Mountain Brook Mayor Stewart Welch, City Council President Virginia Smith and Councilman Phil Black jointly announced Friday that they plan to seek reelection in municipal elections, which are set to take place on August 25, 2020.
Welch, who has served as Mountain Brook’s mayor since November 2016, said in a press release it would be an “honor” to continue his service.
“I have enjoyed serving for the past four years with our council members and employees who work so hard for our city,” Welch said. “It would be an honor for me to continue serving our citizens as mayor.”
Welch has assisted with multiple Mountain Brook efforts, including helping lead a countywide effort to combat “poaching” among cities and improve job growth overall.
Smith, who has served 20 years on the City Council, stated she has watched Mountain Brook “evolve” and grow during her time on the City Council.
“It’s been my privilege to watch Mountain Brook evolve over the past 20 years and become an even better place to live,” Smith said. “It’s my goal to continue to build on the strengths of our community and take us to the next level.”
Black is currently completing his first term on the council and previously served on the city’s Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Adjustments.
“We’re blessed in many ways, but we also have challenges as a landlocked city,” Black said. “Our focus must continue to be maintaining that balance of attracting and growing businesses while protecting our residential neighborhoods.”
Welch praised Black and Smith as the “dream team,” citing the “expertise of council president pro tem Billy Pritchard, a lawyer and 20-year council member; Councilman Lloyd Shelton, a CPA and head of the council’s finance committee; Councilwoman Alice Womack, a long-time banker; Sam Gaston, Mountain Brook’s city manager for the past 26 years; Steve Boone, the city’s finance manager for the past 24 years; as well as the city’s talented department heads and their teams.”
“Our city was recently rated No. 1 in the nation in multiple categories by a national survey company,” Welch said. “I’m proud to call Mountain Brook my home and look forward to joining my colleagues for another four years dedicated to making our city the best place to live and raise a family in Alabama.”
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