Photo courtesy of Sandner for Mountain Brook campaign
Joe Sandner IV (second from right) is pictures here with his wife and tree children.
Mountain Brook native Joe Sandner IV has announced his candidacy for Place 4 on the Mountain Brook City Council in the upcoming municipal election.
Sandner, a fourth-generation resident and graduate of Mountain Brook High School, said his lifelong connection to the city and deep respect for its leadership inspired his decision to run.
"I've always admired our city leaders---such as Virginia Smith and Stewart Welch and Billy Pritchard and Brad Sklar---who volunteer their time to serve on City Council and Board of Education and use their talents and expertise to help our city," Sandner said. "It's really from from that admiration and seeing their example that made me want to step into this role."
As the President and COO of Colliers Alabama, Sandner brings 20 years of experience in commercial real estate, as well as a background as a CPA and tax accountant. He said that experience gives him the tools to help the city navigate development and maintain long-term financial stability while continuing to provide the high level of services residents expect.
Sandner currently serves as board president of the City Action Partnership and has been involved with the organization for over 20 years. He is the former board chairman and current advisory council member of Oasis Counseling for Women and Children. Sandner has also served on the board of the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, is a longtime member of the Monday Morning Quarterback Club, has led Children’s Liturgy at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, and has coached youth football and basketball for Mountain Brook Athletics.
His campaign platform centers around preserving Mountain Brook’s quality of life, expanding its revenue base and ensuring financial sustainability.
"Costs are only increasing to fund the services that Mountain Brook residents expect, which makes it even more difficult to do more. And so we need to be finding ways to grow our revenue base so that we're secure for the long term and can continue to fund the services that the residents expect," he said. "In addition, we need to look at creative ways of ensuring that the way our city government operates is as efficient as possible to get the best value out of the taxes that are being paid by residents."
As for city growth, Sandner says it can come from helping existing businesses succeed, not just development. He stressed the importance of the relationship between the council and the Chamber of Commerce to support local retailers and generate increased sales tax revenue.
Sandner also said he supports continued investment in public safety and infrastructure, as well as strong collaboration with the Mountain City Schools. Sandner, his wife and his oldest child are all graduates of Mountain Brook High School, and they currently have two other children enrolled in the system.
"Our school system is our is our top priority, and we should do whatever we can to support and enable our school system to provide a premier education for our students," he said. "It is really the foundation of living in Mountain Brook, and it's important. It's successful. Schools are important to our property values and paramount to our quality of life. I think it's our job to understand what the school system needs and support them in whatever way we can."
Sander is running against Becky Holt for the seat, and the municipal election is set for Aug. 26.
To learn more about Sandner, visit joe4mb.com
