Get to know Joe Rives

During the Feb. 2 meeting, Joe Rives was inducted as the newest Hoover City Council member. Rives fills the Phase 1 seat, which was vacated by Trey Lott on Jan. 20 after his recent move from Greystone to Alabaster.

During the meeting, Councilman Jack Natter referred to Rives as a longtime friend. Rives expressed his gratitude for his new position and said he looks forward to serving the citizens of Hoover.

“I feel honored to help make the city of Hoover a better place to live and work,” said Rives. “It is a true honor to be included here. These are just some truly great people.”

The Hoover Sun recently caught up with Rives, who has lived in Hoover for more than 40 years, to discuss his background and goals as a councilman. 

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.

I am Joe Rives, age 73. My wife and I have been married 49 years. We have two daughters, one son, two sons-in-law, one daughter in-law, and nine grandchildren.

We belong to Shades Valley Presbyterian Church where I am an active Elder and co-chair of the Mission Committee. I am an AARP Foundation volunteer income tax preparer for low and middle income families.  I also work on a weekly basis building houses through Habitat for Humanity. I am an electrical engineering graduate of The University of Tennessee. I worked for Bellsouth Telecommunications for 34 years, a bank, and then a consulting company. I finally retired in 2003.

I served on the Hoover Board of Zoning Adjustment since 2005 until I was asked to be on the Hoover Planning and Zoning Commission in October 2014.

How long have you lived in Hoover?

We moved to our current house in Hoover in 1970 (more than 44 years ago) from Nashville.

What is your favorite part about the Hoover community?

My favorite part of the Hoover community is the people who live here, my neighbors. I also like the convenience to everything, the outstanding city services and the low cost of living here.

What are your goals for your time on the council?

Right now my goals are to build on the strong foundation that is here and make Hoover even better. I would like to initiate some wholesome activity for the teens in Hoover that many would use. I feel very honored and humbled by the confidence my fellow councilmen had in me to appoint me to the City Council.