Homewood Candidate Forum 2020 Recap
Candidates for City Council and Homewood mayor met virtually Aug. 11 to discuss main issues and to tell voters why they should vote for them.
Three candidates ran unopposed and are not included in this article: Andy Gwaltney in Ward 1, Place 1; Jennifer Andress in Ward 5, Place 1; and Alex Wyatt for City Council President.
Voters will head to the polls Aug. 25. Voters will vote for one of three mayors. If no candidates receive a majority of the vote, a runoff election will be held Oct. 6.
Each of Homewood's five wards will elect two City Council candidates: one for Place 1 and one for Place 2. Sample ballots for each ward are available on the city's website. Voters can also visit the map on the city's website to determine in which ward they live.
The recap for the mayor candidates is below, and keep scrolling down to see the recap for the City Council candidates.
Mayor Candidates
Chris Lane
Lane was unable to attend the event. He submitted this statement to The Homewood Star:
"I would like to thank the Homewood Star for hosting this event that I was unable to attend. I appreciate the participation of the other candidates and the public in the forum, for this, indeed, is democracy at work. One of my first acts as mayor will be to talk with the City Council about the administrative appointment of a “City Administrator.” I will maintain fiscally responsible practices that will ensure positive growth for the city of Homewood. There are many, many other goals I see for the four years of my administration should you elect me as your mayor. But fundamentally, I am for citizen-government cooperation that brings us together, that harmonizes our differing viewpoints to create something bigger than we are individually, and provides a place to sink our roots deeply for ourselves, our children, and our grand-children. The constituents can look forward to additional information on social media."
Scott McBrayer
McBrayer said that as long as he is mayor, Homewood already has a city manager (9:20).
"That is the job of the mayor — to manage the city — and I feel like we've done that quite well In the past 12 years," he said.
Homewood has a chief of staff, JJ Bischoff, and McBrayer said Bischoff works closely with him in managing the day-to-day operations of the city. He said Homewood doesn't need to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars adding a role to the city government.
"If our city was failing, if we were struggling and not doing well, if people were unhappy with the progress that we were making or not making in the city of Homewood, I could understand it," he said. "But I think if you're going to run for the job of mayor, I think you need to be prepared to do it."
The residents in Homewood care about the issue of Homelessness, McBrayer said (14:40).
"Our police department understands the importance of that, and when they find someone in the situation of homelessness, they certainly give courtesy rides and take them to a place that's a safe shelter."
McBrayer said he is happy with Homewood Police Chief Tim Ross and the Homewood Police Department regarding sex trafficking. This is not just a city of Homewood issue, though, he said.
With the residential boom and increase in property taxes, McBrayer said the cit has been blessed (17:45).
"There is a reason people are wanting to come to the city of Homewood, and I think it's because of the things we have done to invite younger people into our area," he said.
When he became mayor in 2008, the average age was 64 years old, he said. The city then started building more sidewalks, which adds value to residents' home.
"When you see people improving their homes or rebuilding a new home, that does nothing except help our ad valorem tax, which is a direct help to one of the most important things in our city, and that is our schools," he said.
With this additional revenue, McBrayer said he would like to see two more fire departments built: one on Green Springs and rebuilding the West Oxmoor Road station.
McBrayer said the city has been working on revitalizing Green Springs for a couple of years (24:25). The reason these efforts are able to take place now, he said, are because he was able to negotiate a swap of Lakeshore Parkway and Green Springs Highway with ALDOT.
"The problem was always that Green Springs Highway didn't belong to the city of Homewood," he said. "That was such a huge barrier."
The swap puts the city in a "winning position" to do things on Green Springs Highway that the city wasn't able to do before, McBrayer said.
A huge issue in the city is preserving downtown, he said (27:10).
"Change is always hard for anybody," he said. "What we're really talking about is the hotel. I would have liked to see that a little smaller. I hate one-way streets."
As a mayor, McBrayer said parking issues is a good issue — if you could park right in front of every business at all hours of the day, then that city might not be economically successful.
The downtown 18th Street is very important to the city, he said, and he doesn't want to see that changed.
"that is the face of Homewood," he said. "When you're in the public and you say the name Homewood, I think 95% of people, that's the vision they have, of those businesses on 18th Street."
McBrayer thanked his friends and neighbors for the opportunity to serve as mayor and said he is extremely proud of the city (34:00).
Patrick McClusky
McClusky said government transparency falls in line with a city manager position (11:00).
"We all have regular day jobs we all have to participate in," McClusky said. "That takes time away from what should be done in the city. I believe there needs to be someone full-time at City Hall."
This would be another person that the constituents could reach out to, he said. The city manager would be able to reach out to someone and pinpoint exactly where the city is on certain projects.
The biggest issue along Green Springs Highway is the hotel problem, McClusky said (13:00).
"The way I plan to do this is working with the chief of police and his staff," McClusky said. "They are already doing a fantastic job on that. But there are other things we can do, other additional educational pieces from other municipalities who are doing wonderful things in regards to sex trafficking."
This includes giving additional support — money, education and training — to help the police department battle that problem, he said.
Since McClusky has been on council, they have built more sidewalks than ever before, he said (20:10). With the additional revenue from property taxes, McCLusky said he would like to see more funds allocated to additional sidewalks.
"It's been a real blessing to see the residents and everybody use that on a day-to-day basis," he said.
He said there are areas for sidewalk improvement, such as Lakeshore Estates, Forest Brook and Huntingdon Park.
"I think being able to get those people connected and being able to at least walk through their neighborhoods is a wonderful thing," he said.
Looking at the infrastructure issues is also important when considering funding from property taxes, McClusky said. Otherwise, he predicts the city will be looking at an issue later on down the road.
The Green Springs area is about to have a huge makeover, McClusky said (22:20).
"This is something that has been a long time coming," he said. "You're about to see a gateway change. You're going to see a strip of roadway that has been solid concrete for as long as we can remember now turn into this beautiful boulevard."
This will bring in new businesses, he said. There will also be bike lanes and more crosswalks.
In Wildwood, McClusky said he believes the Diverging Diamond Intersection will help traffic flow.
"I believe it will bring businesses into that area," he said. "As a city, we have to be working with these property owners and these business owners in that area to say, 'What can we do to help you?'"
Preserving downtown is the No. 1 issue brought to candidates this election season, McClusky said (30:20).
"There were a lot of discussions in regards to why we were changing this and what we were looking at," he said. "We are a vibrant downtown. Our downtown is not broken. We're not looking to fix it. But there are issues we need to address."
The city needs to look at things on the zoning side, he said. Based off of previous conversations, McClusky agrees 18th Street does not need to change, but there are areas that he said he believes need a facelift, such as near U.S. 31.
"There are streetscapes down 18th Street that I think can be beautified," he said. "There are a lot of things that can be done, but we want to do the right thing."
McClusky said he grew up in Homewood and said there have been many wonderful things he has been involved in here (37:55).
City Council Candidates
Ward 1, Place 1 (1:30)
Melanie Geer
Greer said smarter growth is one of her main priorities (2:55).
"You have to start with our building, engineering and zoning department, working very closely with the developers and the builders to ensure that all of the necessary rules, codes and ordinances that surround the building process are followed," she said.
In many cases, neighbors' homes and properties are damaged during the building process, she said.
"We need to be much more careful and cautious as a city to make sure that doesn't happen," she said. This could mean more inspectors, stricter rules, or inspectors holding builders more accountable, she said.
Geer said one of the key reasons she got into this race was because of developer encroachment in Rosedale (8:00). The city needs to ask Rosedale residents want they want moving forward, she said.
For downtown revitalization, she said the Heart of Homewood plan addressed none of the issues residents are talking about.
"We want Homewood to stay small, and we want a design review board to help us do that," she said.
She's running in this election to be the voice of Ward 1 and all of Homewood, she said. She's passionate about Homewood's history, diversity and potential, she said. The top of her priority is preserving downtown, she said.
Britt Thames
Over the last couple of years years, Homewood has become a popular destination for new residents and young families, Thames said (4:25). Along with that comes redevelopment and new home construction.
"What we've done over the last couple of years to make sure that new development is in keeping with the character we love about Homewood is we've tweaked our NPD zoning ordinances a little bit," he said.
"In addition, we have done some hydro engineering studies and plan to do more to locate some weaknesses in our stormwater system, which at this point is 100 years old," he said.
Thames also said he is excited about the council agenda item to grant a local historic designation to the Rosedale community (6:05). This provides protection to the community.
As for downtown, Thames said there are currently no design guidelines. Thames said Homewood needs these guidelines in place, not to say how a building should look, but to provide guidelines to keep in Homewood's character.
Thames and his wife chose Homewood because of its diversity and small-town feel, he said. Over the last few years, Thames' constituents have gotten to know him as someone who is open, he said, through weekly ward meetings, emails and more. He said he wants to continue that.
Ward 2, Place 1
Carlos Alemán
Alemán said that while Ward 2 has been the "forgotten child" for some time, that is beginning to shift. (15:15)
Investments can be seen in the parks, restaurants and small businesses and the pool, he said, but Alemán said this needs to continue to happen. Alemán said he would work with the City Council and mayor to make sure this happens in a responsible way. There is room for growth in the Wildwood, Valley and Oxmoor areas, he said.
Processes and government decisions should be accountable to the residents, Alemán said. He is open to upgrading the channels of communication so people understand what's happening in terms of budget, contracts, crime and more (21:00).
"A case in point in our ward is there is a human trafficking issue in Homewood, and I would love to see us really address that and really see how the city can move forward on that," he said. "And the public has the right to know what's going on in terms of law enforcement, business leaders, and how the residents can come together."
Alemán said he is excited about how many people ran in Ward 2 and said they all add valuable experiences to the table. He said he is looking forward to a way to represent all residents — diversity is a large part of his platform.
Sydney Simmons
Simmons wants to focus on the commercial space in West Homewood, she said. (17:15) There is lots of space prime for development in Ward 2, she said, and the city must be intentional about the types of businesses that come into West Homewood, she said.
There are lots of thriving businesses in Green Springs Highway, she said, but at times, it feels disconnected from Homewood, she said.
"I'd like to see more investment along Green Springs and also along the Wildwood area," she said.
Her time in public accounting will help contribute to an open, transparent government, she said. In her work, she focuses on the client, and in this case, the residents are the clients (19:20).
"We need to be very open with them," she said. "It's our tax dollars as residents that are being spent for different projects in Homewood, and we have a right to understand what's being done."
Simmons said she decided to run for City Council for three reasons: she wanted to serve Homewood and its residents; she wants to be an advocate for West Homewood; and she wants what's best for Homewood, she said.
Ward 2, Place 2
Celeste Bayles
Bayles said that to drive investments into Ward 2, the city needs to start with communication (27:15).
"What I would like to see is people working together with each other," she said. "I don't think it's acceptable if somebody doesn't understand or know what people are talking about in their ward."
The ward representatives need to listen to the constituents and ask them what they want and need, she said. The city can do a better job getting feedback from its constituents, she said.
Although the city releases information on their website and social media, Bayles said it's not good enough and that Homewood can do better (38:20).
"I think it would be cool to have a crime page even on The Homewood Star," she said. "People that want to know would go there. Are they getting information easily? No."
She said she appreciates the town halls that many candidates have hosted this election season, and that in the future people could make it more accessible by hosting them on Zoom.
Bayles said people should vote for her because she has lots of experience — over 10 years working with cities, counties and school boards across the country and finding ways to reduce their costs.
She said Homewood is proud of its diversity and that minority groups will be represented on the council.
Beverly LeBouef
As a member of the Board of Zoning Adjustments, LeBoeuf said she is aware of which businesses have looked to Homewood (29:00).
She said she would like the West Homewood code to be looked at and the problems in it addressed to make the area more inviting to developers. She also said the city as a whole needs to change its methods of development.
Information is the lifeboat of any organization, LeBoeuf said, and it's often hard to come by in Homewood, she said (36:35).
"We have a website that is not user-friendly and is sorely lacking in any information available for all areas," she said. "We need a more robust website with all information that is not currently available without a written request."
LeBoeuf said people should vote for her because she has been on the BZA for five and a half years and knows a lot about how City Hall works. She said she wants to help Homewood move forward and not stay in the status quo.
Justin Limbaugh
Limbaugh said the city needs to focus on where the businesses are going (30:25). There is room for commercial development in West Homewood around the Patriot Park area, he said, but most of the room is on Green Springs Highway.
"So when we talk about bringing new businesses in and people that want to invest in Homewood, I think it's important to keep the focus on improving that area," he said.
An open and transparent government starts with the candidates, Limbaugh said, and the way they communicate with people in the community (35:40).
Limbaugh said his job experience helps him stand out — he works on IT budgeting and coming up with new solutions.
"The next four years are not going to look like the last four years in Homewood," he said. "It's going to be a time to innovate."
Andrew Wolverton
Wolverton said anyone who visits West Homewood can see a lot of attention has been put on the neighborhood in the past four years (31:50). This is something Wolverton and his current co-councilor, Mike Higginbotham, have worked to ensure, he said.
"We are trying to develop a business district, a center around the Patriot Park area, similar to some of the other city centers," he said. "I think the city and I have worked hard over the last four years to really accomplish that."
He and other councilors are currently working on the Green Springs Revitalization project, he said. But at the end of the day, the councilors can't choose which businesses go there unless the city holds the deed to the land, he said.
Transparency and open government is something Wolverton supports, he said. He said the 2016 bond deal was decided right before he was elected, and he was left off of the task force afterward. He refused to vote on the council's decision over project managers because he was not involved in that process, he said.
Wolverton said he is seeking reelection because he is passionate about Homewood and wants to make it better, particularly in Ward 2 (43:10).
Ward 3, Place 1
Walt Harris
Harris said creating sidewalk connectivity to the Lakeshore Estates neighborhood is very important (47:15).
"That will be something I will attack first if I'm elected," he said.
Harris used to live near Green Springs in West Homewood, and he said he and his wife would discuss the dangers of the nearby hotels (54:30).
He also cites the need for increased police presence on Green Springs to make people feel safe.
"I think that the more new business we bring in, as well as what's already there, it will help revitalize that area and bring more attention to that area," Harris said. "And I think the human trafficking element and those dangerous hotels, we need to work with people to try to clean up that area."
Harris said he's a "Homewood guy" and has been there his whole life. He wants to see change, he said, no matter who wins.
Nick Sims
Sims said the city needs to build on sidewalk connectivity (48:05). The Green Springs Revitalization project that is currently in City Council will help this connectivity, he said.
"Our residents in Ward 3, who attend Hall Kent (Elementary School), crossing Green Springs is very important as a safe route to school," he said. "That's one of the things I bring in my candidacy. ... I worked with municipalities and partnerships to apply for grants to receive funding ... to build new sidewalks."
He said he wants to continue connecting Homewood's neighborhoods so they continue to thrive.
Sims said he wants to see transportation improvements on Green Springs that further economic development (52:45). The existing businesses there need to be celebrated, he said, and Homewood needs to push its local business there, he said.
Sims said he loves Homewood and wants it to be the best it can be.
"I'm hoping to bring my career in public service to Homewood on the council, to really just be committed as a servant to the city," he said.
Brady Wilson
Wilson said it's disappointing that the Lakeshore Estates neighborhood has never had access to the greenway trail on Lakeshore (49:45).
He said connecting the Lakeshore Estates neighborhood is a great start, and that the Green Springs connectivity is something else to capitalize on.
One of the things to do on Green Springs is elevate the expectations of its neighbors, Wilson said (51:10).
"We need to expect to not see our friends and neighbors shopping up the hill at the other Publix," he said. "We need to increase our pedestrian traffic there. The sidewalks there are going to be great, but what we need to do is expect to see our friends dining there, expect to see people shopping there. As we increase pedestrian traffic, we'll increase police presence."
Wilson said his platform has been the same from the outset (57:30): protect Homewood, protect property values, protect the schools, support police and fire departments and have measured development.
He also encouraged voters to exercise their constitutional right to vote to "elect the city managers." He said those elected on Aug. 25 will manage the city.
Ward 3, Place 2
Walter Jones
Jones said walkability is a very important part of what the council has accomplished. (1:03:20)
"In the past eight years, we have constructed over ten miles of sidewalks," he said. "I was also a part of the group that did the Edgewood revitalization, and that was a very important part of getting it all connected."
Jones was on the council when they invested $4 million in improvements for Green Springs (1:08:00). They also established the Green Springs Urban Revitalization District to help define what types of businesses would be coming to Green Springs.
Jones said the city needs to continue working with Homewood Police Chief Tim Ross to focus on crime in that area.
Jones said Homewood is in great shape and has many things to be excited about (1:09:35).
"We have maintained a $600,000 surplus or better," Jones said. "We have over $12 million in our rainy day fund. We are in great shape, and there have been so many things we've accomplished."
Mark Quimby
Quimby said Homewood has done a great job in creating pedestrian crosswalks and accesses (1:04:35).
"My family moved here because of the accessibility from a pedestrian standpoint," he said. "With three small children it's great to be able to get them to the parks and trails."
As the city budgets future sidewalk plans, Quimby said the city should communicate these plans with the constituents so the people don't feel left out of that process.
When Quimby told his friends and family to where he was moving in Ward 3, they said, "Well what about Green Springs?" (1:06:30) People shouldn't feel like they have to make excuses for Green Springs, he said. He said it was important to address some of the problem hotels in the area as the city attracts better business partners.
Quimby said Homewood is a great place, and his family is here because of the great work done before them (1:10:50). He said it is important to build on that.
"I'm committed to engagement, not just being a doer," he said.
Frances Nance
Nance is also running for Ward 3 Place 2 but was not able to attend our forums.
Ward 4, Place 1
Kent Haines
Haines said Homewood has some infrastructure concerns, particularly stormwater issues (1:13:40).
"The way we allow single-family homes to be built also has an impact on the stormwater system," he said. "I think it's important to look at the issues and the ways we can improve but also to think about the underlying causes and think about our zoning code."
In terms of economic development, Haines said Homewood needs to start by looking at the essential attributes of Homewood that it wants to preserve and then make sure business development doesn't "develop away" the distinctiveness of Homewood (1:17:50).
"I think it does start from building a consensus from our residents," Haines said. "What is our vision for Homewood? What is our vision 10, 20 years from now? And how to we incentivize the sort of development that will maintain the things we love and improve upon the areas where we can improve."
Haines said he is running because he loves Homewood and has ideas about ways it can be improved (1:19:00). He wants to do a weekly newsletter and implement a centralized system where residents can report problems to the city. He said he is also supportive of a city manager.
Barry Smith
The city's infrastructure is going to be a big issue in the coming years, Smith said (1:14:40).
"I think it is going to be something we'll have to approach strategically," she said. "Much like we've approached our sidewalks and street paving, I think we're going to have to get experts in to analyze the entire system, identify the hotspots where big problems exist, and I think we're going to have to work from those areas out."
Economic development needs to be a priority, Smith said (1:16:40).
"We want to continue to have our business community thrive, grow and develop, but we have to approach that also with a smart eye toward a holistic approach," she said. "Economic development is key to the success ... of Homewood's community."
Smith said she is proud of her six years of service to Ward 4 (1:20:05), but she said she still feels like she has things she wants to accomplish and work she wants to do. She agrees with Haines that she would like to see a city manager in Homewood.
Ward 4, Place 2
Evan Bates
Bates said the stormwater system is aging but that the bigger problem is the loss of grass and trees that have historically soaked up stormwater (1:22:40).
"One of the things I've proposed is to further restrict the amount of lot coverage that new homes can cover," Haines said. "Right now we limit it to 50-60%, and from the studies I've seen, it's going to have to be limited to more like 35-40% of the lot to manage the stormwater."
Homewood has traffic issues, he said, but these are manageable, he said.
Bates said three projects are essential for Homewood: the abandoned hotel on West Oxmoor should be put to developers for a long-time, beneficial development; the city needs to preserve the downtown; and turning a property on Valley Avenue into a park for the city (1:27:55).
"Let's use these advantages and grow the economy, but do it in such a way that it protects the citizens, protects the neighborhoods, and moves us forward, not moves us back," he said.
Bates said he has had the privilege of running four companies (1:29:20). To get consensus on decision-making, he said the city needs to start with leadership. He said he can provide the leadership to move Homewood forward.
Jalete Nelms
Nelms said she is interested in paying attention to how the city is losing its green space and enhancing what it has (1:25:00).
Traffic is the same, she said. The city needs to pay attention to trouble spots, connect neighborhoods and include everybody on those projects, she said.
"For example, our homeowners and apartment dwellers, as well as folks in retirement homes in Homewood, I think we need to pay attention to how those all connect and looks at those things when we do traffic studies," she said.
The idea to have a city manager has been a hot topic this election season, she said (1:26:40).
"When you're looking at city planning, you want someone with a different skill set who can bring City Council together and can be like a city manager," she said. "One of the main ways I can be helpful in working on that project is helping to potentially have a city manager for Homewood, someone who has a strong background in planning and economic development."
Nelms said she wants to see Homewood's vital characteristics remain but with enhancement (1:30:20). She wants pocket dog parks in the city limits, she said. She hopes to use her experience in the Senate and House of Representatives to be a solid liaison between the city and its residents, she said.
Ward 5, Place 2
Jeff Foster
Foster said he would like to better understand the situation at the Brookwood mall (1:32:30).
"I think that starts with communicating with the property owner and business owners about what's happening," he said. "I think we also need to think about better ways to engage with the residents of Ward 5. What do we need over there long term? Is this an opportunity ... to think about some light-density, mixed-use residential?"
Foster said Ward 5 is limited in its tree planting initiatives because it's very grey — there is a lot of existing parking, which means Homewood is limited to what trees can go there (1:40:00).
"Another thing to consider is some vertical walls on buildings to help break up some of the grey downtown," he said. "The other thing to consider ... is actively engaging folks when they take a tree down to make sure they understand that we'd love for them to replant a tree and replace it with a native species."
Foster said he has had the privilege of serving Homewood in the past 10 years on the BZA and the Planning Commission. He has lived in three Homewood communities, which he said gives him an opportunity to bring a citywide perspective.
John Hardin
Hardin said he has been working with the city to understand the Brookwood Mall but that malls are no longer "in vogue" (1:34:30). He predicts that it won't be a mall anymore in about 3-5 years
"I think it's a great site for us long term," he said. "It's great for our ward ... but I think we're going to struggle getting any money out of that project for three to five years."
Green initiatives start with planning, Hardin said (1:38:55).
"I think when someone comes to the city to do a development project, we need to make sure that it's got as much green space as is correct," he said.
Hardin said he has lived in Homewood for 27 years and that he is here to serve.
"I think Homewood's doing great... but it's always got its challenges," he said. "I haven't found one person on City Council that's not working as hard as they can to make Homewood a better place."
Zach Isbell
Isbell said Homewood needs to build a relationship with the city of Mountain Brook (1:37:00), who owns half of the mall, and work with property owners.
Isbell served on the environmental commission in 2016, and he said the tree canopy issue in Homewood was a big issue they dealt with (1:38:00).
"I think the city needs to do more to bring green spaces to the city, even though we don't have a lot of space to do that currently," he said. "I know there's been talks of astro turf for City Hall and downtown Homewood — I think that's a great idea."
Isbell said he grew up in West Homewood and has lived in the city for more than 28 years. He said the city made him into who he is today. A passion of his is working with people in Homewood who are often ignored or overlooked, he said. He said he wants to represent and work with those people.