Study for traffic improvements in the works
Future traffic alleviation around Mountain Brook is now in the works.
At its July 28 meeting, the City Council discussed selecting a consultant for an upcoming citywide traffic study. This step follows the recommendation of a recent survey that showed residents are concerned with the maintenance of streets and traffic congestion.
Skipper Consulting, the city’s top choice, proposed conducting a screening process to identify a fixed number of sites within the City of Mountain Brook where improvements can be made to increase capacity and improve safety using low-cost and easy-to-come-by projects.
The consultant will assist the city in performing preliminary engineering for various intersections. The city, working with Michael Kaczorowski of the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham, is hoping to secure an Advance Planning Programming & Logical Engineering (APPLE) grant to pay for $40,000 of the approximately $45,000 project.
Billy Pritchard recommended that the city use Skipper since they have worked with them so many times in the past, and other council members agreed. The Council also approved Skipper to be the consultant at the meting.
Also at the meeting, Alice Womack, Billy Pritchard and Lloyd Shelton were officially declared elected to City Council. Each was the only person to qualify for office, making no election for 2014 necessary. Their terms will begin the first Monday in November.
The council also:
Heard a MAX update from C. Richard Goldstein, who works with Transit Citizen Advisory Board (TCAB) as a Mountain Brook representative. Currently the group is looking for representatives from other area municipalities.
Discussed the adoption of a standard form encroachment agreement.
Approved a proposal for an easement at 2235 Peacock Lane, which is located off Cahaba Road just south of English Village. The easement would enable the homeowners at the address to continue to use the driveway, which crosses the city’s alley, to the 1951 house.
Discussed an agreement with Bayer Properties regarding Cahaba Village’s upcoming parking expansion project. The agreement holds that Bayer would indemnify the city to the extent that the city will indemnify ALDOT for the project.
Approved actuarial services to value the city’s retiree medical benefit plan as submitted by Fontenot Benefits & Actuarial Consulting following a requirement that it be performed every two years.
Approved authorizing $300,000 from the General Fund to be transferred the City of Mountain Brook Retiree Medical Trust.
Approved authorizing of $528,386 to the Mountain Brook Board of Education to be used for a roof replacement at Brookwood Forest Elementary School. The first phase of the roof project was completed in 2013. The $528,386 covers the deficit for the balance remaining after a once-cent sales tax payout of $864,983.
Approved authorizing property surplus fire department helmets and authorizing its sale by way of public Internet auction.
The next City Council meeting will be held Monday, Aug. 11.