Neal Embry
Vestavia Hills Mayor Ashley Curry gives his “State of the City” address at the Oct. 8 Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
While the city of Vestavia Hills may not receive as much revenue per resident as neighboring cities Hoover, Mountain Brook, Birmingham, Homewood and Bessemer, the city is able to “do more with less,” Mayor Ashley Curry said in his “State of the City” address.
Curry, who gave the address at the Oct. 8 Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce luncheon, said while Vestavia may not see as much revenue generated per resident in the way of taxes, the city has handled its budgeting well and is efficient in its expenditures to create a higher quality of life for Vestavia residents.
“We share a vision for a quality of life and livability factors that are unmatched in our state,” Curry said.
Before getting into his speech, Curry recognized members of the city council, City Manager Jeff Downes and department heads, saying, “This is the team that makes the city of Vestavia Hills work.”
Vestavia is a “destination city,” Curry said, with people choosing to live here for many reasons. Curry said in the past, people have moved to Vestavia for its beauty, citing the George Ward estate which gave the city its name. As time has progressed, the city has become known for its schools as well, among other quality-of-life factors.
Vestavia is a “connected community,” and is also a safe community, Curry said. SafeWise recently named the city the safest in Alabama for the third year in a row, using FBI statistics to monitor crime rates in each city. The city also has a low Class 2 ISO rating, indicative of a strong fire department, Curry said.
The city is improving in its connectiveness by adding a remote locker system in Liberty Park, where residents in that part of the city will soon be able to borrow and return books from the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest without having to drive out to the library campus on U.S. 31.
Programs like the Freedom from Addiction Coalition have helped raise awareness about the opioid problem, while the newly-instituted Phoenix program offers those struggling with drug addiction a chance to walk into any fire station or the police department and ask for help without fear of being arrested, an opportunity nine people have taken advantage of so far, Curry said. These programs help make sure the city is caring “for all citizens,” he said.
“If we’re able to save one life, then that program will have been worth it,” Curry said.
Curry said volunteers and the chamber also help make the city a better place.
The Vestavia Hills City School system is thriving because of a “culture of excellence,” Curry said.
“We have a solid history of academic performance and our schools continue to perform at a high level,” Curry said.
Curry said the city has a good relationship with the school system, donating $2 million to help purchase the old Berry High School campus, with the schools constructing fields at the campus that can be used by the city.
Curry also talked about the Community Spaces plan, a $58 million venture to improve the city’s infrastructure and parks and recreation offerings. The plan is well underway, with construction ongoing at Wald Park, the community building and other projects.
As the city continues to grow, Curry said there aren’t many negative things that can be said about the city.
“We have much for which to be thankful,” Curry said.
