:36invoice, and has this happened before?

53:38>> Yes. So, so the invoice, um, I That was

53:42a request from mine as well. That's one

53:43of my questions, so you're on the same

53:45page. I asked that information. That's

53:47part of my 40 questions. Had Had it

53:49happened before? We found out today that

53:51it happened, um, but the city was able

53:53to retrieve that funds, um, back. Um, we

53:56will find more information about that

53:58next week as well, but it had It did

53:59happen before.

54:00>> Why wasn't that disclosed? I think

54:02that's very important. I mean, if this

54:04has happened before, why didn't the

54:07public know about instances of fraud

54:10that have happened? But because we could

54:11not recover funding, then it is a sound

54:14alarm. It should have been a sound alarm

54:16then. And we've had how many financial

54:18directors since when?

54:20And then we just transferred, and then

54:23safeguards were not put in place at the

54:25transition of a financial

54:28>> And so, you you make a valid point. We

54:31We didn't We didn't have that

54:32information as well. I shared that

54:34concern in pre-council and requested

54:36that we receive any information like

54:38that going forward. So,

54:40I I understand what you're saying. We

54:42have that same concern.

54:44Um, I believe safeguards potentially

54:47was. Um, they shared that it started in

54:51um, May.

54:53I wrote it down.

54:55And they overlapped, um, with the

54:57safeguards, but we will be getting some

54:59more information. But if anybody in this

55:01office, me in this council chambers,

55:03have questions that you would like to

55:05share, share that to me at

55:06[email protected],

55:10but hopefully I just want to be able to

55:12answer some of the questions that I have

55:13right now and any other questions I'll

55:15get back to you as well.

55:16>> I appreciate your responses and I

55:18appreciate you all being here. One final

55:20thing,

55:21our website

55:22>> I got to ask you

55:24so to keep protocol, do you have a

55:27question that you want to ask me because

55:28I can't you can't just

55:29>> Well, you said government.com. Yes. So,

55:32you said email.

55:34The website has you all's email address

55:37incorrect on the public website. So, I

55:40had to get an email bounced back to

55:42realize that it's not .org that it's

55:43.gov. You guys should fix that. I'm

55:46pretty sure your constituents can't

55:47reach out to you if they're using the

55:49website to find out how to get in touch

55:51with you all.

55:52>> All right, thank you for sharing that

55:53information. Thank you.

55:54Thank you, Mr. Orange.

55:58Madam Clark.

56:00>> Estella Trotter.

56:39Good morning.

56:41My name is Estella Trotter.

56:43They knocking it out of the park today.

56:51Um

56:54I last spoke at this city council

56:59that we needed an overhaul.

57:03And

57:04of course you wait till we sit out with

57:06your little smart remarks.

57:09Many city [snorts] officials need to

57:12resign and need to be fired.

57:18Public housing even had a

57:20a wire transfer

57:23so-called fraud scheme. You didn't learn

57:26from that?

57:29They had no chief financial officer in

57:31about 7 years.

57:36Somebody literally stole $70,000.

57:42So,

57:43we had been reporting theft.

57:47Millions of dollars unaccounted for to

57:50you.

57:52That's why housing is in the shape it's

57:54in.

57:55This economic development, all this

57:58connects the dots. Many of you are

58:01profiting from this so-called economic

58:03development.

58:05So, this $14

58:08million, and give all these little cute

58:10answers,

58:12but when we come and report this theft

58:14stuff through the years where you can

58:17investigate early on, you probably

58:20wouldn't have to be dealing with this

58:21now if you listened to some of us.

58:24But a lot of you be so busy trying to

58:26cut us off and be so nasty to to to us.

58:30It has come home to roost.

58:32And hopefully it'll lead to where some

58:34of you who been Some of you been here

58:36too long. We're done. We need to do like

58:39France, get in the street and make sure

58:41you go.

58:48I hope this

58:49I I loved

58:51the way Miss I hope I pronounce her

58:53name, Dr. Dortch, she just spoke.

58:57We don't need for you to be emailing all

58:59that. Now, all of us want to be in the

59:00same room

59:03and everybody hear what's going on.

59:07And Mr. [snorts] Miller, you knocked it

59:08out of the park.

59:10I said you're so quick to cut citizens

59:12off from addressing financial abuse

59:14because many of you benefit from the

59:16so-called gentrification economic

59:19development." Who are the ones obtaining

59:22lots of properties?

59:25So, a lot of y'all hands ain't clean in

59:26this, either.

59:28The scam has started way before the

59:30mid-14 million dollar scam.

59:32The scam was letting properties rot so

59:35you can get land

59:36to do your gentrification so certain

59:38people, certain demographic can enjoy

59:41downtown.

59:45So, I just jotted something down. I

59:47didn't, you know, make them special

59:48because

59:49we need to hit the streets.

59:55>> Reggie Hill.

1:00:07Thank you, uh Madam City Clerk, to the

1:00:09citizens and stakeholders of Mobile.

1:00:10Greetings, Reggie Hill my name. Uh

1:00:12paraphrasing a quote from my favorite

1:00:14president, Mr. John F. Kennedy, an error

1:00:17is truly only a mistake when we refuse

1:00:20to correct it. In that same spirit, I

1:00:21rise today to continue these pertinent

1:00:23conversations pertaining to our city's

1:00:25business. In 2024, I sued the city over

1:00:28its fraudulent proceedings of

1:00:29demolishing a structure in a historic

1:00:32district. That structure being the

1:00:33Mobile Civic Center. Some of you who

1:00:35were here then may recall, but most of

1:00:37the public still knows nothing about

1:00:39this city's complaint because the local

1:00:41media did nothing to cover it. Um I

1:00:43believe it's fitting first for me to

1:00:45address the internal trauma um that I

1:00:47that I faced with this matter seeing

1:00:49that on July 17th, 2024,

1:00:52uh this matter came before the courts.

1:00:55Um and then on the 18th, I stayed home

1:00:57intentionally. And then on the 19th,

1:00:59while visiting a store, I was a victim

1:01:01of senseless

1:01:03excessive force from MPD by being

1:01:06illegally tased, having my car stolen,

1:01:08which has still not been uh returned to

1:01:10me by the city, and being booked into

1:01:11Mobile Metro Jail uh for a reported

1:01:14traffic citation, which had actually

1:01:16previously been dismissed, but

1:01:18supposedly wasn't updated in the police

1:01:21department system. Uh while I'm not

1:01:23looking for a man here, it's important

1:01:24to acknowledge the extent public

1:01:26officials will go to protect and advance

1:01:28certain economic development projects in

1:01:30Mobile, Alabama. For more than a year,

1:01:32inconveniencing a plethora of local

1:01:34civic groups, the city uh repeatedly

1:01:37lied about the demolition status and

1:01:39reasoning for its delay, simply because

1:01:41particular leaders didn't want citizens

1:01:43to know that this matter was before the

1:01:45Supreme Court of Alabama, resulting from

1:01:48a biased and coerced ruling made by a

1:01:50Mobile County Circuit Court Judge, who

1:01:52has since had her cases removed,

1:01:54ironically. What is not ironic, however,

1:01:57is the fact that while this matter was

1:01:58before the Supreme Court of Alabama,

1:02:00developers used dynamite to destroy the

1:02:02roof of the original structure and

1:02:04blamed it on the snow. Again, I'm not

1:02:06looking for an amen here. Witness

1:02:09testimony was available from nearby

1:02:11residents after their houses shook

1:02:12regularly and their foundations were

1:02:14damaged. Over the next several weeks,

1:02:16while I need to be addressing juvenile

1:02:18delinquency or municipal enforcement so

1:02:20that citizens like Ms. Phillips don't

1:02:22have to have their childhood homes taken

1:02:24away from them as we face a housing

1:02:25crisis in the city of Mobile, or how

1:02:27seniors are suffering with the new

1:02:29public transit rollout, we are only

1:02:31given an occasional 240 seconds to

1:02:34petition our concerns before this body.

1:02:36And we must talk about the viable

1:02:38corruption related to these matters.

1:02:40Projects which continuously only seem to

1:02:43leave our citizens in debt and our

1:02:44children less equipped to face the

1:02:46unforeseen challenges of tomorrow. FBI

1:02:49Special Agent Flowers, who flanked Mr.

1:02:50Cherry or Goddess during a recent press

1:02:52conference, suggested that citizens

1:02:54report relevant intelligence. I am

1:02:56urging Special Agent Flowers to look

1:02:58into the totality of the Mobile Civic

1:03:01Center case SC- 2024-073,

1:03:04which made it to the Supreme Court of

1:03:06Alabama. And I guarantee you'll find

1:03:07where the answers by nearly 15 4 million

1:03:10dollars magically disappeared.

1:03:12May I get an additional minute?

1:03:14>> Please give me an additional minute.

1:03:16>> One minute.

1:03:17>> Thank you so much. Um these some of the

1:03:19things that I would just like to address

1:03:20briefly. The jurisdiction, as Mr. Miller

1:03:22mentioned, investigatory power belongs

1:03:24to this body, and where's the DA? I

1:03:26won't get too deep into that. The FY28

1:03:29budget priorities, we will not stop our

1:03:31social services because of something

1:03:32that happened internally.

1:03:34And it feels

1:03:36kind of cointelpro. If you need to look

1:03:37that up or get some more information,

1:03:39I'll be glad to hear you get to give

1:03:41that to you.

1:03:42We kind of we're reaping what we sow

1:03:43here. And again, I want us to look into

1:03:45the metrics of that.

1:03:47How are we pre-planning to allocate

1:03:50funds we intend to roll over into the

1:03:52next budget cycle? It kind of reminds me

1:03:54of us planning for imaginary traffic

1:03:56side tickets. And I would warn us that

1:03:58all of these executive sessions,

1:04:01executive sessions, excuse me, are

1:04:03probably why we're in the situation that

1:04:04we are so many times within the city.

1:04:06Personal and personnel matters, yes, we

1:04:09can argue that those should be private.

1:04:11But matters such as these that involve

1:04:13taxpayer dollars should be public and

1:04:15public alone. Thank you so much for

1:04:17yielding the floor.

1:04:20>> Sabrina Mayes.

1:04:25>> [clears throat]

1:04:35>> Good morning.

1:04:36>> Good morning.

1:04:38>> Yeah, I feel that way, too. Good

1:04:39morning.

1:04:40>> Good morning.

1:04:42>> Ooh, okay.

1:04:44Mary Taylor Goddess.

1:04:46>> Thank you. Thank you. Sabrina Mayes.

1:04:48>> Mary Taylor Goddess.

1:04:49>> Address the chair.

1:04:50>> Oh, well, yeah, whoever.

1:04:52Ain't no rules and regulations so far. I

1:04:54I just can't keep doing this.

1:04:56I believe you.

1:04:58I believe you.

1:05:00I believe you.

1:05:01I've been coming down here 20 years. My

1:05:03discernment has not failed me yet.

1:05:07And I don't think it's failing me now. I

1:05:08believe you.

1:05:10And I thank you.

1:05:11Mr. Joiner, I owe you an apology cuz I

1:05:13tore you up on social media. But I'm

1:05:15going to apologize to

1:05:16>> address me.

1:05:17>> Okay, that's fine. I'm getting there.

1:05:19Please.

1:05:22The problem that I'm having is

1:05:24not even too long ago, 2 years ago, me

1:05:27and several citizens thousands of

1:05:29citizens, we came down here right at

1:05:31this podium about Chief Paul Prynne and

1:05:33the 321Z and that fraudulent contract.

1:05:36You guys dismissed us. You act like we

1:05:38were the ones that were something wrong.

1:05:40You act like you were doing

1:05:41investigation. You played like you were

1:05:42doing investigation, but you didn't. You

1:05:44fired that man. Here we are coming back

1:05:46full circle

1:05:48to a fraudulent situation. Guess what? I

1:05:50don't blame the mayor and his

1:05:51administration. I blame the previous

1:05:53council because had you put your

1:05:55safeguards in place, had you listened to

1:05:56the people, had you really paid

1:05:58attention to the people, the people that

1:05:59care, this may not have happened.

1:06:03But see, y'all too busy trying to

1:06:05Oh, we don't want to hear what you got.

1:06:06Well, you're going to hear us.

1:06:08We pay taxes in this city. We work hard.

1:06:12We try our best to come here to be

1:06:14pleasant.

1:06:17How much more can we take?

1:06:19We can't keep taking this.

1:06:22People are in an outrageous stage right

1:06:25now.

1:06:26All over the city, 200,000 I mean,

1:06:28social media been going crazy.

1:06:32And guess what's happening?

1:06:33Fingers are pointing here and there and

1:06:35everywhere. Fingers are pointing at

1:06:37Mayor Garcetti. Fingers are pointing at

1:06:39you guys. Fingers are pointing all over.

1:06:41So, this is what I'm going to say.

1:06:42Everybody has a finger in this mess, but

1:06:45guess what? The finger starts back to

1:06:47this podium and this dais up here

1:06:49because you guys have failed us

1:06:51tremendously and I'm talking about the

1:06:52previous the previous

1:06:55when you had Notorious B.I.G., pimping

1:06:58and stumping, you acting like it was our

1:07:00fault. You let him have everything he

1:07:02wanted. Every single thing he wanted.

1:07:06And now, this has fell on this mayor.

1:07:09I'm sorry, Mayor Garcetti. You have

1:07:11inherited a mess. You inherited a debt.

1:07:14You inherited a mess and you're paying

1:07:15the price. You are sacrificing right

1:07:18now. I have been standing here, saying

1:07:20this, pleading and begging and asking

1:07:23and pleading, "Please help us. Please do

1:07:25this. Please do that." Y'all act like we

1:07:27are the ones that we we we are citizens.

1:07:31And then when we sit down, you want to

1:07:33say something smart. Well, I'm going to

1:07:34get up right back up here and start what

1:07:35I got to say because I'm sick and tired

1:07:37of being sick and tired.

1:07:39Y'all going to give us some respect.

1:07:42>> Ms. President, you can stand right

1:07:43there. Uh you don't you don't even you

1:07:45don't even have to sit down.

1:07:47No, you don't have to sit down.

1:07:50>> The information you shared, you

1:07:53and I'm doing this in the the most

1:07:54respectful way, and I'm doing this also

1:07:57for the city of Mobile.

1:08:00You

1:08:01on social media

1:08:02>> I can say what I want on social media,

1:08:04and I don't lie. Prove a lie. I want you

1:08:07to prove why I have never lied.

1:08:09If you keep on coming for me

1:08:11I want you to prove why I have ever told

1:08:12a lie, Ms. Ms. Ms. Ms.

1:08:15>> and policy in here, you are out of

1:08:16order. That's the issue. You don't even

1:08:18want to follow the guidelines.

1:08:19>> Okay, someone else spoke, and they

1:08:20didn't get You didn't stop them from

1:08:22Ms. Mass, please.

1:08:26You can't respond.

1:08:29That's the policy and procedures, which

1:08:31you don't want to follow.

1:08:32The second thing you you you stated, you

1:08:34attacked You just acknowledged yourself.

1:08:37>> I apologize.

1:08:39>> Again, you you're talking.

1:08:43You just attacked

1:08:45Mr. Logan.

1:08:46Then you want to turn around and say now

1:08:48it's the council's fault.

1:08:49>> Mhm.

1:08:50>> The council investigated. They just

1:08:52acknowledged Ms. Dortch acknowledged

1:08:55that we investigated in 2024, which you

1:08:58requested.

1:08:58>> You did a half investigation.

1:09:02>> [snorts]

1:09:02>> Tell the truth.

1:09:03>> Ms. Ms. Ms. Ms. Mass, just just have a

1:09:05seat, please. Thank you.

1:09:06>> the truth.

1:09:07>> Yes, ma'am. Thank you.

1:09:08>> Stop playing with

1:09:08>> Thank you, Ms. Mass.

1:09:10Mr. Penn, thank you. Mr. President, we

1:09:12we have a I mean, you just showing the

1:09:14truth right here.

1:09:17Ms. President, if we can't get control

1:09:19at at this point we going to have to ask

1:09:21her to remove be removed from these

1:09:23chambers.

1:09:27We can't keep allowing people to come

1:09:28and spreading misinformation.

1:09:33That is not factual.

1:09:35And how does the council have authority

1:09:38over departments and policies?

1:09:42Then you want to put it back on the

1:09:43council. The council is not going to

1:09:44take a hit. And we're not pointing the

1:09:46finger at the administration. What we're

1:09:48saying, let's investigate. We're going

1:09:50to ask the questions. But to say and it

1:09:52fall back to us, it's inaccurate.

1:09:56But thank you for coming down and always

1:09:58I'm welcome to hear your concerns.

1:10:00Thank you, Mr. President.

1:10:01>> Uh Mr. President.

1:10:02>> Vice President.

1:10:03>> Um

1:10:04if we could, since we've had some

1:10:06questions from some of our speakers

1:10:08about a couple of items that we found

1:10:11out about during our pre-conference. I

1:10:13wondered if we might go back to a couple

1:10:15of those.

1:10:16Uh one is the the invoice

1:10:19that got into the system that wound up

1:10:21as being part of the transact

1:10:23transaction. And then the question about

1:10:25has this ever happened again? If you all

1:10:27could could answer those, I think in

1:10:29this [clears throat] setting that would

1:10:31be helpful.

1:10:32>> Logan.

1:10:32>> And Logan if or if the mayor or Logan,

1:10:34whichever one. Logan, if it's you, could

1:10:36you speak into the microphone a little

1:10:37closer?

1:10:38>> Uh I did want to answer one and I I

1:10:40believe we

1:10:42discussed this in the initial press

1:10:43press conference.

1:10:45Uh the money was intended for the

1:10:46contractor on the arena, BL Harbert.

1:10:50Um they have received the funds that

1:10:53they are due at this point and they

1:10:54continue to build.

1:10:56Um

1:10:57you know, I heard one question in the

1:10:59other transaction. There is one time

1:11:01that as I discussed in pre-council, but

1:11:04I was under the impression that this

1:11:06council was informed on it. Thankfully,

1:11:07we were able to claw that money back

1:11:10because it was within that 72-hour time

1:11:12window that this

1:11:15current transaction that we're

1:11:16discussing, the 14.7 million dollars.

1:11:19Uh

1:11:19it while it was transacted maybe 25 days

1:11:23ago,

1:11:24my administration through or at least I

1:11:27and Director Gewen

1:11:30discovered that 9 days ago and of course

1:11:32we informed the council that following

1:11:33Tuesday and had the press release.

1:11:37>> [clears throat]

1:11:38>> Any other questions? I'm sorry.

1:11:42Mr. President, we do automatically also

1:11:45so you all know redirect the dot org

1:11:48emails to dot gov so you should not have

1:11:50missed any emails.

1:11:54Thank you Mayor. Mr. President.

1:11:57Yeah, Todd Council Attorney, can you

1:11:59also

1:12:01Vice President stated early in our

1:12:03pre-council about how when we approve

1:12:06the budget for a particular project, you

1:12:08know, project how that works. Some

1:12:10people had kind of put some information

1:12:12out that every point come back to the

1:12:14council. Can you explain that?

1:12:17Yeah, I'm sorry. Well, let me help a

1:12:19little bit on that. There was some

1:12:21information put out that this bill

1:12:24because it's a bill or an invoice should

1:12:26have gone through the council.

1:12:29And that is not correct because

1:12:32we don't approve bills, we approve

1:12:34contracts. The contract for the arena

1:12:37was approved many, many months ago

1:12:40and we would not have had a finance

1:12:41committee meeting one way or the other

1:12:43because that's just not how we do

1:12:45things. The contract was approved and

1:12:47then billing goes out on a regular

1:12:49basis. It was not something that would

1:12:51have come through the council. Correct.

1:12:53The funds had been allocated and were

1:12:55being paid pursuant to the contract. As

1:12:57I appreciate I have not looked at the

1:12:58contract but from what I understand from

1:13:00this morning's meeting this was one of

1:13:03multiple installments that had already

1:13:05been made. There would be no reason for

1:13:08this particular transaction or any of

1:13:10them to have come before the council for

1:13:12review or approval.

1:13:14Right. If there was a change in the

1:13:16contract, we needed to make a budget

1:13:18amendment, anything like that, overruns,

1:13:20those sorts of things, they do come to

1:13:22the council for our approval but the

1:13:24general

1:13:25regularly scheduled billing cycle or

1:13:27billing invoices do not come before the

1:13:29council. And would a change in payment

1:13:32instruction.

1:13:33>> And

1:13:34say that again.

1:13:35>> Neither would a payment a change in

1:13:36payment instruction from a vendor.

1:13:38That's not something that would come

1:13:39before you.

1:13:40>> I

1:13:41>> Chairman.

1:13:43>> All right, Madam Clerk.

1:13:46>> Ordinance is held over 64038

1:13:49consider proposed rezoning of property

1:13:51located at 255 Church Street from T5.2

1:13:54to T6.

1:13:56>> Move to hold over until December the

1:13:598th.

1:13:59>> Second. Properly moved and seconded. Any

1:14:01discussion?

1:14:02>> Yes, Mr. President.

1:14:04I just want to make sure the public is

1:14:06aware that we're excited about this

1:14:07development. It will bring an upscale

1:14:10mixed

1:14:11project with hotel, residential, retail

1:14:14along with a restaurant. This has been

1:14:17held over because the application did

1:14:19not meet the DDD code threshold

1:14:22requirement. However, it is clear that

1:14:24the applicant's proposed use is in

1:14:26keeping with the general character of

1:14:28the surrounding area.

1:14:30Um

1:14:31the DDD allows the council on its own

1:14:33motion to update the text or the zoning

1:14:36map.

1:14:37So, I will be proposing next week

1:14:40to update the zoning map to rezone 255

1:14:43Church Street as a TC subject to a

1:14:46restriction of 15 stories. So, I just

1:14:48want to make that clear to the public.

1:14:52>> Any other discussion?

1:14:54All in favor?

1:14:54>> I.

1:14:55>> All opposed? I'll lay it over.

1:14:57>> Resolution held over 081087

1:15:00approve purchase order

1:15:03with Aspire for marketing services for

1:15:05events department.

1:15:07211088

1:15:08authorize contract with Aspire for

1:15:10marketing services. 101138

1:15:13refer the application of Saint Ignatius

1:15:15Parish Mobile to the Mobile County Board

1:15:18of Health to create a cemetery within

1:15:20city limits of Mobile. 211139 and 1140

1:15:24authorizing contracts with Wesley

1:15:27Fontaine and Elaine Campbell to provide

1:15:29tennis lessons and clinics.

1:15:31311143

1:15:33authorize the mayor to apply, accept,

1:15:35and receive a grant from the Mobile

1:15:36Metropolitan Planning Organization to

1:15:38fund the construction of segment five of

1:15:40the Three Mile Creek Greenway Trail.

1:15:44>> So moved.

1:15:45>> Second.

1:15:45>> Properly moved and seconded. Any

1:15:46discussion?

1:15:48All in favor?

1:15:48>> Aye.

1:15:49>> All opposed? Item passed.

1:15:51>> 21-11-41 authorize professional services

1:15:54contract with the Bloom Group.

1:15:56>> Motion to layover 1 week.

1:15:58>> Second.

1:15:59>> Properly moved and seconded. Any

1:16:00discussion? All in favor?

1:16:02>> Aye.

1:16:02>> All opposed?

1:16:03>> I don't like it.

1:16:06>> 50-10-89

1:16:0810-90

1:16:1050-11-17

1:16:12and 11-18

1:16:14are resolutions calling for a public

1:16:17hearing and authorizing preparation of

1:16:19project plan for tax increment financing

1:16:21District 5, District 7.

1:16:24Resolution calling for public hearing to

1:16:26consider the proposed tax increment

1:16:28financing District 3.

1:16:31>> Motion to layover 2 weeks.

1:16:33>> Second.

1:16:34>> Properly moved and seconded. Any

1:16:35discussion?

1:16:35>> Yes, sir. Mr. President.

1:16:36>> Mr. Rounsavall.

1:16:37>> I asked for this layover. I asked for it

1:16:38to be longer. I think it should be

1:16:40longer. These tips are very complicated

1:16:42matters. I spent 2 hours with revenue

1:16:45commissioner yesterday just trying to

1:16:46get an understanding of how these things

1:16:49work and I thought I had my head

1:16:51completely and and entirely wrapped

1:16:53around how it worked and I had a lot of

1:16:54it. But there are many facts that are

1:16:57just unknown.

1:16:58Uh the revenue commissioner has offered

1:17:00her services to our council and other

1:17:03folks that are going to be in these

1:17:04decision-making positions to make sure

1:17:07that we have a full and complete

1:17:09understanding of the implications of the

1:17:11decisions that we're going to make. I

1:17:13hope everybody takes her up on the offer

1:17:16to better understand these TIF districts

1:17:18going forward. Um I suspect in 2 weeks

1:17:21we're going to be probably in the same

1:17:22place we are and which is asking for

1:17:24another holdover. I think it would be

1:17:26wise for us to get on board with that

1:17:28and move it to to January after we can

1:17:31put this, you know, awful situation that

1:17:33we find ourselves in behind us. So

1:17:35uh I'm conceding to 2 weeks today and um

1:17:39anyways,

1:17:40that's all.

1:17:41>> Any discussion?

1:17:43All in favor?

1:17:43>> Aye.

1:17:44>> All opposed?

1:17:45Item laid over.

1:17:47>> Consent resolutions being introduced.

1:17:49371144

1:17:52371145

1:17:53are recommending approval to ABC board

1:17:55for issuance of a special events retail

1:17:58license for movies in the park at 300

1:18:01Conti Street and 1711 Hillcrest Road.

1:18:04461146

1:18:06honorarily rename a portion of Jessie

1:18:08Street to honorary Mrs. Leona Foster

1:18:11Street. 581147 and 1148 are authorizing

1:18:16removal of weeds and assessing costs for

1:18:18removal of weeds Wheatley Group

1:18:211683 and repeat Wheatley Group 108.

1:18:2560 1149 through 1153

1:18:29are to determine appropriations to

1:18:31Family Counseling Center of Mobile Inc.

1:18:33Child Advocacy Center Inc. Hillsdale

1:18:36Heights Homeowners Association

1:18:39Inc. and the Courtyards at Magnolia

1:18:41Grove Property Homeowner

1:18:43Magnolia Grove Property Owners

1:18:46Association Inc. serve a public purpose

1:18:48and approve payment.

1:18:53>> So moved.

1:18:54>> Second.

1:18:54>> Properly moved and second. Any

1:18:55discussion?

1:18:56All [clears throat] in favor?

1:18:57>> Aye.

1:18:58>> All opposed?

1:19:00Item passes.

1:19:01>> Resolutions being introduced. 081154

1:19:05through 03 1170.

1:19:08>> Move to waive the rules for immediate

1:19:10consideration of resolutions 08-1154

1:19:1408-1156

1:19:171159

1:19:191160

1:19:21and 21-1162.

1:19:26>> Second. Properly moved and second. Any

1:19:28discussion?

1:19:30All in favor?

1:19:30>> Aye.

1:19:31>> All opposed? Rule waived. Madam Clerk.

1:19:33>> 081154

1:19:35approved purchase order to ID software

1:19:37identification management systems for

1:19:39transportation worker identification

1:19:41credential biometric readers for mobile

1:19:44cruise terminal. 081156,

1:19:47approve purchase order to Environmental

1:19:48Systems Research Institute Inc. for

1:19:51annual renewal of software and support

1:19:53services. 081159,

1:19:57approve purchase order North American

1:19:59fire equipment.

1:20:01081160, approve purchase order to

1:20:04Trillion Holdings for 1-year

1:20:05subscription for employee standards of

1:20:07conduct conduct training products.

1:20:11>> So moved.

1:20:11>> 21

1:20:12>> One more.

1:20:13>> 211162,

1:20:15authorize contract with Osprey

1:20:17Initiative to develop and deliver

1:20:19litter-free education programming to

1:20:21students across Mobile.

1:20:23>> So moved.

1:20:24>> Second.

1:20:24>> Properly moved and second. Any

1:20:25discussion?

1:20:27All in favor?

1:20:28>> Aye.

1:20:28>> All opposed? Resolution passes.

1:20:32>> Call for public hearings.

1:20:34411092, 1093, 1120, and 1121.

1:20:39Call for public hearings to consider the

1:20:41proposed increment financing

1:20:44for District 5, District 7, and District

1:20:473

1:20:48scheduled November 17th.

1:20:50>> Motion to lay over 2 weeks.

1:20:52>> Second.

1:20:52>> Second.

1:20:52>> Properly moved and second. Any

1:20:53discussion?

1:20:55All in favor?

1:20:56>> Aye.

1:20:56>> All opposed?

1:20:58Items laid over for 2 weeks.

1:20:59>> 411167,

1:21:01call for public hearing to amend the

1:21:02downtown development district regulating

1:21:05plan to rezone property located at the

1:21:08southwest corner of Church Street and

1:21:10South Jefferson Street from T3 to T4

1:21:13scheduled December 1st. 411169,

1:21:17call for public hearing to consider an

1:21:18application for the proposed rezoning of

1:21:21property located at 255, 257, and 259

1:21:25Dogwood Drive from R1 to B1 scheduled

1:21:28December 1st.

1:21:29>> So moved.

1:21:30>> Second.

1:21:31>> Properly moved and second. Any

1:21:32discussion?

1:21:33All in favor?

1:21:34>> Aye.

1:21:34>> All opposed?

1:21:36Item passed.

1:21:37>> Announcements.

1:21:38>> Uh District 1, Councilman Penn.

1:21:40>> Thank you, Mr. President. This past week

1:21:42I had an opportunity to participate in

1:21:44the figures community day. I just want

1:21:46to give a big shout out to um, Director

1:21:49Graves, public safety director,

1:21:52um, as well as the firefighters, the

1:21:54MPD, everybody who made this happen. Um,

1:21:57families came together and the Mobile

1:21:59Fire Rescue, um, played a game against

1:22:01the young people. That day I had the

1:22:04honor of a young man named Davon

1:22:05Williams. Davon Williams was shot nine

1:22:08times and now he's an advocate. He's at

1:22:11the community center on a daily basis

1:22:13talking to young people, engaging them.

1:22:15He's now, um, in a wheelchair, but he is

1:22:18still motivating our young people. And

1:22:21so he shared how he worked with the

1:22:23young people. And so the next day I

1:22:25showed up. So many people from the

1:22:28Toulminville community was there, um,

1:22:30just playing basketball, being involved

1:22:32with the Safe Passage program. And I had

1:22:36an opportunity to talk to them and get

1:22:38feedback. And that's something that I'm

1:22:40planning on doing on a regular basis.

1:22:41And I just want to commend the public

1:22:43safety with what they're doing. And

1:22:45anybody who'd like to participate, sign

1:22:46up to be a part of the Safe Passage

1:22:48program. As well as, um, I participated

1:22:52in the 5K with the LeFlore girls

1:22:54basketball at Tricentennial Park. And I

1:22:57joined the mayor and my colleague, um,

1:22:59Dr. Ingram for the C251 Citizens Academy

1:23:02graduation. Thank you to Porsha as well

1:23:05as Brandon for doing an awesome job. So

1:23:08many people was there to learn about

1:23:10everything that take place in the city

1:23:11of Mobile. And if anybody in here would

1:23:13like to be a part, I think that's a

1:23:15great program to participate, the C251

1:23:19Citizens Academy. And then I truly want

1:23:22to thank all the churches in the

1:23:23Toulminville community this past Sunday.

1:23:26They came together to hold a fall

1:23:28festival for the community. Five

1:23:31churches in one community giving back.

1:23:33So thank you to everyone that made it

1:23:35happen. Thank you, Mr. President.

1:23:37Thank you, Mr. Penn. District 2,

1:23:38Councilwoman Ingram.

1:23:40>> Thank you, Mr. President. Greetings

1:23:41District 2 and the citizens of Mobile. I

1:23:44want to first start with um,

1:23:46thanking our public safety. On yesterday

1:23:48I had an opportunity to participate in

1:23:51the Safe Passage. And it was really

1:23:53exciting to see, you know, when students

1:23:55get out of school you would expect for

1:23:57them to be exhausted, they're not going

1:23:58to talk to you, but every student that

1:24:00we interacted with when asked, "How was

1:24:03your day?" They each said, "I had a

1:24:05great day." And so that's a shout out

1:24:07and a testimony to the administration at

1:24:09Williamson High School. So kudos to the

1:24:11administration for what they're doing,

1:24:13but more importantly, I want to thank

1:24:15the volunteers who participated and that

1:24:18was a part of that. It really shows the

1:24:20students that we care and I think we

1:24:22need more volunteers. We hear people say

1:24:23they want to be a part, they're asking

1:24:26um

1:24:27for how to get connected. Well, there's

1:24:29a place to get connected. Safe Passage

1:24:31is an opportunity for us to pour back

1:24:33into our youth and so please take

1:24:35advantage of that.

1:24:37Uh in addition to that, as Councilman

1:24:39Penn stated, we had an opportunity to

1:24:41participate in C2C251

1:24:44Citizens Academy and we had our very own

1:24:47Taloria Tims to graduate. So again,

1:24:49congratulations to Ms. Tims.

1:24:52Uh and also want to say to the citizens

1:24:54that

1:24:55the other citizens that participated,

1:24:57you can tell that they're fired up and

1:24:59they're ready to be advocates for the

1:25:01city. So

1:25:02again, shout out to Portia and um

1:25:05for her work and also I think there was

1:25:07another person that

1:25:09Brandon, Brandon, congratulations guys,

1:25:11well done.

1:25:13And lastly, on October the 29th,

1:25:16Lyancoff Elementary will host their

1:25:18District Halloween event at Monroe's

1:25:20Pizza Pub and Pat Patio, 1455 Monroe

1:25:24Street starting at 6:00 p.m. So please

1:25:27join us so again that we can keep

1:25:29informed about what's happening in your

1:25:31neighborhood and that concludes my

1:25:33announcements. Thank you.

1:25:34>> I thank you Councilwoman District 4,

1:25:36Councilman Reynolds. District 5,

1:25:37Councilman Fleming.

1:25:38>> Thank you, Mr. President.

1:25:40One quick announcement, uh beginning

1:25:42tomorrow, October 28th through

1:25:44approximately November 11th, McGregor

1:25:47Avenue between Old Shell Road and

1:25:49Springhill Avenue will be closed for

1:25:51some storm drainage improvements.

1:25:54Uh take note of that if you travel that

1:25:55corridor.

1:25:57Uh account for some extra time. Uh the

1:25:59detour route will be North Brown

1:26:02McGregor Avenue to West Brown Museum

1:26:05Drive um

1:26:07and then back to Springhill Avenue kind

1:26:09of looping around the park. So, take

1:26:12note of that.

1:26:13Um safe travels. And then um just to

1:26:17kind of recap everything from today, I

1:26:19just would like to thank everybody for

1:26:20coming down, presenting your questions,

1:26:23uh challenging us. Uh we're doing the

1:26:25best we can.

1:26:26Uh keep doing it and we will provide the

1:26:28information to you as it's available to

1:26:31us. God bless. Thank you.

1:26:33>> Thank you, Councilman Fleming. District

1:26:356, Councilman Woods.

1:26:36>> Uh thank you, Mr. President. I'll I'll

1:26:38be brief. Uh just want to remind

1:26:40everyone the Connie Hudson Senior Center

1:26:41Foundation um is hosting uh this uh this

1:26:44week or this weekend, I'm sorry. Um

1:26:46Saturday, October 31st from 9:00 a.m. to

1:26:481:00 p.m. they're hosting their fall

1:26:50market. Um and all the proceeds of this

1:26:52go directly back into the Senior Center.

1:26:54It's how they fund a lot of the programs

1:26:56that they have. Uh there'll be a lot of

1:26:58um different goods and and things that

1:27:00were made uh from seniors and also from

1:27:03a handful of other vendors. But um

1:27:04again, this is a uh Saturday um from

1:27:069:00 to 1:00 p.m. 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

1:27:09and uh it's at uh located at the Connie

1:27:11Hudson Senior Center in District 6.

1:27:13Thanks.

1:27:14>> Thank Councilman Woods. District 7, Vice

1:27:16President Ingram.

1:27:17Uh thank you from administration.

1:27:20>> Motion to adjourn.

1:27:21>> Second.

1:27:21>> Properly moved and seconded. Any

1:27:22discussion? All in favor?

1:27:24>> Aye.

1:27:25>> All opposed? Meeting's adjourned.

1:27:45>> You all right?

1:27:47>> Right here.

1:27:49>> Mhm.

1:27:50>> Right [laughter] there. They didn't like

1:27:51me being there.

1:27:51>> Yeah.

1:27:56Mhm.

1:27:56>> I miss home.

1:27:58>> There you go.

1:28:00>> This is all

1:28:01>> Get the wax out there.

1:28:03>> You tell [laughter] me.

1:28:04>> The record player

1:28:05>> No.

1:28:06>> No, I don't feel so good. I don't need

1:28:07my picture taken.

1:28:08>> No, I didn't

1:28:09>> Yeah.

1:28:10>> Yeah, yeah, yeah.

1:28:11>> Well, let me get that dress

1:28:12>> Is it a

1:28:13>> Yeah, yeah, yeah.

1:28:13>> Thank you.

1:28:14>> Thank you.

1:28:14>> Thank you.

1:28:15>> It is what it is.

1:28:17>> Hey, how you how you doing?

```*