Outgoing council expresses thanks at final meeting
The 2012-2016 Vestavia Hills City Council met for the final time Monday, and in addition to the items of business on the agenda, spent the meeting reflecting on their time in office.
City Manager Jeff Downes began by presenting Mayor Butch Zaragoza with a plaque commemorating his 47 years of public service, first with the Vestavia Hills Fire Department and then as mayor.
After going through Zaragoza's service since 1969, Downes announced that the Vestavia Hills Police Department had a special presentation.
After taking a brief recess from the meeting, the council and audience went outside where the VHPD presented Zaragoza with the Vestavia Hills city flag. The flag, chief Dan Rary said, flew over the old city hall before the move, and is the only flag that has flown at the new location.
Zaragoza, after expressing he was overwhelmed, thanked the other councilors and the city employees.
“We’ve done some good, but it takes everybody,” he said.
Jim Sharp, Steve Ammons and John Henley were also presented with plaques commemorating their service, and Zaragoza encouraged George Pierce, who will remain on the council, to continue to push the city forward.
All of the leaving councilors thanked the city employees, particularly Downes, who was hired during their administration.
In addition to reminiscing and expressing their thanks, the council voted on multiple final items of business.
After a motion from Ammons, the council voted to delay action on the rezoning of the six lots on Crosshaven Drive for the Leaf & Petal development, saying that they did not want to saddle the incoming council by making the decision and then leaving office.
The council also approved a resolution authorizing Downes to execute a cash commitment of $190,000 for the construction of a pedestrian bridge over U.S. 31 between the Library in the Forest and Wald Park. The commitment is contingent on supplemental funding under discussion being approved, and Downes stressed that there are still several hurdles the city will have to overcome before the project has a timeline.
Other Council Business:
- The council voted to amend the fence ordinance to limit the allowed height to eight feet.
- An easement for Alagasco was approved on the former Altadena Valley Country Club.
- Approved a resolution expressing strong support for Amendment 14 to the Alabama constitution, up for a vote on Nov. 8.
- Discussed the recent Birmingham Water Works Board issuance of a Stage 3 Drought Warning, and encouraged citizens to conserve water.