The Community Foundation hosted its first Woven Together Learning Series for 2020 on February 25th at the UAB Alumni House. The luncheon featured panelists that have been actively involved with Driving Regional Cooperation within Jefferson County; Buddy Choat, Mayor of Trussville; Gary Richardson, Mayor of Midfield and current president of the Jefferson County Mayors’ Association; Steve Ammons, Jefferson County Commissioner; Josh Carpenter, Director of Economic Development for the City of Birmingham; and Randall Woodfin, Mayor of the City of Birmingham. The discussion was led by Community Foundation President and CEO, Chris Nanni.
At the luncheon, Chris Nanni, reminded the audience that, “we remain the most fragmented region in the Southeast with 35 separate municipalities in Jefferson County.” The Community Foundation released the Together We Prosper report in 2017 that initiated the original conversation around Regional Cooperation with the county’s mayors. Buddy Choat said that since the mayors have been meeting regularly, as the Jefferson County Coalition of Mayors, there has been an increase in “trust and communication within the municipalities.”
The mayors have decided their focus for 2020 will be: Census 2020, Anti-Vaping and Human Trafficking Ordinances and research around potential consolidation of the jail systems in the region. They will also continue their work on E911 Consolidation and the Good Neighbors Pledge.
If you weren’t able to attend we have a video of the panel discussion: