Hollywood's Jennifer Andress running for reelection for Ward 5 Council

Ward 5 City Councilwoman Jennifer Andress announced that she will be seeking reelection for her position in this year’s election.

Andress has served one term as Ward 5 representative. Prior to winning her 2016 campaign, Andress didn’t have any other political experience. Her family has lived in Homewood for almost 20 years, and her sons are students at Homewood High School.

Since her election in 2016, Andress spends hours each day working on citywide initiatives. Her top priority has been expanding the pedestrian connectivity across the city, and she has three accomplishments that she said she is most proud of: the new crosswalk at Brookwood Village, her work cleaning and extending the Shades Creek Greenway Trail and her constant communication with her constituents through email newsletters and Facebook page.

If reelected, Andress said she hopes to finish the pedestrian bridge project over U.S. 280 on Hollywood Boulevard. This was one of her main campaign platforms in 2016 but has seen delays. The project must now wait for the county to come off of “essential only” status to begin working on this project again, she said.

She also hopes to look at getting a city manager position established in Homewood if reelected, she said.

“I have developed wonderful relationships with Mountain Brook City Manager Sam Gaston and Hoover City Manager Allan Rice, and I would like to see what the City Manager position could mean for Homewood,” she said. “It certainly has been a success in those two cities as well as Vestavia Hills.”

She is excited to see what comes of the citywide traffic study that residents have been completing in the recent months. Three of the intersections being closely examined are in her ward. She said she would like to continue improving pedestrian access in her ward and across Homewood.

She also enjoys “jumping into” citywide projects with her co-councilors and looks forward to four more years of that, she said.

“We want to tackle our recycling and sanitation management, and are looking at an exciting new trail that would connect Birmingham, Mountain Brook and Homewood,” she said.

Visit her Facebook page at facebook.com/Andress4HWD for more information.

The election for Homewood mayor and City Council seats is Aug. 25. Qualifying starts July 7 and goes through July 21.

If you are running in this year's election for mayor or for a seat on City Council, please email ischnader@starnespublishing.com to be featured in our upcoming election guide.