Tuscaloosa City Council approves multiple infrastructure acceptances, contracts and small ESG amendments

Tuscaloosa City Council voted to accept sanitary sewer infrastructure for the Tartan Cove subdivision and to accept public improvements for Highgrove Phase 4, approved several minor public-works and equipment contracts, authorized a sixth-year agreement for the city phone system with T-Mobile (through Dialpad), and approved two small amendments to a Salvation Army subrecipient ESG contract.

Mike reported the sanitary sewer in Tartan Cove, a residential subdivision off Bobby Miller Parkway, was developer-installed, inspected by city staff and is ready for acceptance; he said residents will pay water and sewer bills and the council approved the resolution by voice vote. Mike also described Highgrove Phase 4—across from Crown Point, south of Watermelon and Rice Mine Road—as the last completed phase of a multi-phase subdivision (about 640 proposed lots total), with the current phase moving the project into the upper 300 lots; the council approved acceptance of the installed public improvements, which include sidewalks, streets, sanitary sewers and storm drains.

City staff presented a minor public-works contract with Robson Design Construction Services to inspect and clean clear wells at the Ed Love and Jerry Plob water treatment plants and to inspect/clean the Martinsburg tank; the one-time job is approximately $15,900 and is funded from the Ed Love capital improvements operational account. The council approved the contract by voice vote.

Phil described a contract with Apex Civil for cleanout services of a large storm drain adjacent to the Southern Gardens neighborhood to remove silt and debris; the work, usually done about every two years and currently budgeted in public-works operations, was approved by voice vote.

The council approved a contract with Hughes and Mullenix to furnish and install a 20-ton HVAC cooling unit at the Ed Love water treatment plant, paid from the water-sewer facility renewal fund, and authorized facility work at ESD to install access-control key cabinets (including millwork, patching, paint, and added data and power). Council also approved a not-to-exceed adjustment of $3,100 to the Pro Clean hood-cleaning contract to add newly opened fire stations 6 and 11.

Staff explained the city will abandon an old utility easement at the shopping center on U.S. 359 and Skyland (where Ollie's, Planet Fitness and Ashley Furniture are located) because a new Lazy Boy store was built on top of the original easement; the developer provided a replacement easement approximately 75 feet away and the council voted to abandon the old easement.

For the city’s phone system, staff proposed a sixth-year agreement with T-Mobile executed through Dialpad; the agreement includes a first-year credit to ease migration and is roughly $40,000 per year cheaper than the existing platform. The council authorized the chief information officer to execute documents during year six.

Heather said the city is closing out the 2024 Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) and that the Salvation Army asked to move funds from rapid rehousing to homeless prevention due to expenditure needs: one amendment moved $5,800 into homeless-prevention activities and a second amendment moved $4,000; both amendments were approved.

Most actions in the excerpt were approved by voice vote; the transcript records council members saying “Aye” and motion passage but does not provide roll-call tallies in the excerpt. The meeting proceeded without further substantive public comment in the provided transcript segment.

The council did not record additional questions or conditions in the excerpt provided; items approved were routine infrastructure acceptances, maintenance or replacement contracts, a telecommunications agreement and small ESG program reallocations. The meeting closed this portion of new business with no further council concerns recorded.