City Manager Wanted: Homewood residents approve new city council position

AFFECTED. WELL, ONE LOCAL CITY TAKING A UNIQUE APPROACH TO IMPROVING THEIR COMMUNITY WITH A NEW ROLE IN LEADERSHIP. LAST NIGHT, HOMEWOOD RESIDENTS VOTED TO APPROVE A CHANGE IN THE CITY’S GOVERNMENT, WITH THOSE IN FAVOR COMING OUT ON TOP BY A LITTLE MORE THAN 200 VOTES. WVTM 13 BRYCE OSELEN SPOKE WITH PEOPLE IN HOMEWOOD ABOUT THE CITY’S NEW MANAGER POSITION AND HOW IT WILL BENEFIT RESIDENTS. THE CITY OF HOMEWOOD WILL SOON HIRE A CITY MANAGER. PEOPLE SAY THEY HOPE TO SEE SOMEONE THEY CAN TRUST FILL THE POSITION, AND WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO HIRE SOMEONE WHO’S EXPERIENCED AND PROFESSIONAL AND THEN CAN DO A GOOD JOB OF LEADING HOMEWOOD FORWARD. HOMEWOOD RESIDENTS VOTED IN A SPECIAL ELECTION ON TUESDAY TO MANAGE THEIR CITY DIFFERENTLY. A MANAGER WILL BE SOMEONE THAT WE HAVE DOWN THERE FULL TIME. IT WILL BE SOMEONE THAT CAN HANDLE ALL THE DAY TO DAY BUSINESS THAT WE’VE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IN HOMEWOOD, HOMEWOOD RESIDENT STUART FRANCO SAYS THE JOB OF CITY MANAGER WON’T BE EASY. WE’VE SEEN THE EMBEZZLEMENT. WE’VE SEEN THE, YOU KNOW, THE ROLLOUT OF AMWASTE. WE’VE SEEN SOME ACCOUNTING ISSUES, WE’VE SEEN STUFF THAT WE NEED SOME SOME GOOD LEADERSHIP ON. AND WHILE A CITY MANAGER WILL HELP FIX THOSE THINGS IN THE DAY, IT’S A IT’S ABOUT LEADERSHIP. ACCORDING TO CITY RECORDS, MORE THAN 50% OF VOTERS APPROVED THE CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP. FRANCO SAYS HE’S PATIENTLY WAITING FOR THE MANAGER TO GET TO WORK. YOU KNOW, IT DEPENDS ON THE TRANSITION WITH THE WITH THE OUTGOING MAYOR AND THE INCOMING MAYOR, IT’S UP TO THEM FOR THE TIMETABLE. AND WE JUST HOPE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, HOMEWOOD HAS GOOD LEADERSHIP. HOMEWOOD CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT COULDN’T BE REACHED FOR A COMMENT AT THIS TIME. IN HOMEWOO