Irondale recognizes Citizen Engagement Institute graduates
The following article is written by Terry Schrimscher for the Trussville Tribune:
IRONDALE, Ala. (Trussville Tribune) — Members of the 2025 spring class of the Citizen Engagement Institute attended the Irondale City Council meeting on May 20 to commemorate the conclusion of the course. Only a few of the 20 members were able to attend the meeting.
This was the 7th graduating class since the program began in 2021 and more than 155 people have completed the informational series designed to increase voluntarism in the city.
'I got the opportunity to attend the dinner for the graduation ceremony. It was the first one I'd ever been to and that was a ton of fun,' said Council President David Spivey. 'When they go through the graduation, they get to do what they refer to as their 30 second elevator speech. They get to come up there and talk about what they all learned and everybody had something different.'
The purpose of the Citizen Engagement Institute is to educate citizens on the functions of the city government. Attendees hear presentations from different departments, learn about budgets, and interact with city leaders with the intention of encouraging citizens to engage in the community through boards, volunteer opportunities or even future candidacy for office.
'It was really cool to see the value this class provides to our citizens. I encourage anybody to get on board with the next class,' Spivey added.
Family mourning loss of Regina Smith after body recovered from Noccalula Falls
In other business, the council approved three items on the consent agenda. The first item made a change to the city's employee manual. The change repealed the Alcohol-Free Workplace Policy and replaced it with a new substance abuse policy.
The second item on the consent agenda approved the allocation of $20,000 from the current fiscal year discretionary fund of Mayor James D. Stewart, Jr. to Studio By The Tracks for services to adults with special needs and to create a community and career path for those individuals.
The third item was moved to the regular agenda and was intended to establish a training guide for citizens appointed for service on municipal boards. After much discussion, the item failed and is expected to be revised for a future meeting.
The final on the regular agenda was a public hearing on a zoning request. The request to rezone property located at 1799 Grants Mill Road from A-1 Agricultural to C-2 Commercial did not face opposition in the hearing. The property was recently annexed by the city and zoned agricultural but the planned Subaru dealership needs the land rezoned for additional parking. The motion was approved.
The next meeting of the Irondale City Council will be held at 6 p.m. on June 3 at Irondale City Hall. An agenda for the meeting can be found on the Irondale website prior to the meeting.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Former Pinson Mayor Hoyt Sanders seeks return to office
PINSON, Ala. (Trussville Tribune) — Hoyt Sanders has announced that he will be running for mayor of Pinson in this year's municipal election, seeking a return to the office he held for 16 years. Sanders served as mayor from when the city was incorporated in 2004 until his defeat to Joe Cochran in 2020. After Mayor Cochran passed away last year following a long battle with ALS, Councilor Robbie Roberts was sworn in as mayor. Sanders was appointed to fill Roberts' seat on the council. Brad Walker announces reelection bid for Pinson City Council In his announcement, Sanders highlighted numerous projects the city undertook during his time as mayor from paving roads and installing the traffic signal at Pinson Valley High School to enhancing their law enforcement program with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and providing funding to both fire districts and local schools. 'We purchased the former Carraway Medical Building to house City Hall and began the Pinson Public Library, which became 10th in circulation in the entire Birmingham Public Library Cooperative. We purchased the land and constructed Bicentennial Park and Splashpad. We then purchased the Rock School and renovated spaces for the Library and our newly formed Public Works division,' Sanders wrote. 'We did all this and maintained a firm financial footing and received stellar annual audits,' he added. 'I would be honored to be your Mayor and get back to work moving Pinson forward!' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Irondale to welcome visitors with new ‘Gateway' art celebrating city's identity
IRONDALE, Ala. (Trussville Tribune) — The City of Irondale is getting to work on a new project that will see the construction of three new design features that will greet residents and visitors as they enter the community. On Wednesday, Mayor James D. Stewart, Jr. unveiled the preliminary renderings for the city's Gateway Project, which aims to highlight the city's identity. Magnolia Soap & Bath Co. brings fresh scents to Trussville 'As Irondale continues to grow and evolve, it's important that the first impression we make reflects the pride we have in our community,' Mayor Stewart said. 'These new gateway designs will serve as bold, welcoming landmarks that celebrate our city's unique identity and signal to everyone—residents, visitors, and future investors—that Irondale is the place to be.' The gateway designs feature the city's new branding, beautiful landscaping, and artistic elements. The designs will be located at 16th Street & Crestwood Boulevard, the roundabout at Cahaba Crossing, and the Grants Mill Road exit off I-459. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Zachary pastor reflects on Louisiana history following Nottoway Plantation fire
ZACHARY, La. (Louisiana First) — The Redwood Baptist Church was first organized in 1857 by slaves, according to the church's pastor. Following the Nottoway fire this month, he reflected on the way slaves are contextualized in Louisiana's history. Pastor Dale Flowers said he never visited Nottoway, which was finished in 1859 in White Castle. He said following the May 15 fire, he noticed online debates on social media about the plantation's legacy. 'Some people were like, 'Hey, pass the marshmallows,'' Flowers said. 'Others were extremely upset.' Support for the plantation began before the embers completely cooled. Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle called the fire a tragedy considering its history in the area. 'The preservation of history is so important,' Daigle said in the fire's aftermath. Nottoway constituted the South's largest existing antebellum mansion, according to its website. The location has been popular for portraits, weddings, fine dining, and tours. 'The event is going to take a toll on Louisiana tourism,' Daigle said. Daigle said at the time recent renovations did not include installing a sprinkler system. 'It's a day we were always afraid of,' Daigle said. The state fire marshal ended its investigation into the fire Tuesday without any conclusions on what caused it. Evidence was sent to the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Crime Lab in Georgia to be analyzed. Daigle discussed the controversy already beginning to take shape online, which included whether the fire burning down the structure was a blessing or a curse. 'There's so much controversy with the past,' Daigle said. 'We didn't live in that generation, but the preservation of history, even the uncomfortable parts, is important.' The plantation's owner shared that sentiment in a statement published soon after the fire. William Daniel Dyess, an attorney and preservationist from Natchitoches, did not respond to a Louisiana First News request placed through his law office by publication. In a statement to the New York Post, he dismissed much of the criticism while calling for people to 'move forward.' 'I take this position — we are non-racist people,' Dyess said in the article. 'I am a lawyer and my wife is a judge. We believe in equal opportunity rights for everyone, total equality and fairness. My wife and I had nothing to do with slavery, but we recognize the wrongness of it. We are trying to make this a better place. We don't have any interest in left wing radical stuff. We need to move forward on a positive note here and we are not going to dwell on past racial injustice.' Dyess said he plans to rebuild the mansion. A couple of signs are posted outside the property, including one that suggests construction is already happening. 'Rebuild it,' Flowers said. 'Slaves built that building. Slaves aren't going to build this one.' Flowers said there is a sentiment from many in America to romanticize the Antebellum period. 'Some people are nostalgic about that time,' Flowers said. Flowers said the prioritization of weddings and the positive elements of history are part of the reason so many people have the opposite opinion: that Nottoway displayed a largely incorrect version of its history. People who view the website and click the 'History' tab will be met with a list of named trees on the property. 'I honestly thought, 'I wonder how many people hung from those trees,'' Flowers said. Flowers said a better representation of history can be found at Whitney Plantation. Located in Edgard, Whitney operated from 1752 to 1975, according to its website. Whitney has been open about its purpose, posting in 2020 that it would not hold weddings because of slavery's impact on the property. 'Plantations are sites of immense cruelty and violence,' the Instagram post read. 'We do not allow any event that would overshadow this reality and disrespect the memory of all those who suffered, labored and died here.' A recent trip to Whitney was emotional, Flowers said, but he said his children began to learn about the reality their ancestors experienced. 'It's honestly a hard place to visit,' Flowers said. 'They present it as it is.' Flowers said those slaves who directly ramped up Louisiana's economy in the late 1800s also founded the church he now serves. He said the record is unclear on whether they got permission from their master to organize or secretly did so in a wooded area. 'It was actually organized by slaves,' Flowers said. Flowers said he thinks the original congregation would be proud that the church carries on their legacy. 'The work they started in 1857 is still going on today,' Flowers said. 11-year-old finds message in a bottle from Hawaii on Florida beach Livingston Parish woman arrested, accused of child sex crimes Zachary pastor reflects on Louisiana history following Nottoway Plantation fire New Orleans Saints starting offensive line taking shape during OTAs Haribo recalls sweets in the Netherlands after cannabis detected Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
