Photo by Erin Nelson.
National Signing Day
Clouds roll over Vestavia Hills City Hall on Feb. 4.
The Vestavia Hills City Council has appointed Jonathan Handey as the new member of the Vestavia Hills Board of Education at its April 25 meeting.
Councilor Kimberly Cook said the council interviewed 14 candidates for the position in two days - reviewing applications, recommendation letters and emails from the community.
“Every year I feel great anticipation and excitement when it comes time for our school board appointment but I also feel a little nervous. What if no one applies? What if we don’t get a good pool of candidates?” Cook said. “Especially after the last two years of surviving a pandemic, I was concerned no one would want the job, honestly.”
Cook also said in the last several years, the council has had several applicants but they’ve all applied at the last minute, historically.
She said was looking for people that are connected and trusted in the community, engaged in volunteer roles and “tough individuals that have the ability to make independent decisions for students.”
“I am pleased to recommend to you Jonathan Handey to fill this seat on our board of education,” Cook said.
Cook thanked all 14 applicants and their passion for the community.
“We have amazing people that applied to be on our school board and this makes us a very blessed community,” Cook said. “I am grateful that people have the passion for our schools, that parents care enough to give up their free time, volunteer time, talent and resources to help our schools. This is why Vestavia Hills schools are so incredible.”
She also thanked Steve Bendall for his service as he rotates off the board in June.
“After all of the things that have gone on over the last two years with the school system, I was shocked that we had 14 people apply for this position,” said Councilor Rusty Weaver. “As we sat for the interviews, I kept thinking to myself, ‘Why in the world would anyone volunteer to do this?’ And then I thought to myself, ‘For the same reason we all volunteer to be up here. It’s because someone’s gotta do it, and it’s people with a servant's heart that want to come in and help the community be better and one of the best ways to do that is through the Board of Education.’"
The council also approved a conditional use permit for Animal Hospital of the Hills, located at 1360 Montgomery Highway. Residents were initially concerned about overnight boarding and the business not being a good fit for the Vestridge Commons Shopping Center, Weaver said, until Wade Cornelius, applicant for the property, clarified there would be no overnight boarding at a previous public hearing.
Cornelius stated there would be no overnight boarding and would call other clinics for assistance if an animal needed to be kept overnight in an emergency situation, Weaver said.
The council also approved a conditional use permit for The Dog Nanny, a pet grooming service at the Olde Towne Center.
Services are by appointment only with no overnight boarding, Weaver said.
In other business, the council:
- Approved the annexation and rezoning from Jefferson County E-2 to Vestavia Hills residential of 2433 Dolly Ridge Road
- Approved the annexation and rezoning from Jefferson County R-1 to Vestavia Hills residential of 1718 Vestaview Lane
- Authorized Downes to offer a relocation reimbursement for the recruitment of a new department head
- Authorized annual tax levies for Jefferson and Shelby counties
