Illustration by Melanie Veiring
Photo courtesy of Paul Simmons
Paul Simmons is running for the Ward 1 seat on Homewood City Council in the 2025 municipal election.
Paul Simmons, a longtime Homewood resident and community advocate, is running for the Ward 1 seat on the Homewood City Council.
A member of the Homewood City Schools Foundation Board, Simmons is campaigning on a pledge to serve with integrity, transparency, and a strong commitment to listening to residents. His platform emphasizes responsive representation and ensuring that the voices of Ward 1 are heard and respected in city decision-making. Simmons also serves on the board of the Mike Slive Foundation, reflecting his broader commitment to service. As a small business owner and engaged citizen, he aims to bring a community-focused perspective and a desire to help guide Homewood’s future with thoughtful, accountable leadership.
Ahead of this year’s election, Simmons shared his views on key issues with The Homewood Star.
Q: What motivated you to run for office in Homewood’s 2025 election?
The city of Homewood is in a transition. We've consolidated wards. We've hired a city manager as well, and now we've consolidated the council members. So, it's going to be a new form of government. I'll be honest, I am surprised that Homewood has operated in that fashion for quite some time, but I do think it's important and the council made the right decision by hiring a city manager to keep up with the day-to-day stuff. For me, I think it's the right move and the right direction for the citizens in our city. But, I've always served my community in several capacities. I'm on the Homewood City School Foundation. Schools to me are important. That's actually one of the reasons why my wife and I moved to Homewood, it was because of the school systems. You probably could ask any citizen here, a majority of those individuals would tell you the same. So I do serve in that capacity to ensure an effort to keep consistency with our teachers in place. If we can help them with any type of grant money to assist them in teaching our kids that will show them that we're investing in them and so we're also investing in our kids. Also, I'm a prostate cancer survivor. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer at 44 years old. A lot of men don't like to talk about that particular issue, but I've been led to be vocal about it. And I have since the day I was diagnosed all the way up until now. I serve on the Mike Slive Foundation where we do a lot of work in the community educational wise, but also where we're able to raise money for grants and research to determine how we can combat this condition. I've served in that capacity along with my fraternity. I have a heart for service, and what better way to do that than serve my community that I live in.
Q: How do you plan to improve communication between city leadership and residents?
We’re fortunate to have several avenues for communication. Ironically, when I announced my candidacy on my personal social media page—before even launching a campaign page—I immediately began receiving messages from people in the community. That experience reaffirmed how vital social media is in today’s world.
As part of my communication strategy, I plan to use every tool available—Facebook, Instagram, and more—because that’s where people are. I also recognize that the city already shares some information on its website, but I believe that can be improved. One of my key priorities is ensuring that communication from the city is clearer, more consistent, and more informative so residents truly understand what’s happening in our community.
Even now, during the campaign, people are asking me: “How are you going to keep us informed?” I’ve made a commitment to do just that—through any means necessary. Whether that’s social media, direct outreach, or pointing people to a city website that actually works for them, my goal is simple: to keep the people of our community well-informed and engaged.
Q: You would be taking office during a period of significant transition. How do you view that responsibility?
I don't think it's a heavy responsibility. I think when you decide to serve in any capacity knowing that there is a change or transition, we all know change is uncomfortable. A lot of people don't like change. At the end of the day, I think if it's a change to improve, then it's a positive for everyone. And I think what we need to do as servants of the community is listen. I plan to lead by listening. I think a lot of times people talk too much and don't listen enough. And in my opinion, you should listen more and talk less. I've been in sales for 23 years, and one of the most valuable lessons I've learned is to listen to your customer or listen to your constituents to understand what is needed.
Q: What is your vision for Homewood’s long-term future, particularly as the city approaches its 100-year anniversary?
It is truly not my vision, it's the vision of the community. As I said before, I'm going to lead by listening. So, my vision is going to be shaped by what the community is asking for us to do. And I feel like the community knows best at the end of the day and we're here just to serve them.
Q: How do you plan to guide development and manage growth — especially in areas adjacent to Samford University?
I think the community as a whole wants progress, but let's be honest, all progress is not created equal. So, I support growth with a purpose. That really means development that's smart, sustainable, that's really true to the character of Homewood. We welcome any new opportunity, but I think we have to be mindful welcoming in that new opportunity without losing the charm and the value that makes our neighborhoods what we call home.
Q: What is your vision for Brookwood Village, and what role should the city council play in shaping its future?
Brookwood Village is a unique situation. I do think that there's an opportunity for development. If I am awarded the opportunity to serve, that's going to be the topic of conversation. And I think we're going to have to work together—meaning the other council members—to make smart decisions about that property. For a long time, we've heard several things that it was going to be. One was one of those movie theaters that you could have dinner at, and I thought that was a great idea. Anything that drives a community and doesn’t make it lose its charm, I'm all for. But we're going to have to be smart on our decisions and really determine whatever we move forward with is going to have to keep the character of Homewood intact while we're doing that.
Q: How closely should Homewood collaborate with neighboring cities on regional challenges like infrastructure and business development?
You have to, it's a must. Our neighbors—Vestavia, Mountain Brook, even the city of Birmingham—we're all going to have to work together. That's the only way that we will succeed. I think you have to have leaders and leadership that's willing to listen first. And that may be listening to the other cities and hearing their thoughts. But then they also have to do the same for us as well. I think there has to be a mutual respect.
Q: What are your priorities for addressing stormwater management and local flooding concerns?
It's been a pain point for quite some time. When I made my announcement, that's probably one of the first things I heard. Those things are going to have to happen, and you have to have a strategy involved and in place. You can't make hasty decisions because you're talking about a long-term strategy there, as it relates to storm water and drainage. I do think that if you get the right leaders involved, you can solve that problem.
Q: How do you plan to support Homewood City Schools during your term?
I believe strong schools build strong communities. Again, as I mentioned before, my wife and I moved to Homewood because of the school systems. It's a strong school system. However, I am also proud to live in this city that values that. I think our school board does an excellent job in partnership. As I mentioned before, I'm on the Homewood City Schools Foundation, so we do support our teachers and our schools in an effort to provide extra resources. I think Homewood has been very good at that. But, I pledge to fight to keep public schools well funded, well supported and closely connected to the families that we serve."
Q: In light of the recent police shooting that resulted in the death of 18-year-old Jabari Peoples, how would you approach issues of public safety and community trust?
Transparency, that is very important. At the end of the day, it's unfortunate that that happened in our community. I hate to see anyone lose their life, and even for our police department, too. That plays a role on everyone involved, the family, city, the community and our leaders. I think transparency is key. If we cannot be transparent about all situations, we're failing our community. I truly believe in being open and having open dialogue and being transparent about all situations, even if it's bad news. As a sales rep, sometimes I have to deliver bad news, and that's okay. But, I think you have to have a measured approach when you're dealing with these situations.
Simmons is facing Tiffany McIntyre for the Ward 1 council seat, and elections are Aug. 26 To see McIntyre's views on key issues, click here.
