Illustration by Melanie Veiring
ask the candidate
Mountain Brook residents will vote on two city council seats on Aug. 26. Candidates Gerald Garner and David Silverstein are running to represent Place 2.
The candidates shared why they’re running with Village Living.
Q: What is your approach to supporting Mountain Brook Schools?
Garner: We have a huge role, even if it’s not a day-to-day role. There are school systems around us where the city has much more control. Our main job is to appoint Board of Education members — and that’s a big job. You want to appoint people who care and who have a résumé that has the merits. I try to appoint people who bring extra experience or talents — whether that’s classroom experience or knowledge of education policy. That’s how we support the system. You need thoughtful people who put the schools, the students and parents first.
Silverstein: While the school system is independently governed, the City Council plays a critical role in creating the conditions for excellence, from budgeting to infrastructure to collaboration. As the grandfather of eleven current or future students in Mountain Brook Schools and a member of the Grandparents Committee of the Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation, I care deeply about supporting their success. I’ll work closely with school leadership to ensure our decisions as a city strengthen and reflect the values of our school system.
To read Garner's full Q&A, click here. See Silverstein's full Q&A here.
