Did you know? Mountain Brook Edition

Did you know the Emmet O’Neal Library offers three free music downloads a week?

What? I thought library cards are just for checking out books, right? Think again. Your library card might just be worth its weight in gold. The Emmet O’Neal Library provides many electronic resources on its website from downloading a magazine or eBook to your iPad to even learning a new language! One thing many Mountain Brook residents may not know is that you can also download free music using your library card.

Do you ever get sad hearing a song you like on the radio, realizing it might cost you $1.29 to listen to it again on iTunes? Among the many exciting online resources available to Mountain Brook residents and library cardholders is something called Freegal Music. The site can be found by going to the library’s webpage under the “adult” tab then under “electronic resources” by clicking on the link titled “Freegal Music.” Entering the barcode number found on the back of your library card will instantly provide you with access to thousands of songs from Sony Music's catalog.

Each week, Mountain Brook residents can download up to three songs in MP3 format; downloads are permanent. So go ahead, download your free music and discover other great online resources to see what your library card can do for you! 

-Anne Holman Smith

Did you know that the vision for the landscape of Mountain Brook was thought up by the visionary of Central Park in New York?

Robert Jemison had an idea for what he wanted Mountain Brook to be, and Warren H. Manning of Boston brought the idea to life with the help of his partner, Frederick Olmstead. The original development of Mountain Brook began in 1929. With Jemison and the help of landscape architects Manning and Olmstead, Mountain Brook became a scenic suburb of Birmingham with winding roads and three quaint villages. Manning and Olmstead are renowned for projects such as Central Park in New York, Biltmore Castle in Asheville and the Chicago Colombian Expo. Their creative geniuses made envisioned the canopy of trees and lush greenery and the villages that tie our community together into a picturesque package.

 -Charlotte Weaver

Did you know Mountain Brook has been recognized as a Tree City USA for 18 years?

Mountain Brook has always been known for its trees. In fact, 92.03 percent of Mountain Brook is under tree cover. This type of preservation of nature has been recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation, who awards cities who meet the standards of a Tree City. This includes having a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, a community forestry program that meets the minimum budget per capita, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation. Mountain Brook is proud to have met all of these requirements and been recognized for 18 years as a Tree City USA.

-Anna Smith

Did you know the Mountain Brook Fire Department installs children's car seats and teaches the proper installation method?

Each month the Fire Department installs dozens of car seats for citizens of Mountain Brook. In addition, a certified officer may also review car seats to ensure their installation is correct.

In Alabama, it is mandatory for children whose age is either 5 or below to ride in a forward-facing child safety seat. The same law also applies for those who weigh less than 40 pounds. However, up to 90 percent of children's car seats are installed incorrectly and children are more susceptible to injury and death in the case of an accident.

Anyone interested in the assistance of the Fire Department with a child safety seat can contact them to make an appointment at any time.

-Brooks Glover

Did you know that the mayor doesn't have an office?

Having been through three city halls since the city was founded in 1942, not once has Mayor Oden, or any other mayor, had an official office. The mayor has always worked out of his home. But, for the first time in the 70 years Mountain Brook has been a town, the new city hall, currently under construction, will have an office for the mayor.

It might also interest you to know that neither the mayor nor the city council receives a salary. They earn their incomes from their day jobs.

-Drew Dickson

Did you know that the City of Mountain Brook has the most advanced fire and police training facility in the state of Alabama?

Located at Public Works across from the Rathmell Sports Complex, the facility includes a firing range and a practice building for firefighters. The facilities are so nice that departments from nearby communities often get permission to use the facilities for training their officers as well. The two-story fire training building is also used for policemen to practice hostage situations and other operations of similar nature.

The facility also includes a garage where all the city's vehicles are stored when they are not in use. Currently, the city is working on refurbishing two Hummers that they received from the Army for various police operations.

-Reid Parrott

Did you know that Mountain Brook was the first city in Alabama to operate under a Council-Manager style of government?

This means that the city is controlled jointly by the mayor and city council, with additional help provided by the city manager. When Mountain Brook was incorporated in 1942, it was the first to adopt a government using this system.

The mayor serves as the policymaking figure of the city, with the city council acting as the legislative body. Elections for mayor are held every four years.

The city council consists of five members whom the public elects, and they review most issues within the city, as well as appoint the police chief, the fire chief and the city manager (with the assistance of the mayor).The council has community-wide policy level responsibility. They meet at City Hall on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 7 p.m., and encourage citizens to attend these meetings if they wish to learn more about happenings within the city.

Administrative business is handled by the city manager, who is also responsible for overseeing government operations within the city. The city manager is responsible for the employment of city workers, except the fire chief and police chief, who are appointed by the city council. The city manager also proposes the annual budget, including long-range goals for the city. The city manager is then responsible for regulating the budget and making sure all long-range goals are achieved.

-Mary Nix

Did you know that one day all of the villages in Mountain Brook will be connected by a system of sidewalks? 

The sidewalks already connect villages to residential areas, making it convenient to walk wherever your destinations may be. The sidewalks and trails make the city a very pedestrian-friendly place to be for both visitors and homeowners. Recently, the city has been working on a sidewalk that will connect Brookwood Road to Crestline. As you walk through the city, you will see the sidewalks being heavily used by walkers, runners, bike riders and many more.

-Sarah Sims

Did you know Mountain Brook has a Class 3 Fire Department?

Many know that Mountain Brook has an exceptional Fire Department, but few know that our Fire Department is rated as a Class Three. All around the country, Fire Departments are rated on a scale of 1-10 (1 being the best, 10 being the worst). And Mountain Brook being rated as a Class 3 is quite remarkable regarding the size of our community and the number of stations we have.

The Fire Department responded to 3,419 calls in 2011 and does many things to uphold its ranking. For example, all personnel are required to work out for one hour during every shift. Also they are evaluated yearly on their physical fitness and performance at a nearby drill tower. The department on average responds to emergencies in 4.25 minutes.

They are able to do so by the strategic placing of each station. Also, most Mountain Brook Fire Fighters are certified paramedics and are able to automatically treat an injury on the scene.

But most importantly, the Mountain Brook Fire Department considers itself to be in the customer service business. So no matter what the problem, they will respond and give you the proper care or help you need.

-Alana Bartoletti