Photo by Erin Nelson.
The city of Vestavia Hills is launching a new podcast, with a variety of topics planned, including the history of Vestavia Hills. The Temple of Sybil is an iconic part of the city’s history.
The city of Vestavia Hills will soon launch a new podcast focused on city news and events for residents.
Led by Assistant City Manager Cinnamon McCulley, the podcast will be the latest in the city’s push to get news out to the public, she said.
The idea came when McCulley attended the winter conference of the Alabama City/County Management Association. Helen Hays with Jefferson County spoke about the county’s “Podcast for the People.”
McCulley said the city wants to use all avenues available to make sure residents stay informed, and when she realized recording a podcast was possible at a “minimum cost,” she jumped at the chance. The city will be able to use equipment and space owned by Vestavia Hills City Schools.
The plan is to record once or maybe twice a month, McCulley said. Possible topics include council, city and Chamber of Commerce initiatives; citizen survey results; strategic planning priorities; the Dogwood Festival; a history of Vestavia Hills; a panel including guests from the school system, city and chamber; employment and internship options; the proposed 1Rebel 1Future property tax increase; city services; stormwater issues; community events; library services and programs; aquatic complex and Civic Center membership; and parks tours.
There is “no desire” for the podcasts to be excessively long, McCulley said, and at times, they may not be that serious, with one possible idea having city employees read “mean tweets,” as made famous by Jimmy Kimmel.
The podcasts will be available on multiple platforms, videos will be placed on Facebook and past videos will be available on YouTube.
The plan is for the podcast to launch in late April or early May, with several being recorded beforehand, McCulley said.
