2025 Voter Guide: Ask the Candidate
Homewood voters will choose their next mayor and city council on Aug. 26. Candidates Greg Cobb, Chris Lane, John Manzelli and Keith Young are running to represent Ward 3.
Q: How do you plan to improve communication between city leadership and residents?
Greg Cobb: Well, I'm an open door. You call me anytime, and I still have people call me. I've been retired for four years, and I still have people call me asking for help or they don't know who to contact. I still have my contacts with the city, because I kept in touch. I know all the department heads and all these people for all these years, and they'll call me up. One guy called me up about a manhole that was destroyed and he said, "We need to get that fixed." And I said, "I know who to talk to," so I called my buddy over at the streets department. Told him about it. He said, "I'll put it on my list," and in a day or two it was fixed. But rather than tell him, "Well, you go call somebody else." I'll do it myself. I hated to tell somebody they got the wrong number. I don't like that, just giving them the run around. I like to be more hands on, and when problems come up, solve them. If I can't solve them, I’ll find somebody who can.
Chris Lane: I would proactively communicate with residents about city projects, early in the process, to help shape initiatives that may affect their neighborhoods. I would host regular public forums and listening sessions. I am motivated to engage with anyone at any time about any topic. That philosophy has paid rich dividends in my business throughout the years, and it can in city government as well. I believe in co-creating solutions with input from residents, businesses, city management and employees, and sometimes neighboring cities.
John Manzelli: It’s not a mystery — other towns already do it better. The key is prioritizing communication and using tools that work. We need a responsive, easy-to-use system that includes text alerts and real-time updates. Platforms like CivicReady and CodeRED are examples used by cities across the country to send mass notifications through text, email, and app push alerts. These systems are easy to opt into and reliable enough that residents will actually use them. It’s about meeting people where they are — and making sure they’re always in the loop.
Keith Young: One thing I’ve heard from people over and over is that they just want to know what’s going on and why decisions are being made. I think communication has to go beyond just posting meeting agendas or sending out alerts. It’s about being visible in the neighborhood, listening to your neighbors’ concerns, and taking the time to explain the thinking behind a vote or a policy even if it’s not always popular. That said, I was always taught that leadership isn’t just about following the loudest voices in the room. It’s about doing the work, weighing the facts, and making smart, sometimes tough decisions with the long-term good of the community in mind. I believe that a city councilor’s job isn’t just to react, it’s to lead. But I also believe that when people understand the “why” factor, they’re much more likely to trust the process, even if they don’t agree with every outcome. Ultimately, I want to build a relationship with residents of Ward 3 that’s based on honesty, consistency and mutual respect. Not just popularity.
To read Cobb’s full Q&A, click here. See Lane’s full Q&A here. Read Manzelli’s full Q&A here. Find Young’s full Q&A here.
