Architect Philip Black running for City Council Place 2 seat

Local architect Philip Black has officially entered the race in pursuit of the Mountain Brook City Council Seat 2 position being vacated by former Judge Jack Carl.

Black, President and CEO of Simonton Swaika Black Architects, has been a Mountain Brook resident for 32 years. Asked what his main campaign issues are, Black said he is particularly interested in “supporting our excellent school system in its mission of providing a high quality and engaging education for our children. I believe our school system is truly the crown jewel of our city.”

Black said because the city is land-locked, “the focus of the city government should be to assist with the continued improvement of amenities and infrastructure in our commercial areas; attracting and retaining high quality businesses.” At the same time, Black said it will be important to protect the city’s neighborhoods from “over-building and unwanted density.”

Black received both a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design and a Bachelor of Architecture from Auburn University. He has been married to his wife, Susan, for 32 years and has together with her raised their three daughters who all attended Mountain Brook schools.

Though he has never run for political office, the Chattanooga, Tennessee native said he has been active in public service.

Black is currently a member of the Mountain Brook Planning Commission — a position he has served in for the past four years. He has also served on the Mountain Brook Board of Zoning Adjustments for 10 years, five of which he served as its chairman.

Black’s civic, volunteer and professional involvement includes:

• 2015 President of the Alabama Council of the American Institute of Architects (AIA)
• 2015 President of the Saint Andrews Society of the Middle South
• 20110 Episcopal Diocese of Haiti Earthquake Relief Team Leader – Lespwa Temoun Clinic
• 2008 First President and founding board member of the Birmingham Architectural Foundation (now the Alabama Center for Architecture)
• 2005 Episcopal Diocese of Alabama Hurricane Katrina Relief Team Leader -  Bay St. Louis, MS.
• 2007 President of the Birmingham Chapter of the American Institute of Architects

For more information, visit Black’s campaign website at www.facebook.com/Phil-Black-for-Mountain-Brook-City-Council-1770235649923230/.

City Council Place 2 is currently a contested seat. As of July 13, Mountain Brook residents Vincent Schilleci and Tripp Watson are also seeking the council seat. The election will be held Tuesday, Aug. 23, with the purpose of electing the mayor and two members of the City Council. Elections will be held for council places two and four, currently held by Jack Carl and Virginia Smith, this summer. The office of the mayor is also up for election. 

Smith will once again run for office, though Carl and Mayor Oden will not seek reelection.