Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
Birmingham Zoo during COVID-19
The Birmingham Zoo is one of several nonprofits and agencies to sign service agreements with the city of Mountain Brook for Fiscal Year 2021. The agreements were approved by the City Council on Monday, Oct. 12, 2020.
The Mountain Brook City Council — at its regular meeting for Monday, Oct. 12 — voted to provide financial assistance to seven agencies and nonprofits that provide the city with needed services.
The seven entities receiving financial assistance during Fiscal Year 2021 as part of service agreements with the city are All In Mountain Brook, Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce, Birmingham Zoo, Birmingham Botanical Society, the Jefferson-Blount-St. Clair Mental Health Authority and the Prescott House Child Advocacy Center.
The single largest contract is with the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce, which will receive about $153,000 per year over a 2-year period from Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 20, 2022.
All In Mountain Brook — a nonprofit community partnership formed in 2014 — will receive $10,000 for Fiscal Year 2021. All In Mountain Brook provides free workshops and educational resources to students in grades K-12 and their parents regarding alcohol and substance abuse; mental health and wellness; and safety and preventable accidents, according to the group’s website.
The Birmingham Zoo will receive $10,000 for one year. The zoo provides field trips and other educational programming for students at Mountain Brook Schools.
Birmingham Botanical Society, which operates the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, will receive $10,000 for one year. The facility provides field trips and other educational programming for students at Mountain Brook Schools.
The Jefferson Blount St. Clair Mental Health Authority will receive $2,100 for a one-year contract. The authority will provide numerous mental health services for Mountain Brook residents, including medication, outpatient therapy, case management and social work assistance.
Prescott House Child Advocacy Center will receive $5,000. It provides the Mountain Brook Police Department with forensic interviews, team reviews, and court preparation and accompaniment in all reported cases involving child abuse, child sexual abuse and children who have witnessed violent crime.
Other business
- The council voted to accept a proposal submitted by Skipper Consulting for $10,900 for a traffic study and potential traffic-control device design for the crosswalk at Montevallo Road west of Canterbury Road and design of a pedestrian-actuated flashing beacon for the crosswalk crossing Overbrook Road at Pine Crest Road.
- Members voted to have the accounting firm of Carr, Riggs & Ingram LLC conduct a financial and compliance audit of the city for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 for a fee not to exceed $55,000.
- The council voted to accept a proposal for $3,000 by Fontenot Benefits & Actuarial Consulting to evaluate the city’s retiree medical benefit plan. The firm will also help the city develop needed financial disclosures of the fiscal years ending Sept. 30, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2021.
- Members voted to accept a proposal for $5,000 from Segal Consulting to provide the city with actuarial consultation services. The firm will look at whether the city should provide Tier 2 employees with Tier 1 benefits and will look at the long-term stability of the plan.