Council hears Spartan Shuttle, MBFD grant request updates
The Mountain Brook City Council met for a brief meeting on Oct. 22. Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce Suzan Doidge started the pre-meeting, giving an update on the Spartan Shuttle.
The shuttle, which is running under a free pilot program that will start on Nov. 5, will serve as a circulator between the villages of Mountain Brook. The goal is to connect all of the villages for those who don't drive, may not want to drive or don’t want to worry about parking, while limiting the amount of time spent on the shuttle.
“We see this as an opportunity,” Doidge said. “An opportunity to get people out of their cars and onto this bus.”
The shuttle will run from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will have about 20 stops on the 7.65-mile route throughout Mountain Brook, which will take around 35 minutes to complete from start to finish. The chamber originally planned to wrap the bus to make it stand out more, but Doidge said it would cost about $7,000 to have that done.
The pilot program will last for three months, after which BJCTA/MAX will re-evaluate the program and either keep it, adjust certain aspects of it or cut it entirely. Fares are free for the first three months, but if it is instated as a city program, the fares will be $1.50 or $1.75.
Those interested in using the shuttle can access more information — including running times, current locations and stops — by downloading the myStop app on their mobile phones.
The Mountain Brook Fire Department also requested approval to apply for a grant with four other jurisdictions.
Battalion Chief David Kennedy said the department works with local cities on training within Alabama through a company called Carousel Industries, but this grant would allow more flexible and attainable training for all parties.
Kennedy said MBFD would be applying with Vestavia Hills, North Shelby County, Rocky Ridge and Cahaba Valley departments. The funding request would likely be around $500,000, Kennedy said, which would leave each city with approximately $100,000. He said the funds would be spent on IT equipment that would allow each department to record training sessions and then store and share them electronically with each other, as well as present the training videos.
Kennedy said the grant and equipment would make training easier, since it isn’t feasible for all departments to be together in the same location when they have to respond to different calls.
Federal regulations require the city to match about $15,000 of the grant if Mountain Brook was to receive $100,000, but Fire Chief Chris Mullins said he believes the department has enough in their 2019 fiscal year budget to cover that cost.
Also during the council meeting, members:
- Approved the minutes of the Oct. 8 regular meeting of the Mountain Brook City Council.
- Read a resolution expressing gratitude to Henry Lapidus for his service on the Board of Zoning Adjustment.
- Heard an update on the pedestrian bridge from Council President Virginia Smith. Smith said the bridge is moving forward and se expects all involved parties — Mountain Brook, Homewood, Jefferson County and Birmingham — will sign agreements in the near future. Once the agreements are signed, the project will be sent out for bid.
- Reviewed the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce semi-annual report, as given by Doidge and Board of Directors President Cal Dodson. Dodson said they have had a lot of ribbon cuttings, which they are happy about.
- Appointed Amy Reese to the Park and Recreation Board to fill the unexpired term of Gerald A. Garner.
- Authorized the execution of a memorandum of understanding between the city and Jefferson County Commission with respect to storm debris removal services.
- Authorized the the execution of an agreement with the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA or MAX) for their provision of public transportation services in the city for fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2019.
- Rezoned a parcel recently annexed into the city from its temporary zoning of Res-B to permanent zoning of Res-A, 2700 Lockerbie Circle.
- Appointed Graham Smith to fulfill the unexpired term of Susan Swagler, ending Oct. 1, 2020.
The City Council will hold an organizational meeting on Nov. 5 at 7:30 a.m. in the council chambers at City Hall. The next regular meeting of the City Council will be Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m., with the pre-meeting to take place before.