[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6081585,"mediaKeyId","2941818-919c82e8730f44edfbdba763d3c434f7","parentId",2941818,"title","Officials discuss proposed site and financing strategy for Tuscaloosa Fire Station 5","audioSeconds",1498,"startMs",327000,"endMs",1825000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2941818-919c82e8730f44edfbdba763d3c434f7&start=327&end=1825","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2941818-919c82e8730f44edfbdba763d3c434f7/thumbnail_327000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6081585/Tuscaloosa-City/Tuscaloosa-County/Alabama/Officials-discuss-proposed-site-and-financing-strategy-for-Tuscaloosa-Fire-Station-5","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081585-d19332917babef34388df5376948a59e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443105&Signature=fSsb7YKQCZaQ3fH9h50TjrY1l9UuA18E15pqsh1zegcaJXk~uFhrfxFm1ok2AvvqdGPkNkAIVAtbLOkNA~NAJnC0zmWbi8o22ZWz3Pon9KMuRDwfk4ZoyFVtDTeIoQenw435Xd571hWsyNbZin-Vz9lRcE86UFWzW-aQwjIPOYGIXgl0yze~iTCXBbKMLFbmCBWffRmOZ7rPRrhLFCTAnKwjXoFLyl2INkVGVlwMUYR5xihWZyEFkCwz4lNlC4dRgYFgbttVeIrVezlqaN~xvZfIFjERaaaD~~5VLAg336qZ~Mu4~TkJOc4iYNxCSk~tXmRgRyMH4GPJpZVUYguULQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tuscaloosa City, AL","date","2025-04-10T09:05:39.84Z","article","City staff briefed the Tuscaloosa City Public Safety Committee on a proposed site for a new Fire Station 5 located adjacent to the city’s public safety logistics facility and the Curry facility. Committee members discussed response-time gaps south of the Greensboro Avenue railroad tracks and the potential funding pathway for construction: selling the 3,200-site (the former BMW dealership) and using proceeds to help finance a new station.

A staff presenter said the proposed site is on property the city already owns near the logistics center, which would eliminate land acquisition cost for the station. He described analytic work the city ran to model response times and coverage gaps between existing stations, noting delays caused when trains block Greensboro Avenue. Staff said placing a station south of the tracks would shorten response times in areas including Rosedale Court and parts of West End.

Committee members and staff reviewed the funding picture. Staff and council members referenced the city’s earlier purchase of the 3,200 property in February 2019 for $2,300,000; staff recommended that proceeds from a future sale of that property be escrowed for station construction. Staff noted the council previously authorized $2,000,000 for a Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue fleet center to be colocated at the logistics site. Cost examples discussed included Fire Station 6, which staff said cost about $6,000,000 (including roughly $1,600,000 for land acquisition). A staff member noted some municipalities have built stations at lower costs and challenged the team to achieve cost efficiencies.

Council members requested additional details and said they would like the proposal to be returned to the Public Safety Committee with a draft request-for-proposals (RFP) and recommended sale conditions for the 3,200 property. Staff said they would prepare draft RFP language and return to the committee; the committee subsequently approved a procedural motion to continue exploring the proposed site and to bring the item back at the next Public Safety Committee meeting. The committee recorded the motion as passed by voice vote; no formal appropriation or construction authorization was made at this meeting.

Ending: Staff emphasized that station construction is contingent on funding; the sale of the 3,200 property and improved market conditions would inform next steps. The committee asked for a return briefing and draft RFP language before any sale or construction authorization.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Tuscaloosa Public Safety Committee Meeting - Apr 08, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff presented a proposed site near the public safety logistics campus for a new Fire Station 5 and urged the committee to allow staff to proceed with planning and, if appropriate, an RFP to sell the 3200 site (the former BMW dealership) to help fund construction.","taxTitle","Tuscaloosa City, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama","taxId",4830,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6081590,"Committee approves UA data-analytics agreement to support West Alabama human-trafficking task force",154,171000,325000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2941818-919c82e8730f44edfbdba763d3c434f7&start=171&end=325","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2941818-919c82e8730f44edfbdba763d3c434f7/thumbnail_171000.jpg","/articles/6081590/Tuscaloosa-City/Tuscaloosa-County/Alabama/Committee-approves-UA-data-analytics-agreement-to-support-West-Alabama-human-trafficking-task-force","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081590-aa6ac408a67605e7beb94c7164929a5f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443105&Signature=HF5uRicsnAbvYeyK8zLrSWvq5hU3RYF73LsQalrLKftuQAhjNMloX~v68PxkK75Da9PUa5jXYm16yn2G7KVnsywT3KEQNC7dOzoFTUShPSxCYQe7zsTtzDCVhCoItq908jOGJ9VJMbDT2qXOXvPV-w3W6XcjBX1zTR8L6mTozpVZbDBqu2our1luR87DwUX3t4er7jLoizfDz3gxxi4I35GJNJ2GeQWDGlfTfcTraZe8O5pJHWGm7Bu8xub7m3vBdADhDD0J8X5fxJHLk~FuNsVVDycMrel3jYyB9uqyKP9Mlf7cSTWAMbJby3YBGYh44zr0zng1AdsE5G4lFva5GQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tuscaloosa City Public Safety Committee voted to approve authorization to execute a professional services agreement with the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse School data analytics department to support the West Alabama human-trafficking task force.

Fire Chief Clark presented the item and said the university team will provide data and analytics to help the task force identify trafficking patterns, improve investigations and support outreach. Clark told the committee the work focuses on human trafficking and prostitution-related offenses, including identifying family trafficking and online predation involving minors; he said the scope does not extend to narcotics investigations.

Clark said the effort will be supported in part by a grant; he described the project as operating under a two-year grant term but said he was not certain of the exact contract length. A committee member asked how the university and the task force were paired; Clark said the university proactively approached law enforcement because its academic work and practical solutions aligned with the task force’s needs.

A committee member moved and a second approved the authorization; the committee recorded the motion as passed by voice vote. Staff indicated the university’s grant will help offset some costs of the task-force operations.

Ending: The authorization will allow staff to finalize and execute the professional services agreement; the committee did not set additional conditions in the meeting transcript.","The Public Safety Committee approved authorization to execute a professional services agreement with the University of Alabama Culverhouse School data-analytics group to support West Alabama human-trafficking task force operations and related grant-funded work.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6081595,"Public safety committee forwards Curry Kitchen liquor-license recommendation to council",0,1195000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2941818-919c82e8730f44edfbdba763d3c434f7&start=1195&end=1195","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2941818-919c82e8730f44edfbdba763d3c434f7/thumbnail_1195000.jpg","/articles/6081595/Tuscaloosa-City/Tuscaloosa-County/Alabama/Public-safety-committee-forwards-Curry-Kitchen-liquor-license-recommendation-to-council","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081595-5df891ee6b4ec14dd427aaeb2f446cc8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443105&Signature=X-94U6ESssvZkUKWA1Htq6JddM4cEvv~9AqZFtaGw5AsHHC-pLcRs56hv0Fc7vOnX8bi0Z3TLSaKHM0EIPw-gDYsI36g4f99w3-upx-K-d4uMdE6uv4jrFPjyHkrSfc8N~Gny87RbuY3I19Z53zM2KWcgOOJ-7TWuobN6o89rP2XhZjG1X~7qnQ7ZntQROBfDCXXgE~ljmzTtVSzPI~VoRNVTjNGA3o5lGe2YH0bfnPeKFqN91x44YiZAcHwCiVVOUJgPB3kFpZPR5WsmNs7sDegWxriv~KI1yjFFNuoqhsEg0jG3KHpA-cFkcGVQ~lqtBsR0TGWn5LkKuMdUf6TIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tuscaloosa City Public Safety Committee on an unanimous voice vote forwarded a recommendation to the full City Council to approve a retail restaurant liquor license for Curry Kitchen LLC, an Indian restaurant proposed at 3799 McFarland Boulevard East.

The applicant, Mitchell Patel, told the committee he purchased the previously vacant space (the former Charlie’s restaurant), renovated the interior and exterior, and plans to operate the restaurant six days a week: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; the business would be closed on Tuesday. The applicant listed the seating/occupancy at about 245.

A city staff member introduced the item to the committee and said the application included fire review; a fire marshal was present. Committee members asked routine questions about the previous use of the site and the applicant’s experience operating alcohol sales. Patel said he owns a package store in Pickens County and that this would be his first restaurant location inside Tuscaloosa City.

After the brief presentation and questions, a committee member moved to forward the application to council recommending approval; another member seconded. The committee approved the motion by voice vote and the item will be considered by the full City Council.

Votes at a glance: the committee recorded a voice vote with “all in favor” and the motion was recorded as passed; no roll-call tally was provided in the transcript.

Ending: The committee did not debate conditions or restrictions on hours beyond those in the application; the full council will review the license application at a future meeting.","The Tuscaloosa City Public Safety Committee voted to forward a liquor-license recommendation for Curry Kitchen LLC, a new Indian restaurant at 3799 McFarland Boulevard East, to the full city council after a brief presentation by the applicant.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Officials discuss proposed site and financing strategy for Tuscaloosa Fire Station 5

Committee approves UA data-analytics agreement to support West Alabama human-trafficking task force

Public safety committee forwards Curry Kitchen liquor-license recommendation to council