Special Election Sept. 24

**NOTE: Absentee ballots are no longer available for this election. Sept. 17 was last day to receive absentee applications by mail. 



PROCOLOMATION FOR SPECIAL ELECTION


ELECTION OFFICERS


VOTING MACHINE INSPECTIONS

September 24, 2024, voting will be from 7:00am to 7:00pm in the following locations:



Ward 1 - Homewood Recreation Center

Homewood Park - 1632 Oxmoor Road


Ward 2 - Senior Citizens Center

816 Oak Grove Road


Ward 3 - Edgewood Elementary School

901 College Avenue


Ward 4 - Homewood Public Library

1721 Oxmoor Road


Ward 5 - Shades Cahaba Elementary School

3001 Independence Drive

In February 2024, the city council voted to look at the possibility of changing the form of government in Homewood to allow for a City Manager (watch the video at the bottom of the page to see the presentation of this proposal). Currently, the city does not have a full-time executive. 


The mayor handed it off to the council to investigate the options. The council created an ad hoc committee made up of councilors, department heads, residents, business leaders, and community leaders to look at the various possibilities. They looked at three models that have city managers- Hoover, Mt. Brook and Vestavia Hills, and unanimously believed that the Vestavia's model was the best fit for Homewood. After many months of research, the committee felt comfortable with the statutory model which has the mayor as part of the city council, and then the city manager as the chief executive of the city, called the "Council/Manager" model. 


A petition garnered enough signatures from Homewood voters to have a referendum. A special called municipal election has been scheduled for Tuesday, September 24, 2024 for the purpose of determining whether or not the qualified voters of the City of Homewood approve the adoption of the "Council/Manager" form of government. Absentee ballots can be downloaded or obtained at city hall starting August 27th, 2nd floor city clerk's office. 


Video - view the special called council meeting that approved all resolutions needed to have this election.

*This deadline has passed


If you have not already registered, the deadline to register to vote was September 9, 2024.

The council created an ad-hoc committee made up of councilors, department heads, residents, business leaders, and community leaders to look at the various possibilities. 


The committee reviewed three cities with city managers: Hoover, Mt. Brook, and Vestavia Hills. They all agreed that the "Council-Manager" model from Vestavia was the best fit for Homewood. This decision came after they interviewed city managers from each location. Of all options available to attain a city manager for Homewood, the committee believed this was the best option to hire a city manager since the process and responsibilities are guided by state statute and it meant that the position will be accountable to the full council, including the mayor. This means the position can't be eliminated or altered on a whim. No other option to add a city manager has this.

 

As part of adopting this government style, a referendum must take place (Sept. 24), which lets the citizens vote on the change. 


It is important to note that boards, including the school board, will NOT change under this new model. They all stay the same.


This new government would reduce the number of councilors from eleven, to four, each designated to represent one of four wards (shown below). There would also be a mayor elected city-wide who would hold a dual role as council president. That would make it a five person body to vote on matters of the city. There are 11 other cities in Alabama, of similar size, with a five person voting body. Five is the "norm" for cities our size and is the reason leadership chose it instead of a seven body model.


This new model allows for an appointment of a city manager by the council to supervise the day-to-day operations of the city, with accountability to the entire council and mayor. This is the only option available to the city that assures of guidelines dictated by state statute for the responsibilities of the city manager, while making sure the position can't be eliminated or altered on a whim.


The proposed ward map with four ward boundaries, instead of five, was redrawn by the state according to census data (shown below). Right now, Homewood has five council wards, each with two elected officials – a council president and mayor.

Proposed Ward Map if Referendum is Approved

VIEW PDF

Why does the current structure have to change and why have a city manager? City leadership felt comfortable with the statutory model which has the mayor as part of the city council, and then the city manager as the chief executive of the city. To adopt this structure, the city must switch to a council/manager form of government. By law, this shift changes the entire government setup. You can't alter the council composition or the mayor's role without changing the government form. To achieve this, a referendum is necessary. The video below provides an explanation as to why city leaders believe a city manager is important.

Presentation of this proposal from February 2024

Information Session Videos


Tuesday, June 4

Full meeting video: https://youtu.be/XqveKBEyLjs

Sam Gaston, presentation only, video: https://youtu.be/7K2CsAVd-Z8. This was a presentation from Sam Gaston, current city manager of Mountain Brook, and a Q&A session. Find his Powerpoint he presented HERE



Friday, June 14

Meeting video: https://youtu.be/iIoHbrV-I8o. This was a Q&A session that included Gretchen DiFante, the current city manager of Pelham.

*Apologies for some audio technical issues

More

On-Demand Rides Coming to Homewood

April 28, 2026
Microtransit is officially coming to Homewood, adding an on-demand option to move around our city. It works just like ride sharing whereby riders will be able to request a trip through an app and get picked up nearby, with routes designed in real time to keep trips efficient and wait times low. What makes this especially important is how the pilot is being funded . The initial phase, running from July 2026 through September 2027, is fully funded through the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham , at about $792,000. This allows the city to launch the service without immediate long-term cost commitments. After that, projected annual costs are expected to be around $610,000 to $630,000, depending on how the service is adjusted over time, with up to three vehicles operating during set service hours. This pilot approach gives Homewood time to see how people actually use the system, where demand is strongest, and how the service can be refined. It also keeps flexibility built in, with the ability to adjust hours, coverage, and fleet size based on real data. City leaders are optimistic that this will become a convenient and meaningful way for many in our community to get where they need to go. To learn more about this program check here: https://maxtransit.org/ondemand/ You can also VIEW THE PRESENTATION presented to the Council on April 13, 2026.

Pre-Council & Council Meetings April 27, 2026

April 28, 2026
Pre-Council Meeting - April 27, 2026 Pre-Council discussed several projects, including improvements to the US 31 pedestrian tunnel and a new parking lot at the former Oxmoor Road Waffle House site, both now heading toward May bid openings. They also discussed a budget transfer to restore a damaged traffic signal and began early conversation around a Central Avenue property tied to access, parking, and future development questions.  Agenda: https://bit.ly/3OK6Xrj

Parking Deck Closed For a Week

April 16, 2026
Parking Alert The Dawson parking deck will be closed to the public, April 20 through April 24, for cleaning and restriping. Plan ahead for alternate parking in that area for the week.

Your Home Could Be a Film Location

April 15, 2026
Over the years, many films, tv shows, and commercials have been shot right here in Homewood. Now there is a push to keep that momentum going, and your property could be part of it. So what do you do? Take photos of a property you own and upload them using the button below. Once submitted, your location becomes visible to industry professionals looking for places to film. If there is interest, the film office will reach out directly. Film Birmingham has brought together all 34 municipalities in Jefferson County to create a more film friendly region. It is a coordinated effort to highlight what makes communities like Homewood stand out, from our neighborhoods and parks to our downtown and unique spaces. If you own or manage a property and want to take part, you can submit it through Film Birmingham’s site. It is a simple step that helps showcase Homewood and opens the door for more projects to come here.

Pre-Council & Council Meetings April 13, 2026

April 14, 2026
Pre-Council Meeting - April 13, 2026 Key items the Council discussed was a proposed microtransit pilot program that could help people move around the city a little better, and a rezoning request on Montgomery Street tied to new investment and redevelopment. There was also discussion around funding shifts for paving and stormwater, along with new tools like an AI tool to improve how residents get information on the city's website. Agenda: https://bit.ly/3Ov9pSw

Planning Commission April 7, 2026

April 8, 2026
The Planning Commission discussed a request to rezone two properties on Montgomery Street from a neighborhood shopping district to a central business district so a local fitness studio could move into a larger space. There was discussion about parking and noise, with a nearby property owner raising concerns about overflow parking and loud music. The applicant explained that parking would meet requirements with about 21 spaces and that the business operates by appointment, limiting traffic. They also shared plans to add soundproofing to reduce noise. The owner agreed to restrict certain uses on the property, including no drive-throughs, gas stations, liquor stores, smoke shops, auto parts stores, or theaters. The Planning Commission approved the rezoning with conditions tied to the site plan, parking, and use restrictions, and it will now move to City Council with a positive recommendation Agenda: https://bit.ly/3PQ7et2

Sprucing Up Our Street Corners

April 6, 2026
As part of spring cleaning across Homewood, crews have been replacing old and aging street signs. So far, about 547 of the city’s roughly 572 signs have been updated, with the remaining to be finished by the end of May. They are made in house by our Traffic Department, led by Randy Hambly. His team designs, produces, and installs them. This includes street name signs, parking signs, speed limit signs, and warning signs like school crossings, pedestrian crossings, dead end signs, and stop ahead signs. Producing these in house saves the city close to $24k each year and allows crews to respond faster by designing, making, and installing signs without waiting on outside vendors. On average, the city makes about 250 to 300 signs each year. Materials are sourced from trusted suppliers, including one based in West Homewood, which allows for quick turnaround on orders and keeps the process moving efficiently. This is one of many ways the Traffic Department works each day to serve our residents and keep things running smoothly across the city.

Busy Day Saturday April 25

April 5, 2026
Block Party Join the Homewood Library Foundation Block Party on April 25 from 4 to 6:30pm at the library. Enjoy food, music, and a relaxed time with friends and neighbors. Tickets are sold at the door. $25 for ages 21 and up, $10 for ages 4 to 20, and free for ages 0 to 3. LEARN MORE

18th Street Paving Begins April 6

April 4, 2026
Crews will begin milling and paving 18th St South from Oxmoor Rd to Rosedale Drive starting Monday, April 6.  Work will take place at night beginning at 8pm and finish each day before morning traffic to help reduce impacts.

BZA Meeting April 2, 2026

April 4, 2026
At the April 2, 2026 meeting, the Board of Zoning Adjustments approved a fence variance on Irving Road to improve accessibility, and a carport enclosure on Edgemoor to create more livable space without changing the home’s character. The board also approved additional signage for a Lakeshore Parkway business to help customers better find the location, while a couple of cases were pushed to May at the applicant’s request. Agenda: https://bit.ly/4duWxpB
More Posts