City Council approves move to brighten sidewalks

The Carpenters sang in the early '70s that rainy days and Mondays always get me down.

But after the Homewood City Council approved the Homewood Arts Council’s use of Rainworks visible-when-wet stencils, folks in Homewood will only look down on rainy days to see what uplifting messages and art will magically appear.

The council approved the committee’s recommendation to give the Arts Council permission to place the appearing stencils in city rights of way.

Council President Alex Wyatt made it clear that the action was simply to give the Arts Council permission to work in the right of way. Committee members expressed concern during their meeting on April 1 about the city determining what messages and art will be displayed.

Council member Barry Smith said residents will have to be patient as they await the appearing-when-wet art.

“It’s probably not going to happen until next budget year,” she said.

Prior to the meeting, Mayor Patrick McClusky introduced the city’s new director of information technology, Brandon Sims. During the meeting, the council:

• Approved a budget amendment and authorized the mayor to sign an agreement for additions to Homewood Fire Station No. 3.
• Approved no parking signage and striping near 1665 28^th Avenue South.
• Approved a sign variance at Goody’s Toy Store, 3027 Oxmoor Road. A carousel horse will be mounted on the roof above the sign at the front of the store.
• Set May 13 as the date of a public hearing for the final development plan for the Bank of America location at 232 Green Springs Highway. The applicant wants to construct a 4,235 square foot, single story branch bank.
• Approved McClusky, Wyatt and assistant city clerk Bo Seagrist to sign checks for the city.