By Loyd McIntosh, For The Tribune
IRONDALE — The Irondale City Council granted two deadline extensions for a delayed shopping center currently under construction Tuesday night.
Irondale Police Chief Jason Wiggins awarded Officer Matt Batson “Officer of the Year.” (Photo by Loyd McIntosh)
Among the items discussed in a packed agenda, the Irondale City Council heard from Bert Boykin, attorney for the development firm HEPLEEDS, regarding construction delays that have delayed the completion of a long-awaited shopping center on Grants Mill Road.
The project, which will be anchored by Publix Supermarket, started construction in October 2021. According to Boykin, HEPLEEDS has faced several challenges, including supply chain issues related to COVID-19. Boykin said, however, that HEPLEEDS encountered a serious problem during the process to clear and grade the land.
“Through that process, they discovered a lot of what’s called ‘uncontrolled fill,’ which is unstable dirt or material that could not be used to stabilize the shopping center. That had to be removed,” said Boykin. “Hopefully those problems are behind us.”
He added that HEPLEEDS has made substantial progress in other areas, including completing 75% of the retaining walls, erecting the walls for Publix, and he indicated the utilities are currently being installed.
“But the unexpected dirt issues caused substantial construction delays,” said Boykin, “in the midst of everything else that the rest of the world was experiencing with materials and problems coming out of COVID.”
Boykin asked the council to approve an extension, moving the deadline for the opening of Phase I – including the Publix – from Feb. 21, 2023, to March 1, 2024, and extending the deadline of Phase II from April 1, 2024, to Oct. 1, 2024.
With little discussion, the council unanimously approved both deadline extension requests.
“I pray every day that you get some good weather,” said District 3 Councilwoman Cindy Cuellar.
The City Council also approved an expenditure of $1 million plus closing costs for the purchase of the old Marks Fitzgerald building located at 1847 Crestwood Boulevard for a new police headquarters and municipal court building.
During a period of discussion, Irondale Police Chief Jason Wiggins said the location is perfect for a new police headquarters as it will reduce the current number of police buildings in the city from one to four, getting “everybody under one roof.”
However, Cuellar raised concerns about the 30-day due diligence period, citing the length of time the building has been vacant and a desire to have more time to inspect the property before closing.
“That property has been for sale for well over three years,” said Cuellar. “I would really feel much more comfortable if we could change that from 30 days to 60 days to give us plenty of time to do our due diligence because that’s kind of quick.”
“That was requested but it was denied by the seller,” responded City Attorney April Danielson.
The City Council also discussed a proposal to engage with Enterprise FM Trust fleet management service to manage the city’s fleet of vehicles.
“We’re not getting rid of our fleet department,” said Irondale Mayor James D. Stewart Jr. “What we are doing is finding a better way to manage the fleet that we do have here.”
The proposal would give Enterprise FM Trust the authority to manage the city’s fleet to ensure the average vehicle age stays below five years and to secure the maximum resale value of each vehicle.
In other business:
- The City Council approved a resolution authorizing Mayor Stewart to execute an agreement with Alabama Power to install lighting around the Irondale Civic Center at a cost not to exceed $264.13 per month.
- The council approved a resolution to authorize Mayor Stewart to execute an agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) pertaining to right-of-way on Crestwood Boulevard.
- The council declined a resolution to rezone a property located at 601 St. Patrick Circle from a C-1 Commercial District to Inst-2 Institutional District.
Mayor Stewart with 2023’s Distinguished Young Woman of Alabama Carrington Hodge and her parents. (Photo by Loyd McIntosh)
In the first part of the meeting, Mayor Stewart also presented several awards and proclamations, including a proclamation celebrating the achievements of Carrington Simone Hodge, a senior at Jefferson County International Baccalaureate (JCIB), for being named as a Distinguished Young Woman of Alabama in 2023.
“On Saturday, January 21, 2023, Carrington was named the Distinguished Young
Woman of Alabama for 2023 and awarded cash scholarships during a statewide scholarship
program for high school girls,” said Stewart, reading from the proclamation. “NOW, THEREFORE, be it herby resolved that I, James D. Stewart, Jr., Mayor of the City of
Irondale, issue this proclamation honoring Miss Carrington Hodge for her outstanding
accomplishments as a Distinguished Young Woman and for making the City of Irondale proud.”
Other proclamations and awards included:
- Reading of a proclamation in observance of Arbor Day Week in late February
- Mayor Stewart awarded the inaugural Community Champions Award to four individuals for their volunteer efforts to make Irondale a better place to live: Carolyn Jones, Paul Tierney, Trey Chaney, and Ginny Brown
- Police Chief Wiggins presented the 2022 Police Officer of the Quarter and Police Officer of the Year Awards: Matt Batson, first quarter; Madison Howell, second quarter; Davis Adair, third quarter; Sgt. Randy Rodriguez, fourth quarter; Matt Batson, Officer of the Year.
