Mayor’s Minute By Ashley Curry - September 2022

I hope everyone had an enjoyable summer. It is hard to believe that it has passed so quickly.

The 2022 World Games have concluded and what an experience that was for Birmingham and surrounding areas. The economic impact, though not presently determined, should be huge. One of the memorable moments of the opening ceremony was the standing ovation for the team from the Ukraine as they entered Protective Stadium. The World Games 2022 Committee presented a check for $54,000 to support athletes and sports in Ukraine.

On a personal note, I particularly enjoyed participating in the “Old Glory Relay” sponsored by the Red, White, and Blue (RWB) Team. The RWB Team carried a U.S. flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol through 15 states and more than 3,100 miles and presented that flag at the opening ceremony of The World Games in Birmingham.

The route to Birmingham included a stop in Vestavia Hills. It was an honor for me to carry the flag a short distance from City Hall to U.S. 31 and hand it off to my son, Stuart Curry. Stuart is an Air Force veteran and he, along with Air Force veteran Greg Cook, carried the flag to the next relay point in Vestavia Hills.

I would like to address an issue that is the one of the most frequently mentioned citizen complaints. We receive many calls about speeding in our neighborhoods. These calls are in neighborhoods throughout our city and are not isolated to any particular area. It creates a burden for our police department to handle. To address this issue, we have established a “traffic-calming” process that citizens can use to initiate the city’s response. After receiving the request, the city can place speed detection devices in neighborhoods in an attempt to make drivers aware of excessive speeds. In addition, police patrol units can monitor speeding and issue citations for speeding. I am told that the purpose of traffic citations is to modify driver behavior in an effort to reduce accidents, not to mention fatalities that could have been prevented. This is all about civility.

Civility, which comes to us from the Latin word for citizen, includes not only the notions of courtesy and politeness, but also such matters as social relationships and proper conduct in human relationships. Civility is the essential glue that holds society together, and it involves such important issues as friendship, altruism, responsibility, dignity and justice.

Courteous and responsible driving habits are one of the elements of civility. Simply put, you would not want drivers speeding down your street. Let’s be responsible citizens and reduce the number of speeding complaints.

The city was recently able to acquire the old Days Inn property on U.S. 31. I am excited about the acquisition as this will become the catalyst for renovation of that side of our city. Developers have already released plans for new restaurants and other retail businesses and this property would certainly be available to further that development. This project will enhance the southern entrance to our city and provide an economic boost for this area.