Meet your City Council: John Henley, Place 2

What is the major focus for the City Council right now?

The next big issue is finalizing the relocation of City Hall. We’re working to finalize that deal and see if it will actually come to fruition. Following that, our top priority becomes budget preparation for the 2013-14 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

With regard to budget status, right now department heads have begun looking over budget priorities for next year, and our finance director Melvin Turner is making preliminary projections. If residents have any questions or want to look into funding ideas, now is the time to ask. All budget hearings will be announced as they are scheduled, and they will be open to the public.

What are the top priorities from City Council members now that we’ve hired a new city manager?

One of the next items will be working with new City Manager Jeff Downes to set into motion the new zoning for the Highway 31 plan. That is really the next piece of the puzzle – to determine how we will set up our zoning for property in the lower 31 area.

We’re also expecting fruitful collaboration between Jeff and Fred Baughman. With the new economic incentives policy developed under Fred’s leadership, the time is ripe for new and existing businesses to consider Vestavia Hills. We’re headed in the right direction; Jeff is really coming in at a great time.

That said, we are also looking to Jeff to help the City become a place where residents want to shop. For years we’ve put that burden on the citizens stressing this message: “The more people shop here, the more tax dollars stay in the city.” We have to create the kind of community where residents will want to shop locally – not because we begged them to do it. We have had tremendous support from the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce over the years to keep this message in front of the public. The message is working as sales tax receipts in the last fiscal year set a record, and we are on pace to increase this in the current year.

I’m sad to see Greenbriar closing, and I hate to see us lose Pier 1, too. Yes, we have to encourage our residents to shop in Vestavia Hills as much as possible, but that goes hand in hand with thoughtful design, amenities and access. We’ve got a lot of work to do, and we’re excited to welcome Jeff to City Hall.

While much of the focus is on economic development, how is city administration supporting the continued excellence of Vestavia City Schools?

Safety is the most prominent concern on everybody’s mind, and this issue is being addressed proactively by the Vestavia Hills Board of Education. The Board of Education and the City have worked together to put a long-term plan in place including the placement of police officers in all of the schools when students returned to school in January 2013.

This effort will continue in the future as there will be a school resource officer in every school, every day for the duration of the school year and moving forward.

There also will be significant security changes. It’s not like the old days where you can just casually come in and say hello to your student.

We have a great working relationship with Dr. Jamie Blair and the Vestavia Hills Board of Education. The educational system in Vestavia Hills is our “crown jewel,” and we will continue to work closely with them in the future.

You are the freshman council member. Why did you run, and what legacy do you wish to leave?

This is a transitional time for the city going to a new form of government. If we go through the next four years and work out the kinks of this transition, that will be a success – to make this work.

Vestavia Hills is not a small city anymore. We’ve got to make sure this form of government is set up the right way and is working the right way for our city to grow long term. This city has so much potential – I don’t think we even know it. Having the right team of administrators, including Jeff to be the chief administrator of the city and really tie everything together, that’s critical to our mission in this new form of government. Helping achieve the right leadership team and seeing our economic development plans realized? That’s the legacy I want to leave.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My wife is Gina, and we’ve been married 18 years. We have two daughters. Our oldest, Katharine, is 15, a rising sophomore at VHHS, where she is a Rockette and will be part of the Youth Leadership Vestavia Hills program this fall. Lily, our youngest, is 13 and a rising eighth grader at Pizitz. She is an avid softball player and was part of the Pizitz team that won both the regular season and Metro Tournament this year.

My family comes first in my life. My wife is very involved in the community and is a great example for our daughters. I’m a very lucky guy to have such an amazing family to support me.

I love Vestavia Hills. I love the people and the educational opportunities for my children. At the end of the day, it’s just home.