Kimberly Cook announces plans to run for Vestavia Council Place 2

On May 12, Kimberly Cook filed papers for the formation of her campaign committee for Vestavia Hills City Council. Members of her committee are Chris Blazer (campaign manager), Gil Simmons (treasurer), Deloye Burrell, Scott Smithson and Celia Anthony.

Cook indicated that her intent is to qualify for Place 2, the seat being vacated by Councilor Jim Sharp, who has served in that capacity for 16 years.

Cook is a long-time resident of Vestavia Hills. Shortly before moving to Vestavia Hills in 2002, Cook resigned her job as a senior systems engineer with SouthTrust Data Services so she could devote more time to her family and community volunteerism. She is a commissioner for the Vulcan District Boy Scouts, membership chairman for the Vulcan District Committee, and is an active leader in her son’s Liberty Park Boy Scout troop.

Cook also serves as secretary of the Brother Bryan Mission Board. She is active in her church, having taught youth Sunday School for over 20 years at Dawson Family of Faith. In her many years as a PTO mom, she has served in a variety of PTO positions at four schools.

“In my interviews for school board, the mayor and council encouraged me to invest my talents in another capacity in our city," said Cook, when asked about her reasons behind running for city council. "I decided city council was a great place for me to engage.”

Cook stated she looks forward to talking with Vestavia Hills residents and businesses to better understand their concerns.

"I believe including the collective voice of our community in the decisions that shape our future allows city government to arrive at smart solutions. I enjoy helping untangle a problem and provide clarity," she said. 

Cook’s husband, Greg, is a partner in the law firm of Balch & Bingham, LLP. Greg serves on the Executive Committee for the Jefferson County Republican Party and is a deacon at Dawson Family of Faith. Kimberly has two children who have graduated from Vestavia Hills High School--Geoffrey, Class of 2010, and Mary Catherine, Class of 2014. Her son, Will, is currently a freshman and member of the Rebel Marching Band. Geoffrey, a graduate of the University of Alabama, remains a Rebel in Washington, D.C., where he is employed as a software developer. Mary Catherine is a junior at Vanderbilt University, studying political science in preparation for law school.

-Submitted by Kimberly Cook.