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Staff photo.
Mountain Brook Mayor Stewart Welch has announced he will run for re-election. He has been in office since 2016.
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Photo by Sarah Finnegan.
Stewart Welch
Stewart Welch
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Photo by Sam Chandler
Virginia Smith
Virginia Smith
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Photo by Sam Chandler
Phil Black
Phil Black
Three city officials on Monday publicized their intent to run for re-election.
Mountain Brook Mayor Stewart Welch, City Council President Virginia Smith and Councilman Phil Black announced in a joint press release they will aim to retain their positions in the Aug. 25 municipal elections.
Smith and Black are the only Mountain Brook council members whose terms expire this year. The terms of the other three council members — Billy Pritchard, Lloyd Shelton and Alice Womack — continue until 2022.
Welch succeeded longtime Mayor Terry Oden in November 2016. Welch operates a nationally recognized fee-only financial advisory firm, The Welch Group, that serves clients across the country.
He also has written regular columns and several books on personal finance.
“I have enjoyed serving for the past four years with our council members and employees who work so hard for our city,” Welch said. “It would be an honor for me to continue serving our citizens as mayor.”
Smith, a retired attorney, has served 20 years on the City Council and has been president for three of her terms.
“It’s been my privilege to watch Mountain Brook evolve over the past 20 years and become an even better place to live,” Smith said. “It’s my goal to continue to build on the strengths of our community and take us to the next level.”
Black is a commercial architect who owns the B Group Architecture firm. He is concluding his first term on the council and previously served on the city’s Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Adjustments.
“We’re blessed in many ways, but we also have challenges as a landlocked city,” Black said. “Our focus must continue to be maintaining that balance of attracting and growing businesses while protecting our residential neighborhoods.”
Welch said Black and Smith are part of a “dream team” charting a course for the city's future. Mountain Brook’s mayor, city councilors and all committee members serve without pay.
“Our city was recently rated No. 1 in the nation in multiple categories by a national survey company,” Welch said. “I’m proud to call Mountain Brook my home and look forward to joining my colleagues for another four years dedicated to making our city the best place to live and raise a family in Alabama.”
