Name: Ashley Curry
Position sought: Mayor
Age: 75
Residence: Tyler Road area; lived in Vestavia Hills 39 years
Political experience: Nine years as mayor
Professional experience: 25 years as special agent with FBI; two years as assistant federal security director for law enforcement with Transportation Security Administration for Northern District of Alabama; nine years as corporate recruiter for EBSCO; seven years with Milliken and Co.
Civic experience: Was on Vestavia Hills Parks and Recreation Board and Vestavia Hills Library Board; now council liaison to those boards; Vestavia Hills Civitan Club; numerous boards with Vestavia Hills Methodist Church
Education: Bachelor’s degree in industrial management, University of Alabama, 1971; master’s degree in business administration, University of South Carolina, 1976; FBI National Academy, 1994
Website/social media: No campaign website or social media
Q: Why are you running for this office, and what qualifies you to serve your community?
I am running for re-election primarily to finish all the projects that this council has initiated. Having two terms as mayor, I feel that I am eminently qualified to continue in that role.
Q: What do you believe is the most important issue facing your city today, and why?
The most important issue includes infrastructure (roads, sidewalks and stormwater projects) throughout the city. Other significant projects include completion of The Bray development in Liberty Park, completion of road work and sidewalks on Massey Road, continued development of the south U.S. 31 entrance to the city, completion of the Veterans Memorial at Altadena Valley Park, new construction at the Sicard Hollow complex to include a new branch library, improvements for police and fire services and a city maintenance facility.
Q: What is one specific initiative or policy you would champion if elected, and why is it a priority?
I would continue “quality of life” programs for our citizens. Examples include: the Freedom From Addiction Coalition (a cooperative effort with the mayors of Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook, Hoover and Homewood to raise awareness about opioid abuse and vaping); the Phoenix Program (allows an addicted individual to contact our police or fire departments, turn in illegal substances and get rehabilitation services without criminal penalty); Crimes Against the Elderly conferences to protect senior citizens; continued efforts to combat human trafficking.
Q: Do you believe the city is adding homes too quickly, too slowly or at the right pace, and what would you want to do, if anything, to affect that pace?
I think our city’s growth is consistent with our ability to provide the necessary city services (police and traffic issues), Fire Department response times (we maintain an ISO rating of 1.0 — the highest rating you can have), and public works support.
Q: What responsibility does the city have regarding stormwater control, and would you do anything differently than has been done thus far?
Stormwater issues are a major issue for our city, and we are strategically addressing those issues in the most vulnerable areas of the city. By law, our city can address stormwater issues on public property only. We cannot use city equipment or personnel on private property or outside our jurisdiction (such as county property).
Q: Current elected officials have identified at least $30 million worth of capital projects they say are needed to handle growth in eastern Vestavia Hills, including a police substation and training center, a library branch, park maintenance and public works facility and parks and recreation field improvements. Do you agree those projects are needed, and, if so, how would you propose funding them?
The capital projects that you mentioned were discussed during the annual strategic planning workshop held by the City Council every year. The council unanimously approved these projects as the primary needs for our city. The city will fund these projects out of our capital fund and with reserves from our general fund with careful adherence to our adopted financial policies.
Q: What is your vision for the city in five years?
My vision for our city is to maintain our standing as one of the best places to live in Alabama. There are rating services that use a “livability index” to rate cities. We are always in the top 10 places to live in Alabama. According to surveys conducted for our city, the number one reason people move to Vestavia Hills is our school system. The second priority is quality of life factors that include police and fire services, recreational services and safety.
Q: How did you vote on the property tax increase for Vestavia Hills City Schools in 2023, and why?
I voted in favor of the ad valorem tax, as that is the primary source of funding for our schools. I want our schools to maintain the high quality that has existed for decades. I actually voted for the last tax increase in the 1990s while my children were in school. I now have grandchildren in the schools, and I want them to have that same quality of excellence that my children had.
Curry is facing Richard Cheatwood in the race for mayor, and elections are Aug. 26. To see Cheatwood’s views on key issues, click here.
