Mayor’s Minute
Happy New Year everyone! How many of you have made New Year’s resolutions?
The obvious next question for you is when you read this month’s Mayor’s Minute: How many of you have already forgotten or discontinued whatever resolution you made? I am reminded what Mark Twain said: “Giving up smoking is easy. I have done it hundreds of times.”
A couple of resolutions that can be rewarding and easy to keep are using your talents for volunteering in community or charitable programs and getting to know your neighbors.
► Volunteering: Whether it’s in a local soup kitchen, tutoring kids in an after-school program or cleaning cages at the local animal shelter — sure sounds like something that’s good for the soul. And that’s why it’s a bit disheartening to discover that most of us don’t do it. According to a study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 26.8 percent of Americans had volunteered through or for a local organization at least once in the previous year.
► Meeting your neighbors: If you grew up hearing Mister Rogers singing, “It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” there’s some distressing news in a recent Pew Research Center study, which reveals most of us don’t really know the people who live in our immediate vicinity well. Fewer than half of Americans — 43 percent — said they knew all or most of their neighbors, while 28 percent admitted they didn’t know the names of any of them at all.
Vestavia Hills offers many opportunities to get involved with the community, churches, civic clubs or charitable organizations. Volunteer efforts in the community are a good way to meet some of your neighbors.
Some of the city’s resolutions for this year include:
► The continuation of the Infrastructure and Community Spaces Plan. We have already seen tons of dirt being moved at Wald Park as the renovation progresses. The design development of Wald Park is almost completed, and construction bidding should take place this spring.
The design phase for the new Community Building adjacent to City Hall has also begun. This facility will have space for civic and banquet activities, will house most of our seniors’ activities and hopefully house the Vestavia Hills Sports Hall of Fame. The Cahaba Heights ballfield complex is also in the design phase and should be bid out this spring.
► The Crosshaven Drive road improvements and sidewalk project is also planned for this year.
► Other sidewalk projects for this year include East Street, Mountainview Drive, Cahaba Heights Road and Rocky Ridge Road. Commercial area connectivity for these business areas are also part of the plan.
There are other projects that you will hear more about as the City Council holds in annual planning meeting during the first week of February.
I am proud to tell people about Vestavia Hills, particularly that our city is continually rated as one of the best places to live in Alabama, as well as the country. I have repeatedly mentioned our excellent schools, our public safety services and other quality-of-life factors that make our city such a desirable place to live.
We “resolve” to continue this level of excellence for our city.