Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato officially launches re-election campaign

by

Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato on Thursday officially kicked off his re-election campaign for a third term in a video shared on his social media platforms and with a press release.

In the video. Brocato touts several accolades that have come Hoover’s way in recent years, including being named the best city in which to live in Alabama by the 24/7 Wall Street website and one of the 100 best cities in which to live in the United States with a population between 75,000 and 500,000.

He also praised the Hoover school system, which had 15 of its 16 schools receive an A report card rating by the Alabama Department of Education.

“While others talk about change, we’ve delivered results,” Brocato said. “Our schools are thriving. Our economy is booming, and our quality of life — never better. Hoover is hitting its stride, and nothing is going to slow us down.”

Brocato has been mayor for nine years, getting an extra year on his second term due to changes in state law to realign election dates so municipal elections are not the same year as national elections.

“Over the last nine years, we’ve strengthened our schools, championed local businesses and poured our hearts into making Hoover a shining example of what a community can be,” Brocato said in his news release. “Looking ahead, my mission is simple: keep building on this momentum so that Hoover remains not just a great place to live — but an even better place to thrive.”

Brocato also said May is shaping up to be a banner month for the city, with Trader Joe’s scheduled to open May 14 in the Riverchase Crossing shopping center, the Regions Tradition golf tournament taking place at Greystone Golf and Country Club and SEC Baseball Tournament coming back to a newly refurbished Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.

“These upcoming events highlight the city’s growth, vibrancy and regional importance, the press release said.

The city of Hoover also still maintains a AAA bond rating — the highest a city can earn, Brocato said. This further showcases the city’s financial strength and sound management, the press release said.

“In the months to come, you’ll see a campaign that’s full of energy, full of heart and focused on everything that makes Hoover truly special,” Brocato said in his press release. “This is about unity, progress and the incredible things we can accomplish together. … I am looking forward to listening to and dreaming with the citizens of Hoover as keep moving forward together. The best is yet to come for our great city.”

BACKGROUND

Brocato began his career with the Hoover Fire Department in 1973. During that time, he became the first paramedic for Hoover. After 42 years of service, he retired in 2015 as the chief of operations and fire marshal.

He received his paramedic license from UAB in 1974, his associate’s degree in fire science in 1979 from Jefferson State Community College and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology in 1982 from Birmingham-Southern College.

In 2003, the Commission on Fire Accreditation presented the Chief Fire Officer designation to him. In 2008, he was one of 17 in the country to be awarded the Chief Medical Officer designation. It was in 2008 that he also was named commander of the Alabama incident management team.

He was a member for the past 15 years of the BREMSS Medical Direction Committee and served as the only paramedic working with physicians and nurses on groundbreaking care for cardiac patients in the region. Additionally, he served as an adjunct instructor with the Alabama Fire College, teaching leadership and supervision to young men and women who aspire to move up in their respective organizations.

Brocato and his wife, Frances, have been married for 53 years. They have three children and nine grandchildren.

Brocato was sworn in as the 10th mayor of Hoover on Nov. 7, 2016, after defeating former Mayor Gary Ivey and current Councilman Steve McClinton in that year’s election. In 2020, he was challenged by then Hoover City Council President Gene Smith, but Brocato captured 76% of the 13,141 votes cast for mayor that year.

Brocato recognizes the importance of a strong public safety system, an exceptional school system and the need for planning the city of Hoover’s growth, his press release said. As mayor for the past nine years, he has concentrated on recruiting high-quality businesses with a focus on industries in the science, technology, engineering and math fields.

Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis in March announced he is running for mayor as well, saying Hoover had become “tired” and was no longer seen as a leader among cities in the state. Derzis claimed Hoover has lost some of its luster and vibrancy and said people have concerns about whether city leaders are being transparent with information and decisions that are being made.

Read more about Derzis’ campaign launch here.

Numerous people also expressed concerns about whether the city has had sound financial management during Brocato’s tenure. While the city did get an “unmodified report” from its auditors for the 2023 fiscal year, which the audit team described as the best you can get, an outside forensic auditor last year reported numerous problems with the city’s finances, including deleted electronic records, missing files, unbalanced transactions, unreconciled accounts and delayed financial reports. The city also had to pay penalties to the IRS for not filing timely and accurate financial reports to that agency.

Brocato and Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Cornett, who requested the outside audit not long after coming to work for the city, said the Finance Department has been making positive steps to address those issues, including hiring additional staff, getting more training for staff and changing some policies and procedures. Plus, the outside forensic auditors determined there was no evidence of malfeasance, misappropriation of funds or fraud.

The city election is Aug. 26. The official qualifying period is June 10-24.

For more information about Brocato’s campaign, visit frankbrocatoformayor.com

Editor's Note: This story was updated at 5:25 p.m. to correct the number of years Brocato and his wife have been married and to explain that auditors found no evidence of malfeasance, misappropriation of funds or fraud.