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April 2024 | Volume 14 | Issue 11
Serving the Birmingham area since 1958. SERVING HOMEWOOD, HOOVER, MOUNTAIN BROOK, VESTAVIA HILLS, TRUSSVILLE AND THE U.S. 280 CORRIDOR
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COMING TO A
CROSSROADS Homewood moving forward with petition for new form of government
By EMILY REED
H
omewood city officials have reached a pivotal moment in the choice of whether they will establish a new form of government, with the potential hire of a new city manager, or if the municipal leadership structure will remain the same. “We are really desperately in need of professional city management,” Ward 5 Councilwoman Jennifer Andress said. “We are a growing city; we have so many exciting and wonderful things going on, but we are being managed by a part-time council and a part-time mayor. We are all doing the
work that we love, but we have just reached the point where we need someone full-time to come in and help provide the leadership we need.” Currently, the Homewood City Council operates under a mayor-council form of government consisting of an 11-member council, with the city divided into five wards. Each ward has two representatives to the council, plus a council president elected at large. The city of roughly 26,000 people has one of the largest councils in Alabama.
INSIDE ► See a map of the proposed 4 wards compared to the current 5 wards. ► Find out how to make your voice heard in the upcoming decision.
See COUNCIL-MANAGER | page A18
Accessible play: New Central Park playground includes features for all abilities By SOLOMON CRENSHAW JR.
Construction crews work on updates to the Central Park playground on March 13. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
INSIDE
Homewood is on the verge of christening its first full-scale playground that is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Rusty Holley, the superintendent of Homewood Parks and Recreation, said the playground at Central Park should be complete around April 1, no later than a week to 10 days after. “That’s kind of where the timeline is leading right now,” Holley said, adding that what has been designed provides a lot more offerings for patrons. “We’ve never had anything wheelchair-accessible
Sponsors............... A4 News....................... A6
Business................ A8 Chamber..............A10
Community.......... A12 Schoolhouse........A16
on the playground,” he said. That includes the previous bark covering the ground, which was difficult to cross with a wheelchair or other mobility aids. The revamped playground also will include components that are related to science, technology, engineering or math skills — elements that Homewood has never really had other than some separate panels on a play structure. “This has three STEM play units that sit by themselves in the playground,” Holley said.
See PLAYGROUND | page A19
Events.................... B6 Sports.................... B8
Opinion................. B12 Real Estate.......... B14 facebook.com/thehomewoodstar
Stepping Up
Home & Garden
Shay Gartman named new chamber executive director.
Find tips and tricks from area businesses to jump-start any project in our guide.
See page A10
See page B1