Village Living Best of 2025: 5 people who moved the needle

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Governing, guiding and inspiring — these five helped define Mountain Brook’s year. From generational handoffs in City Hall to grit on the gridiron, each story reflects a different dimension of public service, quiet excellence or deep-rooted commitment. Together, they tell us something about what Mountain Brook values — and where it’s going next.

Graham Smith (Mountain Brook’s new mayor): Unopposed and sworn in Nov. 4, Smith arrives with a concise north star: “We are a low debt carrying city…; we really only spend what we have cash to accomplish.” She pairs that with a business-friendly posture — “We try to get out of their way as best we can and let them flourish and thrive” — and a third rail she’s willing to touch: public safety. She’s also bullish on walkability and cross-city collaboration.

Stewart Welch III (Mountain Brook’s former mayor): Two terms, steady output and clean transitions. Welch framed his tenure as culture and execution — from the Veterans Memorial Park transfer to a modernized Fire Station No. 2 — and left office with characteristic pragmatism: “It felt like the perfect time to pass the baton to the next generation.”

Sam Gaston (Mountain Brook’s former city manager): Thirty-two years in the chair and still checking boxes to the finish line — roundabouts near the Zoo, sidewalk segments, station openings, master plans, bridge work. His legacy is visible (villages, sidewalks, Tree City) and structural (a high-functioning team and school partnership).

Steve Boone (Mountain Brook’s new city manager): After 29 years as assistant city manager and finance director, Boone steps into the top job with the advantage of continuity. “He knows the department heads… the workings of the city,” Virginia Smith said.

Lawson McKnight (MBHS football): The definition of team guy. Moved from free safety to running back when injuries piled up, then, with a fractured shoulder suffered on the fourth offensive play at Oxford, ran for 312 yards anyway. “I can’t let this team down.” Season over the next day, he pivoted into a de facto graduate assistant and kept helping from the box. Coach Chris Yeager: “Legendary.”