Mayor presents general‑fund capital package prioritizing public safety and core services

The mayor presented a proposed general‑fund capital projects package to the Public Projects Committee that emphasizes investments in public safety, modest infrastructure work and quality‑of‑life improvements while acknowledging long‑term fiscal pressures.

The mayor told committee members the proposal would allocate $3.7 million to public safety (in addition to a previously announced $5 million transfer into a public safety fund), $2.6 million to quality‑of‑life projects, $7.6 million to infrastructure and $875,000 to city facility asset management. He said the package is designed to address basics of city operations and to account for commitments to police and firefighter retirement systems and uncertainty about SSUT revenues.

"As you've heard me say time and time again, the answer is money," the mayor said, noting that past surpluses and a recent transfer mean the city still has capacity for targeted spending but should be prudent going forward.

On public safety, staff said the plan includes $1.4 million for Tuscaloosa Police Department vehicles. Director Blankley told the committee the addition would purchase 25 new patrol vehicles at an average cost of about $65,000 each. The package also includes about $632,950 for personal protective equipment upgrades for Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue and $400,000 to build a south‑side disaster recovery/data center to provide redundant E911 and IT operations.

The mayor proposed relocating the Fire and Rescue administration into the East Police precinct (25th Avenue East and University Boulevard) and refitting the "gateway" site in the Alberta neighborhood as a consolidated public safety resource center to co‑locate behavioral health units, CIT‑trained officers and social workers; staff estimated a refit at roughly $250,000 and anticipated operational savings.

Quality‑of‑life recommendations include $339,000 from the river district fund to design additional downtown parking (an estimated 121 spaces and three bus spaces; conceptual construction cost $2.5M–$3M, with bidding suggested for late 2026 and construction in early 2027) and nearly $1.5 million for Freeman Park pool improvements using leftover proceeds from prior park/ YMCA bond projects.

Infrastructure priorities included a recommended $4 million for additional citywide paving on top of an already‑approved $9.8 million contract, $2.5 million for the Julia Tutwiler access road (supplementing $2.2M already budgeted and supported by an ATRIP grant), $500,000 for neighborhood drainage projects and $300,000 for fiber‑optic upgrades. The mayor also proposed $875,000 for city facility work such as generator replacements and upgrades at the ESD facility.

The mayor said not every project was shown on the PowerPoint but that detailed lists were provided in handouts distributed by Miss Sanders. He requested three capital projects work sessions on May 5, May 12 and May 19 to give the council time to review details and pursue approval in late May or early June.

The presentation emphasized incremental, operational investments and the city’s obligation to budget for retirement costs and revenue uncertainty — framing the package as cautious but focused on public‑safety, infrastructure upkeep and downtown growth.