Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle.
Jeff Brumlow is sworn in by Judge Jonathan Spann as a member of the Shelby County Commission on April 10 as his wife, Donna, holds the family bible.
The vacant spot for District 6 on the Shelby County Commission has been filled by Jeff Brumlow.
During the April 10 commission meeting, Brumlow was sworn in by Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Jonathan Spann.
For almost 25 years, Brumlow has been a state court trial lawyer and general counsel for cities and housing authorities in the area. He has extensive trial experience in the municipal, district and circuit courts, in both criminal and civil cases, as well as appellate experience to the Alabama Supreme Court, Court of Civil Appeals and Court of Criminal Appeals.
He has served as the prosecutor for the City of Alabaster since 2004 and city attorney for Alabaster since 2008.
“When I was asked the questions in the governor’s office about what I would make different in Shelby County, I said ‘Nothing,’” Brumlow said. “I look forward to working with the commission because it's an incredible experience.”
During the meeting, the commission also unanimously adopted the new Shelby County Comprehensive Plan: “A Path to the Future.”
Director of Development Services Christie Pannell-Hester has been heading the project. She thanked everyone who participated in the 18-month plan development process and the Regional Planning Commission for Greater Birmingham (RPCGB) for their assistance on the project.
“It was developed to provide people the opportunity to participate, utilize technology, engage residents and businesses throughout the process,” Pannell-Hester said.
Lindsay Puckett, the principal planner for the RPCGB, said she is proud of the product, which answers four basic questions and should be used as a roadmap for the future:
- What is the state of the county today?
- What are the pressing needs and issues perceived by the public today?
- What’s the overarching vision for the county?
- How will the county know that it’s achieving that vision for the future and addressing the needs for housing and population growth over the next 5, 10, 15 years?
In creating the comprehensive plan, the RPCGB analyzed existing conditions in the county and used surveys and in-person events to gather public input. The strengths they found through this process were quality schools, natural resources like Oak Mountain State Park and the county’s family-friendly atmosphere. Weaknesses included traffic congestion and road conditions, vacant shopping centers and the need for more variety in housing.
The county’s new vision statement is “Quality inspired… It’s in our nature.” Some of the growth opportunities the RPCGB highlighted included outdoor amenities, tourism and creating new town centers.
The new comprehensive plan includes over 190 recommended actions to help guide the future of the county.
Michael O’Kelley, who serves as the chairman of the Shelby County Planning Commission, said the comprehensive plan is very valuable.
“It’s close to 400 pages,” he said. “It includes an implementation plan that tells us how to get from point A to Point B, or sometimes Point Z. It breaks down to realistic goals that can happen in six months or a longer term. We’ve been able to already see the benefits of how it’s going to make our jobs easier to implement something that the people have input on.”
County Engineer David Willingham also gave an update at the April 10 meeting on the I-65 widening project plans and said he is optimistic that ALDOT will take the opportunity submitted by Shelby County and move forward.
