Mayor’s Minute: July 2021

Is it time to invest in gold?

As a partner in an investment management company working with client families throughout the United States, I am often asked, “Should I invest in gold?” My typical answer is, “It depends…”

As mayor, when asked, “Should I invest in gold?,” my answer is always, “Yes! Village Gold!” The answer is the same whether you are a merchant or resident and here is why:

For Residents

COVID-19’s negative impact on our local businesses ranged from problematic to devastating. I was so impressed to see how our residents rallied around our restaurants and retailers to direct as much business to them as possible. The city council implemented relaxed rules for eating outside and added specialized curbside parking. Residents continue to donate money to restaurants and merchants through the Mountain Brook Merchant Relief Fund (visit mtnbrookchamber.org if you are willing to help).

The city of Mountain Brook is the only city who has its own local currency…Village Gold. By buyingVillage Gold gift certificates for friends and family, you are helping our local restaurant and merchant owners and keeping your dollars local. This is the perfect win-win. Sales taxes are the city’s second largest source of revenue.

For merchants

For merchants who are chamber members, this is a free benefit, and it costs you nothing to participate. The chamber absorbs all the fees. As a participant, people will spend Village Gold with you and get introduced to your business, maybe for the first time. Village Gold is easy to accept, and the chamber has a basic tutorial or will be happy to visit with you to show you how it works. Village Gold is just one of the many benefits of being a chamber member. If you are not a member, I encourage you to explore the opportunity. Our chamber is so good, there are many members whose business is located outside our city limits.

Buying Village Gold is easy

You can purchase Village Gold Certificates online at any time through the chamber’s website mtnbrookchamber.org or you can stop by the chamber offices at City Hall during normal business hours. Denominations are $5, $10, $20 and $25. I have seen a lot of folks give Village Gold to our first responders as a way of saying ‘Thank you!’ for the incredible work they do. They love it!

So many people ask me how they can help our city prosper and my response is, “Invest in gold … Village Gold!”