1 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
Hoover Mayor Nick Derzis is greeted by his wife, Stephanie, after his swearing-in ceremony at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
2 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
Hoover Mayor Nick Derzis is sworn into office by Jefferson County Commissioner Mike Bolin, who formerly served on the Alabama Supreme Court, at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
3 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
Hoover Mayor-elect Nick Derzis speaks with members of the media prior to being sworn in as mayor at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
4 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
Casey Middlebrooks is sworn into office as the councilman for Hoover City Council Place 6 by Hoover Municipal Judge Brad Bishop at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
5 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
Khristi Driver is sworn into office as the councilwoman for Hoover City Council Place 4 by Jefferson County Circuit Judge Reginald Jeter at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
6 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
Derrick Murphy is sworn into office as the councilman for Hoover City Council Place 5 by Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge Dennis Steverson at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
7 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
Steve McClinton is sworn into office as the councilman for Hoover City Council Place 7 by Hoover Municipal Judge Brad Bishop at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
8 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
Gene Smith is sworn into office as the councilman for Hoover City Council Place 2 by Jefferson County Commissioner Mike Bolin, who formerly served on the Alabama Supreme Court, at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
9 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
Robin Schultz is sworn into office as the councilman for Hoover City Council Place 1 by Jefferson County Commissioner Mike Bolin, who formerly served on the Alabama Supreme Court, at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
10 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
Ashley Lovell is sworn into office as the councilwoman for Hoover City Council Place 3 by Hoover Municipal Judge Brad Bishop at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
11 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
The Hoover Public Safety Honor Guard presents the colors at the swearing-in ceremony for the new mayor and Hoover City Council at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
12 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
Hoover police officer Steven Easterling sings the national anthem at the swearing-in ceremony for the new mayor and Hoover City Council at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
13 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
Hoover Mayor Nick Derzis does a fist pump to acknowledge cheers in the crowd as he is sworn into office by Jefferson County Commissioner Mike Bolin, who formerly served on the Alabama Supreme Court, at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
14 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
The newly seated Hoover City Council at their swearing-in ceremony at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
15 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
Hoover Mayor Nick Derzis at his first Hoover City Council meeting as mayor at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. With him is City Clerk Wendy Dickerson.
16 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
Hoover Mayor Nick Derzis poses for a photo with his wife, Stephanie, after his swearing-in ceremony at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
17 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
Hoover Mayor Nick Derzis shakes hands with the newly seated Hoover City Council members at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
18 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
The newly seated Hoover City Council at their swearing-in ceremony at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
19 of 19
Photo by Frank Couch
Hoover Mayor Nick Derzis is sworn into office by Jefferson County Commissioner Mike Bolin, who formerly served on the Alabama Supreme Court, at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
A new era of city government began in Hoover Monday night with the swearing in of new Mayor Nick Derzis and a new Hoover City Council.
Derzis, with his trademark flair, took the oath of office in a blue pinstripe suit with his wife, Stephanie, and other family members by his side at the Hoover City Schools Performing Arts Center at Hoover High School.
“It’s almost surreal, to be honest with you,” Derzis said of how it felt to be sworn in as mayor of the state’s sixth largest city after serving 45 years in the Hoover Police Department, including more than 20 as police chief.
It’s an unusual feeling to know that he’s not going to be a police officer anymore, “but I’m excited about the opportunity the citizens have given me,” Derzis said. “It’s a lot of trust, and I really appreciate that.”
Just as he has worked to have a standard of excellence in the Police Department, he’s going to work toward a standard of excellence for the rest of the city as well, he said.
He plans to meet with city employees Tuesday and talk about his vision and expectations, and a transition team he created to prepare for a new administration is working on a lot of good opportunities to move the city forward, Derzis said.
“We’ve been working very, very hard for the past couple of months, and they’ve really done a heck of a job,” he said. “Sometimes things happen a little bit slow, but they can be assured we’re out there working and hitting the ground running immediately and making some things happen as I’ve said all along.”
Derzis said he is very excited about the new City Council that will be working with him and said he’s going to be very transparent with the community.
All seven people who won Hoover City Council seats for the next four years were sworn into office Monday night as well, including new members Robin Schultz and Ashley Lovell, former Hoover Council President Gene Smith and returning council members Casey Middlebrooks, Khristi Driver, Steve McClinton and Derrick Murphy.
The council selected Middlebrooks as its new president and Driver as council president pro tempore to lead the council when Middlebrooks is absent.
The council also brought back Charlie Waldrep as city attorney, replacing Phillip Corley Jr. Waldrep served as city attorney from 2012 to 2016 at the recommendation of former Mayor Gary Ivey and has been the city’s lead prosecutor for 21 years. This new City Council also reappointed him as lead prosecutor for the city and named Daniel Wainscott as assistant prosecutor.
Here's a full list of appointments made Monday night:
- City Council president: Casey Middlebrooks
- City Council president pro tempore: Khristi Driver
- City Council liaison to the Hoover Planning and Zoning Commission: Khristi Driver
- City Clerk: Wendy Dickerson
- City Attorney: Charlie Waldrep
- Municipal Judge: Brad Bishop
- City Prosecutor: Charlie Waldrep
- Assistant City Prosecutor: Daniel Wainscott
- Lead public defender: Lee Barnes
- Public defender: Wakisha Hazzard
- Overseer of public defenders: Susan Fuqua
- Magistrates: Susan Fuqua, Marsha Veteto, Irene Cruz, Leandra Burkes, Anna McRae, Joseph Ritchey and Jason Simpson
The council also adopted new rules of procedure, one of which was to give people an additional minute to make public comments (four minutes instead of three minutes allowed by the previous City Council). The council president has leeway to allow less or more time.
