Only 1 council seat contested

Voters in Vestavia Hills won’t have much to decide during the Aug. 25 municipal election, as the mayoral race and three of the four Vestavia Hills City Council seats will be uncontested.

Mayor Ashley Curry and council members Kimberly Cook, George Pierce and Rusty Weaver are all unopposed, and each will serve another four-year term. Councilman Paul Head faces a challenge from resident David Harwell in Place 3.

Here are some details about each official or candidate:

MAYOR

MAYOR ASHLEY CURRY

• Work and education experience: Seven years with Milliken and Company; 25 years as special agent with the FBI; assistant federal security director for law enforcement with TSA for Northern District of Alabama; corporate recruiter for EBSCO; bachelor’s degree from University of Alabama, master’s degree in business administration from University of South Carolina.
• Civic experience: Mayor of Vestavia Hills, 2016-present; Parks and Recreation Board member in 1992; Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest board member, 1996.
• Community experience: Current member of Vestavia Hills Civitan Club; chair of the car ministry at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church.
• Of what are you most proud during your current tenure?: Helping start the Freedom from Addiction Coalition; the Phoenix Program; Crimes Against the Elderly seminars; Vestavia becoming a Human Trafficking Free Zone; how the city handled the COVID-19 pandemic; how the Police Department handled peaceful protests in June.
• What are your goals?: Continue the programs listed above and finish Community Spaces Plan.

PLACE 1

RUSTY WEAVER

• Work and education experience: Attorney/partner with Weaver Tidmore law firm; operator of a working farm in Etowah County; Vestavia Hills High School, 1988; University of Alabama, 1992; law degree from University of Alabama School of Law, 1995.
• Civic experience: City Council, 2016-present, mayor pro-tempore, 2016-present, council liaison to Planning and Zoning Commission.
• Community experience: Member of Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce; graduate of Leadership Vestavia Hills; volunteers for fundraising and support of multiple Vestavia Hills High School athletic programs; member of Vestavia Hills Athletic Association.
• Of what are you most proud during your current tenure?: “I’m most proud of the Community Spaces Program, the continued economic growth in the city and our strong record in public safety.”
• What are your goals?: Finish Community Spaces Plan; build on the financial success of the city; continue to strongly support our first responders.

PLACE 2

KIMBERLY COOK

• Work and education experience: Previously employed as senior systems engineer with South Trust Data Services; now focused on family and public service.
• Civic experience: City Council, 2016-present.
• Community experience: Commissioner for the Vulcan District Boy Scouts; Sunday school teacher, pianist and missions volunteer at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church; heavily involved with PTO at various schools in city; Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce; Jefferson County Republican Executive Committee; legislative representative for Help the Hills Coalition.
• Of what are you most proud during your current tenure?: Helping bring the Crosshaven Drive improvement project to fruition; helping start a capital plan and road paving maintenance plan; supporting the funding of sidewalks, stormwater projects, paving, school capital projects and park facility improvements; supporting the improvement of city communication and hiring of Cinnamon McCulley; paving of Sicard Hollow Road.
• What are your goals?: Finish infrastructure projects, including Crosshaven Drive; finish Community Spaces Plan; enact and enforce laws that protect teens from the harmful effects of nicotine, alcohol and other substance abuse; lobby for stronger laws to protect teens from substances that are harmful to learning and development, through my involvement with Help the Hills; encourage more robust senior programming and adult learning opportunities through our enhanced parks and recreation programming; develop a plan that will ensure our new park facilities are properly maintained and provide high-quality services for as many residents as possible; support our school board and the process of selecting board members who will act as representatives and advocates for students and our community; develop an effective plan for marketing our city and facilities and bringing more events to our community.

PLACE 3

PAUL HEAD

• Work and education experience: Myrick, Gurosky and Associates; Vestavia Hills High School, 1992; master’s degree in accounting from University of Mississippi,1997.
• Civic experience: City Council, 2016-present.
• Of what are you most proud during your current tenure?: Community Spaces Plan and retaining City Manager Jeff Downes.
• What are your goals if reelected?: “To finish what we started.”

DAVID HARWELL

• Work and education experience: Vice president of Tubular Fabricating Co., his family’s business before it sold; Berry High School; business degree from University of Alabama at Birmingham.
• Civic experience: Previously qualified to run for council in 2008 and lost; filed but did not qualify to run for mayor in 2012.
• Community experience: Water safety instructor for Jefferson County; involved in ushering, funeral services and car ministry at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church.
• Why are your running for office?: Harwell said he believes now is the right time for him to run for office, and while politics are no longer “hostile” in the city, there is still “work to be done.”
• What are your goals if elected?: Harwell mentioned his desire to reduce the city’s debt, including reducing the amount of time it takes to pay off bonds related to the Community Spaces Plan, as well as including liabilities on financial reports, creating a sidewalk maintenance plan and reviewing requirements for spot annexation.

PLACE 4

GEORGE PIERCE

• Work and education experience: Retired from Associated Builders and Contractors; Auburn University.
• Civic experience: City Council, 2008-present; council liaison to Chamber of Commerce; chairman of the Standing Annexation Committee; 12 years on Board of Zoning Adjustment, including six years as chairman.
• Community experience: Chamber of Commerce member; Leadership Vestavia Hills graduate, 2008; usher at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church since 2001.
• Of what are you most proud during your current tenure?: Hiring Jeff Downes as city manager; spirit of cooperation among council members and between the City Council and various boards operating within Vestavia Hills; improvements in facilities and infrastructure throughout the city, including a new city hall building; the transformation of our city parks and numerous sidewalk projects.
• What are your goals?: “I want to ensure the Community Spaces Plan is completed, continue to improve the city’s infrastructure, help attract new businesses to our city, support our outstanding school system, appoint strong leaders to all city boards and have a positive influence on our community by helping all of our citizens live ‘A life above.’”