Northport City Council faced an unexpected hurdle on Monday when a crucial engineering contract for the proposed new City Hall failed to receive the required three affirmative votes. While the council easily approved a $711,218 architectural contract to design the building, the subsequent $500,000 engineering services contract with Duncan Coker Associates was rejected in a 2‑1 vote.
Background on the new City Hall project
Mayor Dale Phillips has long argued that the current Northport Civic Center, located at the corner of Highways 82 and 43, is beyond repair. The aging facility needs roughly $4 million in upgrades, including a new roof, air‑conditioning work, and structural repairs to a wall. Phillips told council members, “It’s time. This building is old. It needs repairs that will be costly. We’re out of space even if we repair this building.” He added that moving municipal operations to a new downtown location is essential for the city’s future growth.
Earlier this year the council voted to purchase a riverfront parcel near Bridge Avenue, 10th Street and Lurleen Wallace Boulevard. The land, owned by Tanyard Corners, LLC, sits beside the Courtyard Marriott hotel just as you enter Northport from downtown Tuscaloosa. Council members unanimously approved the land purchase at a September 1 meeting, with Councilman Woodrow Washington abstaining.
Vote on contracts
On Monday the council approved the architectural contract with Ward Scott Morris Architecture in a 3‑1 vote. Councilman Turnley Smith cast the lone “no” vote, while Washington abstained due to a potential conflict of interest involving property ownership near the site.
When the engineering services contract with Duncan Coker Associates was presented minutes later, Washington again abstained, and Councilman Danny Higdon of District 5 also abstained because his brother works for the firm. Smith repeated his “no” vote. Only Council President Jamie Dykes, who made the motion, and Councilwoman Jaime Conger, who seconded it, voted in favor. Because Northport’s five‑member council requires three affirmative votes for a resolution to pass, the contract failed despite a majority of voting members supporting it.
Impact and next steps
City Administrator Tera Tubbs warned that the failure will slow the overall timeline. The engineering contract included third‑party site testing, a critical step before the city can close on the downtown parcel. Without that testing, due‑diligence cannot be completed, delaying both the new City Hall and the related relocation of Fire Station No. 1.
In a separate vote, the council approved a $353,347 engineering contract with Duncan Coker Associates for the new fire station and a $306,790 architectural contract with Blue Sky Latitudes LLC. Councilman Higdon again abstained on the fire‑station engineering contract.
Council members’ perspectives
Councilman Smith clarified that his opposition is not to the project itself but to the chosen location. “I’m not a fan of the location. We didn’t vote on the location as a council, and I’m just not a big fan of the location,” he said. He suggested that alternative sites might better serve the city.
Smith also emphasized that City Hall should not be treated like a retail storefront. “City Hall should not be like a retail establishment where you want all that traffic. That’s not what a city hall is. City Hall is a destination,” he explained.
Administrator Tubbs indicated that the council will need to place the site‑testing resolution on the agenda for the next meeting to move the project forward.
What this means for Northport residents
The stalled engineering contract means the city’s long‑awaited downtown municipal complex will take longer to materialize. Residents can expect continued use of the existing Civic Center and Fire Station No. 1 until the city resolves the contractual and site‑testing issues. The council’s focus now is to secure the necessary approvals and ensure transparent, fiscally responsible progress on the project.
Northport officials remain committed to delivering a modern City Hall that meets the community’s needs while preserving the city’s heritage and supporting future growth.
Original reporting: The Tuscaloosa Thread — read the source article.
