Something new is lighting up the holidays in Homewood. Homewood Holly Days will turn Central Park into a festive forest of more than 50 decorated trees, each sponsored by local businesses. The celebration begins November 28 at 6pm with a Tree Lighting Ceremony featuring Mayor Jennifer Andress, the Rotary Club of Homewood, live music, and hot cocoa. Beyond the lights, the event supports local students. Since 2016, the Homewood Rotary Club has awarded $223,000 in scholarships to Homewood High School seniors through the Bill Crawford Educational Foundation. Each tree sponsorship helps fund these scholarships and gives students the chance to reach their goals. Tree sponsors will receive a 6 to 6.5-foot tree from the Boy Scouts of America and can decorate it between November 23 and 27. The trees will stay on display through December 31, creating a bright and welcoming centerpiece for the holiday season.

Homewood has appointed Cale Smith as Acting City Manager. Cale has played a key role in shaping the city’s infrastructure and growth since joining the City of Homewood in 2021 as Director of Engineering and Zoning. His experience, leadership, and collaborative approach have earned the respect of colleagues and residents alike. Mayor Jennifer Andress shared, “Cale Smith has been an invaluable Department Head for almost five years as Homewood’s City Engineer, and I am excited to see him take on the role of Interim City Manager. Cale knows how to lead, how to put processes in place to make our city better, and has a servant heart for the people of Homewood. I look forward to working with him in this capacity.” Here is more about Cale: Cale Smith, a native of Greenville, Alabama, moved to Homewood in 2004 after earning his Bachelor of Civil Engineering from Auburn University. Since 2021, Cale has served as the Director of Engineering & Zoning at the City of Homewood, partnering with department heads and working directly with residents to implement thoughtful solutions to community needs. In this role, he has managed more than $15 million in capital projects across the city. Prior to coming to the City of Homewood, Cale spent 17 years in the private sector as a Professional Engineer, serving as both Principal and Project Manager for several consulting firms based in the Birmingham area. During that time, Cale managed projects and budgets for many public sector clients, including UAB, the Montgomery Housing Authority, the Housing Authority of Birmingham, BJCC, and BJCTA. Some of his favorite projects involved developing affordable housing options in Montgomery. These projects strengthened his ability to translate complex design and financial considerations into clear, actionable discussions with stakeholders and community members, building trust and consensus among diverse groups. Through this experience, Cale discovered a passion for public service. So, when he had the opportunity to serve as City Engineer, his answer was an enthusiastic “absolutely.” As Interim City Manager, Cale looks forward to building on the strong culture of collaboration and trust among the City’s department directors to advance the Council’s vision, enhance operational efficiency, and deliver exceptional customer service that our community deserves and expects. Cale is married to Dr. Keya Kraft, who serves on the Homewood Public Library Board of Trustees and works as the Director of Economic Development for the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham. Their daughter, Dot, is an eighth grader at Homewood Middle School, where she enjoys playing on the school’s basketball and volleyball teams. He can be reach here: cale.smith@homewoodal.org

It is an exciting new chapter for the City of Homewood. On Monday, November 3, 2025, Mayor Jennifer Andress and the members of the new City Council were officially sworn in during a ceremony at City Hall. You can watch those above. Each elected official took the oath of office surrounded by family, friends, and community members who came to celebrate the start of a new term in Homewood’s history. Newly seated members: Jennifer Andress, Mayor & Council President Paul S. Simmons II, Ward 1 Nick Sims, Ward 2, Mayor Pro-Tem Chris Lane, Ward 3 Winslow Armstead, Ward 4 The new Mayor and Council begin work immediately, with meetings starting next Monday as they focus on continuing the progress and planning for Homewood’s future.

On behalf of Mayor Alex Wyatt and the outgoing City Council, I would like to thank Glen Adams for his dedicated service to the City of Homewood at a truly historic time. In September 2024, Homewood held a referendum in which our citizens elected to change our government from a Mayor-Council form of government to a Council-Manager form of government. Glen was hired as our first ever City Manager in March and went straight to work, making immediate improvements in the city and our day-to-day operations. Our city employees truly enjoyed working for Glen and responded well to his leadership and direction. As his contract expires, and we head in to the next Council term, we wish Glen the very best as he takes on his future endeavors. We are well-positioned to move into our next term and new form of government thanks to Glen’s hard work these past 8 months. Mayor-Elect Jennifer Andress

Council Meeting October 27, 2025 This council meeting was a historic farewell, filled with proclamations, gratitude, and reflection as the city’s mayor, council, and longtime leaders concluded their final meeting under the mayor-council form of government. Emotional tributes honored departing Mayor Alex Wyatt, Council President Walter Jones, Councilor John Hardin, and City Attorney Mike Kendrick for decades of service that shaped Homewood’s growth, stability, and spirit, culminating in the creation of the new “Mike Kendrick Award for Service" for the City of Homewood that will be handed out annually. Agenda: https://bit.ly/3X4CkNL

Homewood’s City Council adopted a new ordinance regulating encampments on public property, following weeks of committee discussion and public input. The ordinance prohibits camping or sleeping overnight in public areas, parks, or vehicles on city property without a permit, giving police authority to issue warnings and remove unauthorized camps after notice.  City leaders emphasized it as a public safety measure that can be amended as needed to ensure fair enforcement and community protection.

Council Meeting October 13, 2025 The council unanimously approved the new encampment ordinance, multiple bid dates, franchise agreements, and plans for a police substation at City Hall, then honored outgoing Councilors Barry Smith and Julie Nelms for their service. Agenda: https://bit.ly/4h4uzk8

The City of Homewood and its Finance Director, Lester Smith, as part of their annual review, have mutually agreed that the goals outlined for the Finance Department upon Mr. Smith's retention have now been completed, and therefore, have further agreed to both transition to new opportunities. During the past year, Mr. Smith, with the assistance of City Administration, made significant improvements to financial oversight, internal controls and strengthening accountability within the Finance Department. Homewood looks forward to building on these improvements and the next phase of strong, transparent financial leadership. Nick Hayes will serve as Acting Finance Director as the City begins a search for the next Director.

The City Council approved plans to add a small police substation inside City Hall to strengthen the department’s downtown presence. The new office will use an existing ground-floor space that’s currently unused, giving officers a permanent space and increases patrols near downtown businesses. This plan will use existing funds, with no new money required. A few nearby parking spaces will be also reserved for police vehicles, helping maintain a consistent presence around City Hall. Work to renovate the area is expected to begin in the next couple of months.