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Photos by Lexi Coon.
Mountain Brook City Council president Virginia Smith reads the agenda during the council meeting on Sept. 24.
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Rendering courtesy of the city of Mountain Brook.
Alternative pedestrian crossing options along Montevallo Road, such as the additional striped crossing shown here, were discussed at the council meeting on Sept. 24. Due to the shortcomings of each alternative, however, Richard Caudle with Skipper Consulting recommended the council leave the road as-is.
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Photos by Lexi Coon.
Councilman Lloyd Shelton discusses the 2018 fiscal year budget, which was accepted at the City Council meeting on Sept. 24.
Mountain Brook City Council members met on Sept. 24 and discussed the possibility of pedestrian crossing over Montevallo Road near Jemison Lane in Mountain Brook Village, and updates to the nuisance and property standards codes.
A possible pedestrian crossing was aimed at adding a safe walking route across Montevallo Road during the second phase of Lane Parke construction.
Richard Caudle, with Skipper Consulting, studied the area and presented his findings during the meeting. According to the agenda packet, “The sidewalk continuity along Montevallo Road between Culver Road and Montevallo Drive was an issue before construction of the Lane Parke development.” To remedy the situation, some alternatives were detailed in the study.
Striping was listed as an alternative, either on Montevallo Road to the west of Jemison Lane or on Montevallo Road to the east of Jemison Lane, as was shifting traffic to accommodate a temporary pathway for pedestrians along the north side of Montevallo Road from Jemison Lane to Culver Road and a walkway inside the construction fencing.
All options were temporary, however Caudle’s recommendation to the council was to not pursue any of the alternatives due to each option’s drawbacks. His report stated the alternatives would “yield unacceptable conditions if the alternative were to be implemented or would not provide the expected service as required for reducing pedestrian risk in the area.” The council accepted his recommendation.
President of Friends of Jemison Park Sim Johnson also spoke to the council regarding some resident’s concerns about the wording of the newly-edited nuisance and property standards codes.
Based on the wording of the codes, Johnson said there could be confusion as to what is considered a “nuisance insect.” Depending on the interpretation, he and others were concerned it could encroach on moths, butterflies and other beneficial native species.
Both council president Virginia Smith and council pro tem Billy Pritchard agreed they don’t expect to see a nuisance property come before the city very often, but altered the wording of the codes to read that an insect nuisance includes “if any person deposits, stores, maintains or harbors and putrefactive material on private property.” This change denotes that beneficial insects are not included in the updated nuisance codes.
The council passed this ordinance.
Also during the meeting, councilors:
- Heard from Jill Ganus, candidate for District Judge, Place 11; Mike Anderton, candidate for Jefferson County District Attorney; and Davis Lawley candidate for District Judge, Place 2.
- Approved the minutes of the Sept. 10 regular meeting of the Mountain Brook City Council.
- Approved a resolution appointing directors of the Educational Building Authority of the city of Mountain Brook — Highlands School.
- Approved a resolution authorizing the execution of the audit engagement letter with respect to the annual financial and single audit as of and for the year ended Sept. 30, 2018.
- Approved a resolution establishing the employees’ and retirees’ monthly premiums for medical insurance effective for employee payroll checks dated Oct. 5, 2018, and retiree premiums due on Oct. 1, 2018.
- Approved a resolution increasing the salary schedule for all classified, unclassified and part-time employees by 2.25 percent effective Oct. 2, 2018, and increasing the compensation for contract security services for the City’s Public Works facilities by 2.25 percent effective Oct. 2, 2018.
- Passed an ordinance adopting the city’s budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2018 and ending Sept. 30, 2019.
- Approved an ordinance increasing the salary of the city manager by 2.25 percent effective Oct. 2, 2018 and amending the related employment agreement.
- Approved a resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the E911 District authorizing and approving the transfer of funds in the amount of $274,500 from the E911 District to the city’s general fund to reimburse the city for E911 dispatch labor and related supervision for the year Oct. 1, 2017 through Sept. 30, 2018.
- Approved a resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the E911 District adopting the budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2018 and ending Sept. 30, 2019.
- Passed an ordinance to establish re-inspection fees for fire officials to $100 and update the building re-inspection fees, also to $100.
The next regular City Council meeting will be Oct. 8 at 7 p.m., with the pre-meeting to occur beforehand.
