Hoover voters will choose their next mayor and City Council on Aug. 26. Hoover’s current chief of police Nick Derzis is challenging Mayor Frank Brocato for the mayor’s seat, and fourteen candidates are vying to fill five other City Council seats on the ballot.
The candidates shared their views on key issues with the Hoover Sun.
Q: What do you believe is the most important issue facing Hoover today, and why?
MAYORAL CANDIDATES
Frank Brocato: Our biggest challenge is budgeting because it affects every other critical issue we face — supporting schools, maintaining services, upgrading infrastructure and ensuring public safety. Each of these is essential. The way online sales tax is collected and distributed is creating a funding problem for cities like Hoover. I’m working with the Legislature and other cities to address this. Careful budgeting and experienced leadership are vital to protect our quality of life.
Nick Derzis: Hoover’s success is predicated largely on public safety and schools, but we’re facing serious challenges in economic development and infrastructure that aren’t being adequately addressed. I launched my campaign at Patton Creek to spotlight declining retail areas that drive city revenue. There’s been no action despite multiple studies and promises over the last nine years. Growth is also outpacing our infrastructure, leading to strained roads and stormwater issues. A responsive, transparent city government is essential.
CITY COUNCIL PLACE 1 CANDIDATES
Tanveer Patel: Hoover’s rapid growth (10% population increase since 2010) is straining infrastructure, schools and public safety. Traffic delays have risen 15%, schools are 8% over capacity, and development is outpacing planning. Hoover needs a bigger revenue base to address these issues. However, we notice that places like the Galleria or Patton Creek are not doing well. We need to revitalize Hoover businesses and increase our revenue base, which also adds good-paying jobs to our economy.
Robin Schultz: The most pressing issue facing Hoover is the lack of government transparency and accountability. As a community advocate, I believe every resident’s voice must shape our future, especially for our schools. Through The Hoover Channel, I’ve championed openness. Running for City Council Place 1, I’ll ensure transparent leadership, smart growth and first-class education, preserving Hoover’s unique character while keeping tax dollar spending accountable.
CITY COUNCIL PLACE 2 CANDIDATES
Clint Bircheat: Mounting debt with a lack of strategic vision and subsequent planning. It becomes challenging when the city continues to spend without real economic growth. Rising costs and debt servicing have hamstrung our ability to be able to bear economic downturns, incentivize new business deals, invest more into our schools’ and public safety, and attractions like parks and municipal buildings. About 10 cents of every dollar is going to debt; it used to be 2 or 3.
Kenneth Cox Jr.: All of leadership working on the same page.
Copeland Johnson: Stormwater management is a complex issue with the potential to cause blight and hold Hoover back. I stress urgency because as current residents impacted by stormwater seek to retire or downsize, they might face difficulty receiving full market value or selling at all. Empty homes reduce comparable values and drive down commercial traffic throughout Hoover. The result is residential and commercial blight. I will prioritize solutions.
Gene Smith: Currently would be fiscal restraint. Commercial blight (the filling in of empty retail and office space in Hoover). Next, as the city continues to grow, Hoover’s public safety responsibilities. Next working with the Board of Education in maintaining the quality of education offered in Hoover. Then stormwater management.
CITY COUNCIL PLACE 3 CANDIDATES
Liz Lane: After witnessing the devastation from flash flooding nationwide — and knowing Hoover’s ongoing runoff issues, I believe water management is our most urgent challenge. We need a holistic approach beyond pipes, including expert input and investment in green infrastructure. Developers must be held accountable for runoff impacts and maintaining detention and retention ponds. The city must also regularly update floodplain maps to reflect our changing climate and ensure community safety.
Ashley Lovell: Vision. Hoover needs people on the council with the ability to plan responsibly, listen intently and act accordingly. This comes by advocating for what the people of Hoover want Hoover to be in the next 5, 10 or 20 years. Leaders with vision can put the personal issues, political capital and other nonsense behind them and move forward to best serve the people. That is the kind of leader I’ll be.
Robert Williams: I believe the most important issue is maintaining a balance between growth of the city and the infrastructure and services to support the residents. It is good to add businesses and housing, but we need to be able to adequately manage the extra traffic and impacts on our schools.
CITY COUNCIL PLACE 4 CANDIDATES
Christian Coleman: The most important issue is the stormwater. Hoover is a great place to live, but the stormwater issues are hurting current residents and future residents. The problem is solvable, if we had a city government willing to solve problems instead of fight against its citizens.
Khristi Driver: We are blessed to live in a safe community with excellent schools and great quality of life. Strategic planning for future infrastructure needs is our most pressing issue. This isn’t a headline grabber, but it’s necessary to keep a strong foundation. I’m speaking of items like major roadways, stormwater and sewer. It is key for the city to not only address immediate concerns, but to plan for the future and ensure we are executing a long-term plan.
Donna Mazur: There are several important issues facing our city today: stormwater, transparency; citizens being completely ignored; the spending of taxpayer money is certainly an abuse of taxpayer money.
CITY COUNCIL PLACE 5 CANDIDATES
Steve Lawrence: Leadership. A lack of leadership has allowed small problems to grow into large issues across Hoover. Poor communication and a lack of transparency have caused citizens to lose trust in our current city leaders.
Derrick Murphy: Hoover’s success depends on strong schools and well-supported police and fire services — areas I’ve championed as a former Hoover school board president and current Public Safety Committee chairman. As our city grows and ages, our most urgent challenge is maintaining infrastructure such as our roads, bridges and stormwater. Without smart investment, we risk traffic issues and declining quality of life. I’m committed to continue in preparing Hoover for a strong, sustainable future.
