Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Homewood City Council members Alex Wyatt, of Ward 4, and Jennifer Andress, of Ward 5, speak during a council meeting.
The city of Homewood has collected more than 600 signatures in support of a special election to alter the government structure.
Now, the signatures will have to be officially verified to hold a special election, which city leaders hope to have in September.
“The petition is being submitted this week to Probate Court, which will hopefully mean that a referendum can be held sometime in September,” said Alex Wyatt, Homewood City Council President.
Wyatt noted that information on an exact date in September would come after hearing more from the Probate Court.
Now that the signatures have been collected, the state requires a referendum be held between 40 and 90 days from the time signatures are collected. Otherwise the signatures are no longer valid.
Ward 5 Councilwoman Jennifer Andress clarified that the referendum will be a standalone for the residents of Homewood and not a county-wide vote.
“We are really trying to get in front of the November Presidential Election to hold the referendum,” Andress said.
Those casting a ballot in the special election would be answering a yes or no question as to whether they support a new form of city government and the hire of a city manager.
If the vote to change the form of government is approved, it would be enacted in November 2025, when the new council is seated.
The decision to change the form of government focuses on the current government structure of an 11-member council and five wards to the potential change of a 5-member council with four wards.
The additional change could also allow for a city manager, which would be a full-time executive position within the city.
Some residents in Homewood have expressed concern that the yes or no question format on the ballot does not allow for feedback from residents as to how many council members they would like to have representing them.
City officials have said that the number of council members could change depending on the feelings of the council members moving forward.
Over the summer, city officials held a number of informational meetings for the public to help inform residents of what the changes might mean for the city.
The city had Sam Gaston, who has served as city manager for Mountain Brook for over 30 years, present at one of the meetings in early June.
Gaston outlined reasons why cities operate with a city manager position, and what it often looks like to have one in place.
