Summer fun and updates on Homewood's financial position

Dear friends and neighbors,

Summer is here and hopefully you and your family are enjoying vacations and spending time with family and friends. Homewood is a great place all year long, but I especially love the summer. I enjoy seeing all of you outside enjoying all the amenities Homewood has to offer. Our newest recreational facility, the community center pool, continues to be a big hit this summer. I think most would agree having to miss the pool season last year was certainly worth the wait. The numbers of attendees have been staggering, and I’m hearing wonderful things about what it means to our community from those of you who live here — and from a few who wish they lived here. I will have more details on the numbers later, but the first day alone had over 1,300 visitors.

Each year I present to the City Council a mid-year review of how we are doing financially. I presented the numbers to the Finance Committee at the beginning of June, and I think it pleased the council to see and learn of our current status. At this point, our revenues are up nearly $600,000 compared to this time last year. Our expenses are up as well but can be explained by the timing of some bills we have received a little earlier this year than we received last year. All in all, I am very pleased with our financial position and still expect a surplus at the end of the year. I am beginning to work on the budget for the next fiscal year and look forward to some more exciting improvements to Homewood. There is more on that to come later. 

Let me take this opportunity to stress again how important it is for us to shop and invest our money in Homewood. Your tax dollars go directly to our city when you shop locally instead of going to another municipality. I know there are times when all of us have to shop somewhere else for one reason or another, but let’s let it be the exception instead of the rule. Shopping here helps our local stores, keeps our economy strong and affords us opportunities to improve our city that we would otherwise not be able to afford. 

Lastly, this past Father’s Day continues to be on my mind. As many of you know, my dad passed away last August, so this was the first Father’s Day without him. Many of you reading this knows exactly how it feels. I had my cry early that morning almost as soon as I got out of bed. I dreaded the day. 

But for some strange reason I had a feeling deep down that just said, “Stop it.” I could hear my dad saying every day we had together was Father’s Day. He used to tell us that Father’s Day and Thanksgiving, and all the other holidays, were just numbers on a calendar. So, what’s my point? Well, it’s just that. My prayer for each of you is that every day is Father’s Day or Mother’s Day... or Thanksgiving. 

Hopefully, you will be reminded of all the good things your children do for you on days not specified by a calendar and that each day gives us some opportunity to be thankful for something. This time you are investing right now during the summer while your children are out of school all goes towards making memories. I know our lives are busy, but there is nothing more important than time spent with family. Enjoy the pool, throw a baseball, play Barbie dolls, go fishing or take a walk down the sidewalk, but do something today that will be a memory for both you and your children tomorrow. For tomorrow is never promised. I had 44 calendar Father’s Day’s with my dad, but I’m so grateful that I had many, many more than that. 

I’m honored you allow me to serve as your mayor. If my office can assist you in any way, please contact me at 332-6103 or Scott.McBrayer@DignityMemorial.com. 

Sincerely,

Scott McBrayer

Mayor