Murphy humbled to face no opposition in bid for second council term
Hoover Councilman Derrick Murphy managed to go unopposed in his bid for a second term on the City Council and said he plans to focus on supporting Hoover businesses and schools and rebuilding the city’s brand over the next four years.
When qualifying ended for the Aug. 25 city election last week, Murphy was the only councilman of the five seeking reelection who found himself without opposition.
“I couldn’t be more honored and humbled for the opportunity to serve a second term as councilman,” Murphy said in a written statement. “Being unopposed shows the trust our citizens and business owners have in me. It is my desire to build on that trust and continue to represent our city and its interests.”
Murphy said one of his priorities as a councilman will be to focus on business sustainability and growth in an economy that has been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.
City leaders already have been working to diversify the revenue stream for city government due to an increase in internet commerce and decrease in storefront shopping, Murphy said. This has included efforts to make Hoover a tourist destination for sports and other entertainment.
Now, with businesses being hit hard by COVID-19, he wants to be as innovative as possible to not only help keep businesses open, but to help them thrive, he said.
He also will remain a strong advocate for the Hoover school system because the quality of public education impacts every function of the city, he said. In addition to making sure the school system remains properly funded, he plans to use the Hoover City Dad Brigade to provide additional support for schools this year.
Murphy, the founder of the Hoover City Dad Brigade, which historically has focused on back-to-school cleanup efforts at each Hoover school, said this year the group of men also will focus on collecting and distributing supplies to help educators maintain a safe and sanitary learning environment in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Finally, he said his third area of focus in the next four years will be to work with the next City Council and mayor to thoroughly examine how to rebuild and enhance Hoover’s reputation as a thriving, diverse and inclusive city and as one of the safest places to live and shop in Alabama.
Murphy, 40, has been the assistant general manager of engineering and maintenance for the Birmingham Water Works since June 2019. He also served as an engineer for the Water Works from 2002 to 2015.
He spent about 2½ years as an associate at the Gresham Smith & Partners engineering firm and about 1½ years as a senior project manager and Birmingham office administrator for Allworld before returning to the Water Works.
Murphy served five years on the Hoover Board of Education before being elected to the City Council. He also is a former member of the Hoover Board of Zoning Adjustments.
He has been a leadership mentor for eighth-grade boys at Bumpus Middle School, served on the YMCA of Hoover board and Alabama Association of School Boards advisory committee, and is a deacon at Hunter Street Baptist Church.
He and his wife, Shenavia, have lived in Hoover 15 years. They live in Ross Bridge and have a 22-year-old son at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a 13-year-old daughter at Bumpus Middle School and a 7-year-old son at Deer Valley Elementary.
Murphy has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in engineering, focusing on construction management. Both degrees are from UAB.
For more information about Murphy, go to derrickmurphy.com or visit Derrick M. Murphy - Hoover City Council on Facebook.
See the candidates for all the other places on the Hoover City Council in the 2020 election.