Hoover voters will choose their next mayor and City Council on Aug. 26. Hoover’s current chief of police Nick Derzis is challenging Mayor Frank Brocato for the mayor’s seat, and fourteen candidates are vying to fill five other City Council seats on the ballot.
The candidates shared their views on key issues with the Hoover Sun.
Q: What is your vision for the city in five years?
MAYORAL CANDIDATES
Frank Brocato: In five years, Riverchase will be a major health care and health research and development corridor. Patton Creek will be redeveloped under its new ownership, and the Galleria will have a new vision guided by our comprehensive study. We’ll have a performing arts center, upgraded parks, safer roads, strong schools and national leadership in public safety — making Hoover Alabama’s most desirable city.
Nick Derzis: In five years, I want Hoover to again be the model other cities emulate — a place where families thrive, businesses invest and residents are heard. My vision includes a citizen- and council-driven land use plan, not one controlled by developers behind closed doors. For too long, Hoover has reacted to development instead of shaping it. We need to define what kind of city we want and partner with those who can help us build it — on our terms.
CITY COUNCIL PLACE 1 CANDIDATES
Tanveer Patel: I envision Hoover as a regional leader in innovation, transparency and inclusiveness. Our schools are strong, crime is low, and businesses are thriving. Residents access city info easily and trust the process. Traffic flows better, and zoning supports diverse, well-planned neighborhoods. Hoover is known for balancing growth with quality of life and being a place where families of all backgrounds can thrive.
Robin Schultz: People move to Hoover for two reasons: schools and public safety. Neither can be ignored; both must be adequately funded. We must continue to improve infrastructure. Most importantly, we must be good stewards of tax dollars. The city’s debt has doubled in the last five years, and this must be brought under control.
CITY COUNCIL PLACE 2 CANDIDATES
Clint Bircheat: I want to build a place that my kids can grow up and be excited to call home, and they’ll come back or stay. We are living on the fruit of hard work from people of the last few decades. I hope to at least bring in something that carries on the great story and reinvents us for the next 50 years. This requires keeping top performing schools, safe streets and flourishing commercial developments.
Kenneth Cox Jr.: That we continue to grow in all phases of our city – education, economically and socially. That our leadership reflects the people that we serve, and we make good decisions that impact the financial stability of our city, so that we can build well.
Copeland Johnson: My vision for Hoover in five years is to be unmatched in amenities and quality of life among residents. I have heard it wisely stated that “vision must have clarity for others to follow,” and I agree. To get there, we must recruit desirable businesses, both large and small, with advance input from residents. We must work more with property owners to market and fill empty storefronts. In five years, I hope to have served in office and Hoover will have accomplished many goals due to a functional and transparent council, and Gen Z input from me.
Gene Smith: With a proper administration and council, Hoover should continue to grow, both residentially and commercially. Retail sectors are adjusting, but that just brings on new opportunities. Hoover needs to work with those commercial visionaries in order to grow its tax base, both for the city and Hoover City Schools.
CITY COUNCIL PLACE 3 CANDIDATES
Liz Lane: In five years, I hope to shape a Hoover that reflects our residents’ needs — a Hoover that is safe, family-oriented and thriving. We’ll support families, embrace diversity and strengthen community through public art, third spaces and green infrastructure. A public art center will enrich our culture, while smart water management and transparency in finances and communication will build trust. Together, we’ll create a city where connection, support and civic engagement lead to a better quality of life.
Ashley Lovell: My vision for Hoover in five years is a city that is one of the safest and most desirable cities to live in, in the country. I would like to see that progress had been made on traffic congestion and stormwater drainage and would like to have ensured that our schools remained as the best in the state. Lastly, I would hope that we have more economic development that keeps our citizens’ careers local.
Robert Williams: I would support concentrating on keeping our top-tier services such as safety and education, which allow us to lead in our state while working on the aspects of the city that can stand improvement, such as traffic congestion and aging infrastructure. Much of the latter would be determined by resident needs.
CITY COUNCIL PLACE 4 CANDIDATES
Christian Coleman: Hoover is an economic engine in this state, but businesses have begun closing. I would like to see a revitalized Hoover. That is a Hoover with a performing arts center, 21st century infrastructure and more green spaces.
Khristi Driver: Maintain strong foundations — police, fire, emergency personnel and schools; planned infrastructure investment; vibrant economy; attractive quality of life.
Donna Mazur: My vision for the city in the next five years is really no different than I want to see the city now. Stormwater issue fixed so that people can live in their homes. Safe place for residents to live in a healthy and family-oriented city.
CITY COUNCIL PLACE 5 CANDIDATES
Steve Lawrence: My vision is a city with clear financial transparency. The budgeting process needs simplifying and improvement. The outdated zoning ordinance from the 1980s must be revised to align with Hoover’s comprehensive plan. This, along with effective marketing, will support business growth. Data analytics should guide decisions, especially in an age driven by technology. Finally, there must be term limits for all city committee positions.
Derrick Murphy: In five years, I envision Hoover thriving by preserving what makes us strong: top-tier schools and excellent public safety. We’ll continue strategic investment in roads, bridges, stormwater infrastructure and Galleria-area connectivity. I will work to develop a clear, transparent plan for the planning, design, funding and development of a performing and visual arts center — through public-private partnerships. This center will enrich quality of life, support youth talent and strengthen economic development as Hoover continues to grow as a regional leader.
