Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey officially kicks off 2016 re-election campaign

Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey, who said in December he was running for re-election, on Thursday officially kicked off his re-election campaign with an event at Aldridge Gardens.

Ivey, who has been Hoover’s mayor since Sept. 30, 2011, said in a campaign announcement that it has been an honor serving as the city’s mayor and thanked the residents of Hoover for trusting him to do so.

“Together, we’ve made tremendous progress in moving Hoover forward, but there’s still work to do,” Ivey said in a campaign video.

Ivey, the president and CEO of Crest Cadillac, touted the city’s investments in education, economic development and public safety under his leadership.

Public safety and education

“As mayor, the physical safety of the citizens of Hoover is my top priority,” Ivey said. “Without safe neighborhoods, our families cannot prosper. Without safe schools, our children cannot learn. Without safe streets, our economy will not grow.”

Ivey said he’s proud that, during his tenure as mayor, Hoover’s crime rates have been among the lowest in the state, but the city still faces challenges. He worked with the Hoover City Council last month to allocate $1.2 million to add and train 10 more police officers.

Ivey said he works closely with police Chief Nick Derzis and fire Chief Chuck Wingate and has made a promise to the city’s first responders that just as he pledges to keep residents safe, he will always make sure that the city’s first responders have the proper equipment and training to keep themselves safe while they protect everyone else.

“That means every year we invest heavily in public safety,” Ivey said on his campaign website. “It is an investment that pays major dividends for our city and our way of life.”

Ivey also noted that a budget amendment he recommended to the City Council this year provided an additional $1.3 million to the Hoover Board of Education.

“Thankfully, we’re blessed to have great schools in Hoover,” Ivey said. “We have teachers, administrators and support personnel that provide our students a quality education in a safe environment, but we cannot grow complacent. Our schools must consistently be adjusting so our students can receive the best possible education.”

Ivey said on his campaign website that Hoover’s schools continue to add students because of the high quality of education they offer.

“This growth brings additional pressure to our system and must be addressed smartly so that the quality of our schools does not suffer from the strain of increased enrollment,” Ivey said on his website.

He noted that, as mayor, he has no control over school policies, education curriculum or issues such as rezoning. “Those responsibilities belong to the Hoover Board of Education and the superintendent,” he wrote.

Ivey also said that Hoover’s economy has remained strong during his time as mayor and that the city’s unemployment rate has consistently been below state and national averages. As mayor, he has put into practice the lessons he has learned in the private sector, he said.

“With conservative business practices, we’ve created an atmosphere where existing businesses can grow and where new companies want to locate,” Ivey said.

Background

Ivey said he has lived in Hoover for 33 years and can say without reservation that Hoover is the best city in Alabama in which to live and raise a family. “With your support, I plan to make sure it stays that way,” he said.

Ivey on Thursday announced endorsements from Jefferson County Sheriff Mike Hale, Shelby County Sheriff John Samaniego, Hoover school board member and former Jefferson County Judge Jill Ganus Veitch and Joel Smith, the general manager of the Hendrick Hoover Auto Mall.

Ivey, a resident of the Riverchase community, served eight years on Hoover’s Planning and Zoning Commission. He was elected to the Hoover City Council and chosen as its president in 2004 and was re-elected to the council without opposition in 2008.

Then in September 2011, the Hoover City Council appointed Ivey as mayor to replace Tony Petelos, who resigned to take a job as Jefferson County’s first professional county manager. Ivey was unopposed for the mayor’s job in 2012.

So far, he faces one opponent in the 2016 mayor’s race — retired Hoover fire Marshal Frank Brocato. The election is Aug. 23, and qualifying takes place in July.

Ivey is a trustee at Church of the Highlands and served on the board of SafeHouse of Shelby County, a service center for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, for 12 years. He and his wife, Carolyn, have two adult daughters, Tyler and Nicole.

His campaign website is at mayorivey.com, and he has established a campaign Facebook page called Mayor Gary Ivey.