Dear Birmingham,
On behalf of the City of Mountain Brook, I’d like to invite you to come experience all that makes our community special, and sincerely welcome you, our local friends and neighbors.
Mountain Brook offers the best of both worlds — the amenities of a larger city with the friendliness and charm of a small town. Our five walkable villages are full of unique shops, great local dining, and familiar faces. Add in our beautiful tree-lined streets, historic homes, and more than 50 miles of sidewalks and trails, and you’ll see why we love calling this place home.
There’s always something happening — from parades and art shows to village markets, festivals, and community nights hosted by our first responders. Whether attending community events, shopping local, or just enjoying a stroll through one of our neighborhoods, Mountain Brook offers a true sense of connection.
As a community, we stay focused on three things that matter most: strong stewardship of our residents’ tax dollars, support of our school system, and resident safety. These priorities guide everything we do.
However, we recognize that these endeavors do not happen alone or by accident. Through partnerships with our neighboring cities, we are able to streamline public safety initiatives, negotiate as a collective to ensure efficient waste and trash disposal, build infrastructure that benefits multiple cities, strengthen our park, trail and sidewalk systems, and mobilize our first responders across jurisdictions when needed. This all happens through daily collaboration. We are, have been, and will continue to unite to strengthen our region.
So to our neighbors across the Birmingham metro– come visit us soon! Spend the day exploring our villages, meeting our merchants, and experiencing what makes Mountain Brook such a special place to live, work, and play. We are all stronger when working together, and we look forward to welcoming you!
Graham Smith
Mayor of Mountain Brook
Dear Birmingham,
I am honored to share how proud I am of the spirit that defines Vestavia Hills. Unity, prosperity, and family are more than words featured in our city logo, they are the foundation of how we live, serve and care for one another every day.
Whether it’s cheering on our local student-athletes, supporting city beautification projects, or volunteering through civic or faith-based groups, our residents show up for each other. Commitment to education, health, and safety continues to be a cornerstone of life in Vestavia Hills. Our school system is consistently ranked among the state’s best, with a mission to provide a safe, student-centered environment focused on academic excellence and personal growth. Additionally, our Police and Fire Departments remain leaders in community-based public safety, not only through fast, professional emergency response, but through outreach efforts that educate residents and build lasting relationships.
Our parks, library, and other public spaces continue to be places where friendships are formed and strengthened. Community walking trails and green spaces are more than amenities – they are invitations for all of us to slow down, connect with friends and family and enjoy the vibrant, welcoming atmosphere we are known for.
Vestavia Hills stands as a community defined by a deep commitment to building a place where everyone feels safe, valued, and “at home.” I believe that is something worth celebrating and preserving.
As a regional partner, we know that we are stronger when we work together and collaborate with surrounding cities for mutual benefits. Negotiating sanitation services collectively, establishing infrastructure to support pedestrian connectivity, and mobilizing first responders through mutual aid agreements are just a few ways that make our entire region stronger.
We hope you will visit us soon to see all that Vestavia Hills has to offer!
Warm regards,
Ashley Curry
Mayor, City of Vestavia Hills
Dear Birmingham,
In moments of challenge, we are reminded of what truly binds us together — our unity, our compassion, and our shared belief that every neighbor deserves to thrive. In November, when cities were confronted with the pause of SNAP benefits, Birmingham showed its heart. With a commitment from the city and a call to action – nonprofits, faith partners, businesses, and volunteers responded in unison, “how can we help?” That’s what community looks like here. That’s the “magic” of our city.
I am overrun with optimism because of the foundation we are building for the future. Through the Birmingham Promise, we continue to guarantee debt-free college for our public high school graduates while expanding workforce development programs that help residents of all ages access new opportunities. And soon, a city-run childcare center for municipal employees will open its doors — ensuring that the people who serve Birmingham can also care for their families.
Our commitment to neighborhood revitalization remains steadfast. We’re focused on affordable housing in Smithfield, College Hills, and Graymont — historic neighborhoods that shaped the city’s identity — while launching projects to reduce flooding, improve air quality, and promote healthier living. This year, through GoBHM, we are asking those who call Birmingham home to let us know their thoughts as we strive for a more walkable, bike-able city with a transportation system that fits our needs and makes sense.
Every one of these efforts speaks to who we are: a city determined to look out for one another, to build bridges across our communities, and to move forward together.
In service to our city,
Randall L. Woodfin
Mayor of Birmingham
Dear Birmingham,
When I think about what makes the greater Birmingham metro area so special, it’s not just the skyline, the parks, or the many amenities we all enjoy – it’s the people who connect our cities every day. Someone might wake up in Hoover, commute to work in downtown Birmingham, have lunch in Homewood, go for a run in Mountain Brook, and end the evening cheering on a game in Vestavia Hills. That rhythm of connection is what makes our region thrive.
Our communities are distinct, but our success is shared. When one of us grows, we all benefit. When one of us faces a challenge, the strength of our neighbors helps us rise again. That spirit of cooperation – working together and serving one another beyond city lines – has always defined this region.
As a former police chief, I’ve seen that cooperation in action. When severe weather strikes, emergency response teams from Hoover, Birmingham, Mountain Brook, and other cities come together – clearing roads, providing aid, and helping families get back on their feet. In those moments, no one asks where the city limits end. We simply show up for each other.
That is the Birmingham metro I know – a region built on cooperation, compassion, and community. As we look to the future, let’s continue strengthening these bonds by working together, sharing resources, and investing in one another’s success. Through partnership and goodwill, we won't just build better cities, we build a region we can all be proud to call home.
Sincerely,
Nick Derzis
Mayor of Hoover
Dear Birmingham,
You know the old saying: If you are traveling out of state and someone asks where you are from, you answer “Birmingham.” Not one of the other 34 municipalities in Jefferson County, but "Birmingham.”
I am honored to wear several hats in Jefferson County, including Jefferson County Greenways Commissioner, longtime Homewood City Councilor, former Jefferson County Councilor Coalition (JC3) Chair, an employee of Freshwater Land Trust, and now Mayor of Homewood. In each of these roles, I deeply believe that regional cooperation and a strong Birmingham city bring a greater quality of life for all of our citizens.
The Jefferson County Mayors Association and JC3 make regional cooperation a reality. We are all facing similar challenges and welcome regional opportunities, so of course it makes sense to work together across city lines.
In Homewood, a real-life example is our under-engineered bridge at Hollywood Boulevard over Highway 280, which is frequented by pedestrians and cars alike, and earns an “F” rating at high traffic times. This bridge is in Birmingham, connecting Homewood and Mountain Brook, over a state highway. We have an incredible team with representatives from each city and excellent leadership from Jefferson County, and are finally about to move forward with a much-needed solution for improved traffic flow and safe pedestrian access.
Another successful example of regional cooperation is the newly formed Jefferson County Greenways Commission (JCGC), of which I serve as a Commissioner. JCGC manages our three large greenspaces—Red Mountain Park, Ruffner Mountain, and Turkey Creek Nature Preserve— at the County level. Homewood’s zip code represents the second highest number of visitors to Red Mountain Park, just to Homewood’s west in the city limits of Birmingham.
These three large-acre parks provide recreational opportunities for improved physical and mental health for our residents, and fuel eco-tourism for Jefferson County, providing economic benefits.
Freshwater Land Trust’s Red Rock Trail System® is a planned 750-mile network that will bring every Jefferson County resident within one mile of a trail or greenspace. The Red Rock Action Plan connects Red Mountain Park to Railroad Park to Ruffner Mountain and back through several Jefferson County municipalities. Homewood’s Shades Creek Greenway (aka the Lakeshore Trail) is the largest east-west connector currently in the Red Rock Action Plan, at four beautiful miles along Shades Creek. These trail projects bring transportation alternatives, health benefits and economic development opportunities to Jefferson County.
I am honored to represent Homewood at a time that our regional leaders recognize that by working together across city lines, we build a better Birmingham!
Jennifer Andress
Mayor of Homewood
Our communities are distinct, but our success is shared. When one of us grows, we all benefit.