Photo courtesy of Cinnamon McCul
Lori Beth Kearley was recently promoted to director of public services for the city of Vestavia Hills after previously being the assistant city engineer. Kearley replaces Brian Davis, who worked for the city for about 20 years.
In a short meeting on Monday night, the Vestavia Hills City Council authorized additional spending for street paving and officially welcomed a new director of public services.
Lori Beth Kearley, formerly the assistant city engineer, has been promoted to director of public services, following the resignation of Brian Davis.
“I just want to let you all know I’m very grateful for this opportunity,” Kearley said. “I love working for the city of Vestavia Hills and I’m so excited for what the future holds.”
Kearley has been working for the city for almost nine years. Davis recently left his position to lead the Parks and Recreation Department for the city of Tuscaloosa.
“He expressed that parks and recreation is his passion, and we are excited for him to have this opportunity. He is a talented leader and we wish him well in Tuscaloosa,” Assistant City Manager Cinnamon McCulley said of Davis, who worked for the city of Vestavia Hills for a little more than 20 years.
The City Council authorized additional spending to the tune of $780,000 to reach the city’s goal of paving 7.5 miles this fiscal year. City Manager Jeff Downes said the city has spent about $650,000 already this year and paved about 3.65 miles, not quite halfway to the goal of 7.5 miles. The cost of paving has increased “exponentially” due to the rise in fuel costs, Downes said. The money will be taken from capital funds.
The council also declared four vehicles from public works and building safety as surplus. Downes said selling them earlier in their life cycle allows the city to reap higher profits from the sale, thus helping pay for newer vehicles in the city’s fleet.
Mayor Ashley Curry praised the Vestavia Hills Police Department, who recently used Narcan to help save a woman’s life after she had a medical emergency near Columbiana Road earlier in May. Curry said he received a text from a trauma surgeon who happened to be nearby and helped assist the woman. The surgeon told the mayor seeing the officers’ professionalism made him proud to live in Vestavia, Curry said.
The Police Department was honored in a separate proclamation at the meeting, as May 15 is Peace Officers Memorial Day and May 15-21 is National Police Week. The city has had two officers honored at the national memorial for fallen police officers: Darryl Fortner, who died from COVID-19 on April 6, 2022, and Geoffrey Stone, whose end of watch was Jan. 6, 2008.
Cahaba Heights business owner Katherine McRee also spoke at the meeting and said the annual Heights Hangout event drew its largest crowd ever, more than 2,000 people, representing a 22% increase from 2022. The event raised $11,600 for the beautification project to improve the corner of Cahaba Heights Road and Dolly Ridge Road.
