New Mountain Brook City Manager Steve Boone discusses his priorities as he takes over for longtime City Manager Sam Gaston, who is retiring after 32 years in the role.
Steve Boone didn’t play football when he earned his degrees at UAB. But the rising Mountain Brook city manager understands a key principle of the game: Don’t fumble the ball.
"That's my main job, just not to fumble the ball, just not mess things up," Boone said. "I'm inheriting a good operation. Hopefully we can make it better. We're always striving to improve but I would expect that it would be a very smooth transition."
The change in city leadership comes amid a broader season of transition for Mountain Brook. A new mayor and City Council will take office on Nov. 3 alongside Boone’s appointment as city manager, following a month of recognitions honoring the city’s outgoing leaders.
For 32 years, Sam Gaston has been the definition of a city manager. Recently, Homewood followed the lead of other municipalities in seeking Gaston’s input as it crafted its transition to a city council–city manager form of government.
The veteran manager has no doubt that his handoff to Boone, the city’s finance director, will be smooth.
"Not at all," the retiring city manager said. "Steve has been such a strong part of our city government here for 29 years and he's been the assistant city manager for maybe 25 of those 29 years. I think he is well qualified and well knowledgeable. Plus, he's got a great staff."
Gaston noted Janet Forbes, who remains as assistant to the city manager, and "a great group of department heads." He also pointed to Jennifer Cornett, the new finance director and assistant city manager, and called her an outstanding hire.
"He's going to be in good shape," Gaston said of Boone. "He's got some younger, energetic council members, and I think that he will be helping them, working with them, and continuing to move the city forward."
"They'll be in good hands, and Mountain Brook will continue to be the premier city in Alabama and one of the premier cities in the nation."
During an Oct. 13 council meeting, Gaston was praised by local and state officials as “the GOAT of city managers.” State Rep. David Faulkner said Gaston is “truly regarded as the GOAT city manager in the state of Alabama,” citing his long-range planning, responsiveness and diplomacy during more than three decades of service. The recognition also honored Mayor Stewart Welch and Council President Virginia Smith, both of whom are stepping down as the city prepares for new leadership in November.
Boone said he knows he’s stepping into a different role.
"I will have a higher degree of responsibility for finishing things that maybe he's wrapped up," Boone said. "I don't know that it's going to be necessarily weird. It's just going to be different. For the next several months, maybe longer, I'm going to be kind of in and out of finance and administration.
"It'll be different and it'll take a while for us to get into our established new patterns and kind of feel where everything is going to fall into place," he said. "But I'm looking forward to it. I think it's going to be an exciting time."
Boone also steps into the city manager role as Mountain Brook prepares for its first sales tax increase in more than 30 years. Approved unanimously by the outgoing City Council on Oct. 13, the 1% increase will take effect April 1, 2026, with funds earmarked for capital improvements such as sidewalks and infrastructure. The increase is projected to generate about $1 million annually, according to finance committee member William Pritchard.
Gaston is pleased that the roundabout was begun and happy that the city got the grant for the final extension of Brookwood Road sidewalks.
"Hopefully, construction will start sometime next summer or fall on that one," he said. "I had hoped that we would have finished those last four lots there on Watson Drive. Apparently, that's not going to happen now."
The bridge replacement on Old Brook Trail and the work underneath the Canterbury Road Bridge were also on Gaston’s wish list to be done before he retired. The Old Brook Trail project is going to be bid out on Nov. 7.
"I won't be here," Gaston said. "I'll still of course be on payroll."
The departing city manager is also disappointed that bidding on the Pine Ridge Road sidewalk project has now been moved back to June 2026.
"I had hoped that one was going to be bid out on Nov. 7 too," he said. "Besides that, all the other things that we pretty well wanted to accomplish have been. Of course, we're working with Steve and Janet and now Jennifer (on) the transition. I think there'll be a smooth transition."
Boone’s first official day as city manager is Nov. 3, although Gaston will be around part of that day. He said he’s moving from a role where he was more of a chief operations officer.
"I deal with all the departments," he said of his finance role. "I'm involved in purchasing. I'm involved in capital projects, construction, anything to do with finance and budget. I'm in risk management. I do a lot of different things; I wear a lot of different hats.
"The things that I've seen have probably been in greater depth than what Sam's seen," Boone continued. "Sam's been more strategic. That's where it's going to get a little bit different. I'm going to have to try to transition that operational piece that I've been doing more over to my successor. That's where it's going to be a little bit different."
