Opinion: Hoover councilman calls for transparency in city government

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Opinion

Serving on the Hoover City Council for the past five years has taught me one undeniable truth: local government impacts your life far more than the federal government ever will.

My path into public service began with one goal — securing more funding for Hoover City Schools. As a PTO president, president of the Hoover City Schools Foundation and an active volunteer more than 20 years, I’ve seen firsthand that as your schools go, so goes your city. That belief drove me to run for office, confident we could work together toward that shared priority.

This election season, many candidates talk about “transparency.” For me, it’s not a buzzword. It’s a professional standard I’ve lived by. Before serving on the council, I managed millions in retirement and college accounts. I had a fiduciary duty to protect my clients’ trust, and every year I underwent rigorous, intrusive audits. They examined my files, emails, texts and even social media — not because it was pleasant, but because it was necessary to ensure absolute integrity.

Local government should operate the same way. When citizens ask questions, the answer should never be, “Why do you want to know?” It should be, “Here’s the information.” Unfortunately, that’s not how the mayor’s City Hall operates today.

Some will dismiss that statement as political. The facts say otherwise. Four current council members — including myself, Casey Middlebrooks, Curt Posey and Sam Swiney, former Mayor Tony Petelos, former City Executive Director Allen Pate, retired fire Chief Chuck Wingate, numerous city employees and the majority of the 14 council candidates have all endorsed Nick Derzis for mayor. That’s not about grudges. It’s about trust. And it’s not a conspiracy. It’s a warning the public should take seriously.

The mayor controls the city’s financial information: a forensic audit revealed that for years, the council made decisions based on incomplete or inaccurate data — data controlled solely by the mayor’s office. As part-time council members paid $600 per month, without staff or research teams, we rely on timely, accurate information. When that trust is broken, the public pays the price.

Consider just a few examples:

  • The performing arts center at Patton Creek. The mayor requested $17 million, promising a deal was “imminent.” Weeks later, we learned the deal had already collapsed — and that calls had gone unanswered for weeks before our vote. This was never disclosed.
  • The Lorna Road building. Sold to us as “move-in ready” for $2 million. The reality? It would take $4–5 million more to renovate. Now, without council input, the mayor has proposed to turn it into a visual arts center — an expensive campaign proposal built on a money pit.
  • Stormwater containment ponds. Trees have been growing for years in neglected ponds. The council was never informed that inspections weren’t taking place.
  • The forensic audit findings. An independent review revealed $40 million unaccounted for, years of unreconciled bank records, missing and purposely deleted files, undertrained or overworked staff, payroll problems lasting nearly two years and nearly $400,000 in IRS fines and penalties — all undisclosed to the council. The council does control the purse strings, but the mayor controls the information the council sees.

These are not small mistakes. They represent a pattern of withholding critical information from your elected oversight body.

When the majority of the council says it’s time for a change, it’s not personal. It’s like an offensive line calling for a new quarterback: we see the field every day in ways the fans can’t from the stands.

After nine years, Hoover still has no performing arts center. The Galleria and Patton Creek have declined. This is not Hoover’s peak. Pointing that out isn’t “negative” — it’s honest. And it’s indisputable.

Elections have consequences. This is not about voting for the “nicest guy.” It’s about voting for the leader who can deliver results. Mike Shula was a nice guy, but Alabama fans made the tough decision to hire Nick Saban to win championships. The rest is history.

If Hoover is to reach its full potential, we must restore trust, demand transparency and expect complete honesty from those entrusted with our tax dollars. That’s why I — and so many other council members and community leaders — support Nick Derzis for mayor.

Not because of politics. Not because of personality. But because transparency is not a talking point. It’s a duty.

On Aug. 26, choose leadership over lip service. Choose results over rhetoric. Choose Nick Derzis for mayor.

Steve McClinton 

Hoover City Council Place 7