Mayor's Minute: September 2020

Many, perhaps most, of our restaurants and retailers have faced stiff headwinds due to COVID-19. I am so proud of how our city leaders came together with many of our business owners to pivot towards success.

Credit goes to City Council members Virginia Smith, Billy Pritchard, Phil Black, Lloyd Shelton and Alice Womack and to our Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Suzan Doidge and President Tonya Jones. The chamber arranged brainstorming calls and meetings with various business owners and developed suggestions, including temporary ordinance modifications to allow dedicated curbside pickup parking strategically located throughout our villages and expanded outdoor dining both ‘down-the-sidewalk’ and converted parking spaces.

City Manager Sam Gaston and his department heads ran behind-the-scenes interference while the City Council set aside the normal approval processes to get these ordinances modified quickly. Today everyone is reaping the benefits.

Our business owners also deserve a lot of credit for reengineering their business models to best serve our community during these unprecedented times. They also deserve our thanks for embracing the statewide mask mandate and ensuring that both their employees and customers could shop and dine in the safest environment possible.

I recently issued a public proclamation for Arrelia Callins, the beloved cashier at Piggly Wiggly— “The Pig” — in Crestline Village. She is such a sweet-heart and so deserving of the outpouring of love she received that day.

As I read the proclamation through a surgical mask, I found it hard to catch my breath. Like everyone, I do not enjoy wearing a mask but know that it is a necessary nuisance to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and keep our businesses open and running.

Thank you, all of you, for continuing to support our local restaurants and retailers. I have heard time and time again from them how supportive our community is and how much it means to them.

If you are able, please consider a tax-deductible donation to the Mountain Brook Merchant Emergency Relief Fund at onemb.swell.gives.