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Council hears Leadership Mountain Brook presentations, approves new stop signs

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The Mountain Brook City Council on Monday night, April 25, heard presentations from four student groups as part of the Leadership Mountain Brook class year-end assignment. Juniors and seniors addressed the council with varying ideas on services to both serve the city and help fund future Leadership classes.

This year’s Leadership class, led by Amber Benson of Mountain Brook High School and Hannon Davidson of the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce, was made up of students Anne Raines Doidge, Lindsey Brakefield, Virginia Beasley, Annie Hughes, Mary Margaret Grammas, Kate Dodson, Sarah Tate Kelly, Henry Kilpatrick, Ansley Balough, Patrick Trammell, Harris McCullough, Creagh Goings, Anne Marie Perri ,Mary Margaret De La Torre, Hadley Hitson, Sarah Beth Daniel, Harris Crews, Murphy Barze, Drew White and Arthur Barnes.

One group shared ideas on how the city could bring the Zyp BikeShare program to residents. Initial installation would cost approximately $50,000, they said, but up to 80 percent can be paid for with federal grants. Council members expressed interest in the idea, especially with plans to install the program currently under consideration in Homewood. The BikeShare program, popular in areas such as Downtown Birmingham, allows riders to rent bicycles for a small fee for 45 minute periods. Bikes can then be returned to any Zyp station.

The Buttons Group, as the students call it, shared with the council how it has expanded sales of its “Buttons Explores the Brook,” book that was at first a class-wide project. Since the book’s launching, the Buttons Group has continued to sell the book at various shops around the city and now has also launched an interactive coloring book featuring the same characters. Proceeds from sales of the books and coloring books will benefit future Leadership classes. This Sunday, April 30, the Buttons Group will also carry out the second-ever Little Leader Day, where young students from city schools will have the opportunity to meet and learn from various city leaders. More than 30 kids are signed up to participate in the event, scheduled to take place at the same time as Taste of Mountain Brook.

A third group of students shared its thoughts on why and how the city should consider creating an ad hoc art committee to bring more public art to the villages. The art, group members explained, would help add interest and beauty to the city. It could be commissioned and paid for by fundraisers or donated. Art, such as sculptures, murals and tile installations could be placed throughout the city, the group said.

The final group of students created Mountain Brook T-shirts that are currently for sale at Smith’s Variety. The shirts feature a simple design on purpose, the group said, featuring the words “Mountain Brook” on the front and a hand-drawn rendition of the city’s most noticeable landmarks—such as the Crestline clock tower, the old mill and the Gilchrist building—on the back. Proceeds from the sale of the T-shirts will benefit future Leadership classes.

Tonight, the council also:

The next regular meeting of the Mountain Brook City Council will be May 9 at 7 p.m. in the Council Chamber of City Hall, 56 Church Street.

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