Langford speaks to column: Mayor Larry Langford addressed a column in Birmingham News that describes Langford’s plan to bring electronic bingo to Birmingham as “misguided.” Langford said that “whenever Birmingham asks for something, you can always count on an editorial” to tell the council how to vote.
“If they’re against gambling so much, how come they run the lottery numbers in the paper?” Langford asked.
Langford continued, saying “It seems to me that if they got all the answers, maybe they should run for city council, if they know what’s good for us.” The mayor used the opportunity to pledge to the council for at least the fourth time in recent memory that the two bodies wouldn’t fight with one another in public:
“My fight isn’t with you. Your fight isn’t with me. The fight we have to be about is moving this city forward,” Langford said.
Mayor, Council agree to close city so workers can have a day off: Mayor Langford proposed that the city shut down operations on Friday, to thank city employees who worked through their Labor Day holidays to help Hurricane Gustav evacuees. Birmingham housed thousands of Gustav evacuees over the weekend, and many stayed in Boutwell Auditorium. The mayor thanked Boutwell auditorium employees, the Birmingham public works department, and Birmingham’s police & fire departments for their help.
“Some of these people worked around the clock, only getting a few hours sleep,” Langford said of the city’s workers. “If the evacuees are out of here Friday, I’m going to close the city and give our employees the day off they didn’t get” on Labor Day.
The council voted unanimously to concur with the Mayor’s decision.
Council proposes, then nixes free transit for Magic City Classic attendees: An item appeared in this week’s council agenda requesting $48,000 to “facilitate and coordinate” the busses at the upcoming Magic City Classic. In the previous week, the council had authorized a $130,000 bid for the rental of the approximately 75 busses to shuttle Magic City Classic attendees throughout the city. The Food World Magic City Classic last year drew more than 68,000 fans to Birmingham and is the most attended black college football classic in the country.
Several city councilors, including Roderick Royal, described last year’s bussing system as a “fiasco.” Councilor Steve Hoyt said that the council received more than 200 e-mails complaining about last year’s shuttle service, which prompted a larger expenditure for bus management in this year’s budget.
Councilor Valerie Abbott questioned the wisdom of spending nearly $50,000 to manage a bus fleet for a weekend. Abbott, who had to leave the meeting due to an emergency, also asked how much bus riders were being asked to pay. Faye Oates, the event director for the Magic City Classic, explained that round-trip rides would cost $5 per person, and that they had planned for 15,000 rides. Those bus rides would recoup $75,000 to the city’s coffers.
Councilor Roderick Royal, left without the aid of the fiscally conservative Abbott, single-handedly blocked a vote proposed by Councilor Steven Hoyt that would have made the bus rides completely free to Magic City Classic attendees.
The council passed the bus management contract with support from all councilors present except Maxine Parker, who abstained.
