Eleven applicants vie for Ward 4 seat

Former Ward 4 representative Jenifer Champ Wallis resigned her seat at the July 14 city council meeting as she prepared to practice law in Los Angeles. As of the July 28 application deadline, there are eleven potential replacements for the remaining two years of her term. The applicants include lawyers, business owners, a teacher and three current or former members of the Homewood City Schools Foundation.

The city council held interviews Wednesday, Aug. 6 and Thursday, Aug. 7. Each interview was  30 minutes long. Limbaugh said the applicants’ resumes are “absolutely awesome.”

City Clerk Linda Cook provided the list of candidates and their backgrounds:

• Bob Blalock – Content development team manager at Alabama Power and former member of the HCS Foundation Board of Directors.
• Timothy N. Cameron – Facility manager of the Mountain Brook Club and member of the Homewood Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association.
• Wendy Hardegree Davis – Attorney at Engel, Hairston & Johanson, P.C.
• R. Matthew Denton – Vice president of sales at Truitt Insurance and Bonding.
• Jennifer Fitzpatrick – Paralegal at Hand Arendall and former president of the HCS Educational Advisory Committee and Shades Cahaba Elementary PTO.
• Jonathan Hunt – Cardiovascular account specialist for Eli Lilly and Company, alumnus of the Homewood Citizens Police Academy.
• Brian Paul Jarmon – CEO of Magic City Sportswear and member of the Homewood Chamber of Commerce.
• Rhonda K. Rush – Social studies teacher at Homewood High School and former member of HCS strategic planning team.
• Barry Wise Smith – Director of the nursery and Parent’s Day Out program at Trinity United Methodist, member of the HCS Foundation Board of directors and former Edgewood Elementary PTO member.
• Joe A. Stephens – Owner of Edgewood Wealth Advisors and member of the Homewood Commercial Development Authority Board.
• Alex Wyatt – Attorney and shareholder at Parsons, Lee and Juliano, member of the board of directors for the HCS Foundation, the Homewood Athletic Foundation and the Safe and Healthy Homewood Coalition.

Limbaugh said the council will try to have a decision ready for announcement at the next city council meeting on Monday, Aug. 11, but he could not set a definite announcement date yet.

“We want Ward 4 to have representation as soon as possible without rushing the process,” Limbaugh said.