Photo courtesy of Jennifer Andress for Mayor campaign.
Homewood City Council member Jennifer Andress is running for mayor. If elected, she will become the first woman to serve as the city’s mayor.
It’s here! After more than a year of planning and anticipation, Homewood’s Centennial celebration is upon us, with fun events planned throughout October. Be sure to check out all the events on our website under the Centennial tab (cityofhomewood.com/centennial) and join us!
Highlights include a film festival at Patriot Park on Oct. 4, a Centennial Gala benefiting Edgewood’s Sims Garden on Oct. 15, a family picnic at Central Park culminating in a fireworks show on Oct. 17, a flag presentation from U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer at our City Council meeting on Oct. 26 and recognition of our 100 years at the Homewood High School Patriots football game on Oct. 30.
I want to say a huge “thank you” to our Centennial committee, chaired by former City Councilors Walter Jones and Barry Smith. Their committee was composed of representatives from various city departments and boards, local historians and authors. Thank you for the hard work you have put in over the last year to bring us these monumental events. A Centennial celebration happens only once, and you have given us one to be so very proud of!
Looking back at our past makes our future seem even more hopeful and bright. In the last year, the city has taken important steps for organizational excellence and fiscal soundness. We have successfully transitioned to a council-manager form of government and appointed Cale Smith as our first permanent city manager. Under state law, he serves as the city’s CEO, managing day-to-day operations and personnel. Sam Gaston has joined the City Manager’s Office, bringing more than four decades of municipal experience. We have created a much-needed Human Resources Department and hired Kim Kinder, who brings invaluable experience from the Jefferson County Personnel Board. We also hired Aspen Collins as finance director. She brings more than 20 years of municipal and county experience.
This is in addition to our already super-stacked A-team of department heads, public safety chiefs and chief of staff, along with their direct reports! Add in our nationally recognized, best-in-Alabama Homewood City Schools, and we are well-positioned to thrive for our next 100 years.
A mayor of another Alabama city told me recently that Homewood sets the standard for the state and that we set the bar other cities measure themselves against. And we will continue to do just that. We have so much to be proud of, Homewood!
