2018 city plans discussed at December luncheon

During the final Hoover Chamber of Commerce luncheon for the 2017 year, Mayor Frank Brocato spoke about the state of the city — both where it has come from during his first year in office, and where he hopes it will go.

About one year ago, Brocato said he and the city started working toward three main goals: increasing financial support to schools, increasing city planning and diversifying the economy. And despite facing online shopping, the city had success in all three areas, he said.

Brocato said in the last year, the city has doubled its support to the school system to $5 million and fully funded the student resource officer, or SRO, program. He also recognized Bumpus Middle School teacher Vinny Chiaramonte as one of 45 honorees to receive a 2017-2018 Milken Educator Award. He was the only teacher in the state of Alabama to earn this award this year, which came with a check for $25,000.

“We have an incredible school system, and it sells Hoover,” Brocato said.

The city has also been working to increase walkability and the idea of creating a “village center,” he said, which falls into the desire to change the design mentality of developments through city planning. The city hired Mac Martin Jr. as a full-time city planner to replace Bob House, Hoover’s longtime consultant, when he retired this past fall.

When Martin began in August, the city starting working to create a comprehensive master plan, which will be open for public input next month. By the end of summer, the city hopes to have a final document outlining the plan.

The engineering department has also been working to refresh the bike/pedestrian plan —which has not been updated since 1999 — and Brocato said they are looking for the development of that by the end of the year.

“I’m so excited to see us all moving in the same direction,” Brocato said. 

Finally, Brocato said Hoover is working to combat what he called the “Amazon effect,” of internet sales. In the last year, the city gave out 10,000 business licenses, which contributed to the local economy. But, for every $1 million spent online in Hoover, the city only receives $550, compared to the $30,000 it would receive if the same were spent locally. 

“These are the dollars we need to run the city,” he said. Despite what he called “significant financial challenges,” Brocato said Hoover is addressing the issues where it can and is working to recruit more STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) employers and white-collar jobs. 

Recently, Hoover welcomed IberiaBank and Cloud Software, which are expected to add about 1,000 jobs to the city. Hoover resident Greg Knighton was hired by the city, too, to help the city in economic development.

“I’m very optimistic about our future,” Brocato said. 

In addition to reviewing the plans for the city, the mayor took the time to recognize some of the city’s dedicated employees and residents, including:

• Bill Powell, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, who will be retiring soon, and Jerome Morgan Jr. for his work as the chamber president.
• Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Mike Wood for his work for the city
• Resident Cpl. John E. Little, a World War II veteran who was drafted from Jefferson County when he was 18 years old.
• Both police and fire chiefs Nick Derzis and Clay Bentley for their work in helping reduce the city’s crime this past year and keeping residents safe.
• Spain Park High School students Anna Morgan, Tonya Gupta and Amelia Bradley for founding the organization Students for Student Scholarships, which has raised $27,000 in the past years to help make sure their “peers weren’t left behind.”
• Ray Dukes, a volunteer at the Hoover Senior Center, which will be an accredited by the National Institute of Senior Centers next year.