Photo courtesy of Michael Vercher
Michael Vercher is seeking Place 3 on the Vestavia Hills City Council.
Michael Vercher, an attorney for the Christian & Small law firm for more than 25 years, is one of three people seeking to fill the Vestavia Hills City Council seat being vacated by Paul Head.
When Head decided not to run for re-election for his Place 3 spot on the council, Vercher decided to put his name in for it.
“I’ve always felt strongly that if you can help or think you’re able to help or use your ability or experience to help, you ought to try,” the 51-year-old Vercher said.
He has been involved with the city of Vestavia Hills for about 15 years since he moved to the city, from being a youth basketball coach to spending the last six or so years on the Vestavia Hills Planning and Zoning Commission, including about three years as chairman.
‘I know how the city works because I’ve spent a lot of time up at City Hall helping out,” he said.
He also has experience running a business, as a member of the executive committee for the Christian & Small law firm.
Vercher said he’s passionate about the city of Vestavia Hills and wants to help keep up the momentum he has seen the city build in the last 10 years or so.
“I’m excited about where Vestavia Hills is headed, and I want to be a part of it. I want to help out,” he said. “I have a strong desire for us to make sure Vestavia Hills is a place where, if you’re relocating to Birmingham from another area or coming here from outside the city, this is where you want to live and this is where you want to set up your business.”
The most pressing issue facing the city right now is dealing with the city’s growth to the east, Vercher said. While he lives in the western part of the city, he knows it’s important to make sure everyone in the city has the same level of services, and that’s a concern he has heard from some people living in the east, whether that’s police and fire services or library and parks and recreation amenities, he said.
The city recently completed a major renovation of Wald Park along U.S. 31 and needs to make sure the ballfields in the eastern part of the city receive the same level of care, he said.
Vestavia Hills is spread out in a very linear fashion instead of a compact circle or square, and efforts should be made to maintain unity in the city so that everyone feels a part of it and doesn’t feel neglected, he said.
Also, people sometimes are quick to criticize the school board about decisions it makes, but they need to make sure they have all the facts before being overly critical, Vercher said.
Some people were upset about the school board seeking a property tax increase a couple of years ago, he said.
“Let me be clear. I do not enjoy paying taxes, and if elected, I promise to use tax increases only as a last resort,” he said. However, “I did vote for the property tax increase because (1) I believe our schools are the single most important factor in maintaining our home values, and (2) I trust our school board’s assessment of the need for maintenance and improvements necessary to keep our schools performing for our students at a high level.”
Now that voters have rejected the property tax increase, city leaders need to figure out another way to get the school system the resources it needs to take care of things like roof replacements and updates to heating and air conditioning equipment, he said.
“That’s a challenge,” he said. “We have to be creative with other ways to fund those necessities. You can’t just expect a school system to maintain the high standards that everybody has become accustomed to and then say I’m not going to make sure you have the tools to maintain that.”
While the City Council is certainly separate from the school system, the two groups can continue working together to maintain the level of education that is being provided, Vercher said. The Vestavia Hills school system is the crown jewel of the city, and that needs to be protected, he said.
There’s also a need to beautify the major entryways into the city so that when people are driving into Vestavia Hills, the atmosphere reflects the high quality of life that exists in the city, he said. City leaders already are working on that, and he supports that effort, he said.
Making city limits clear also helps residents spend their money with businesses that are in the city so that the tax revenue comes back to take care of needs in Vestavia Hills, he said.
Other candidates running for Place 3 on the Vestavia Hills City Council are Brian DeMarco and Jacob Pugh. Profiles of those candidates will be shared between now and the Aug. 26 city election as well.
