🌱 Mayor's Budget Proposal + BJCTA Route Changes + Water Main Leak

Hello all. Danielle Fallon-O'Leary here with your Wednesday edition of the Birmingham Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about what's happening locally.

But first, today's weather:

A stray afternoon t-storm. High: 78 Low: 62.

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Here are the top three stories today in Birmingham:

1. Mayor Woodfin’s budget proposal for 2024 would be the highest in Birmingham's history. The proposed budget for 2024 has been presented to the council and amounts to 554 million, which is a 37 million dollar increase over 2023's budget. Next year's budget would focus on neighborhood revitalization, with 15 million going straight to road paving. The budget also includes additional funds for transportation for the various systems, such as express and on-demand transit programs. The remaining funding goes to police and fire, allowing personnel to gain a 5 percent pay increase. Another 3 million will go to youth programs, with 2 million to scholarships and 1 million to add more mental health professionals in Birmingham schools. (WBHM)
2. As of Monday, BJCTA has changed routes in an effort to maximize transportation services. If you ride routes 17, 25, or 48, you must take an express bus to the east or west transit center and then take a MAX bus route into downtown Birmingham. The transportation customer service team and other staff members have been out in force the past few days and will continue to be out this week and next to help riders learn the new system so riders can make seamless transfers. The BJCTA is also offering a no-rider left behind, which offers on-demand rides for free if a connection is missed due to the impact of route changes. Some riders are frustrated by the changes but know they have alternative routes if they need to take those. If you have questions or need help with the new routes you can call their customer care team. (WBRC)
3. Residents on Maple Avenue Southwest have been dealing with leaking water main pipes for months. The leaking pipes have caused a lot of issues for the houses in the area, causing low pressure. Anthony McCall says that it has been hard to flush the toilet in his home due to the pipes. His neighbor Patricia Kelly is hoping the city can find a solution to the problem. Multiple crews have come out a handful of times to clamp the pipes, but it ends up bursting again in a different spot because they are so old and brittle. The city made another fix to the pipe on Monday, and residents hope it will last until the pipe can be completely replaced. If it doesn't work, it looks as though residents will continue to see a constant stream of water flowing by their driveways until a new pipe is placed in their neighborhood. (WVTM13 Birmingham)

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Today in Birmingham:

• One Night of Queen performed by Gary Mullen & The Works - Lyric Theatre (2:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Zoey's Passion Project raised 330 dollars for the Humane Society. She worked hard to create handmade leashes and treats to sell to raise money for the pets at the humane societies. 330 dollars was more than the goal she set out to make! (Greater Birmingham Humane Society via Facebook)
• The City of Birmingham is unable to collect curbside recycling today. Due to the fire at the facility, it has only just reopened and is not currently accepting mixed recycling from residential municipalities. If you'd like to get rid of your recycling, you'll have to take it to the center. (City of Birmingham Government)
• The Birmingham Fire Department is highlighting fire station 8 for their hard work and service to the community. Station 8 is the newest station in the city since it was rebuilt in 2018. The station receives around 380 calls a month. (Birmingham Fire and Rescue Department via Facebook)

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Featured events:

• REFLECTIONS FROM MOZART TO GOSPEL - Huntsville Choral Festival Concert (June 3)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Wednesday. I'll see you soon!

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a content manager with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.