By Nathan Prewett
HOOVER – A new city administrator was introduced during a meeting of the Hoover City Council on Monday, Sept. 18.
Ken Grimes replaces previous administrator Allan Rice, who had served in the position for 15 years before his retirement. Grimes was present with his family at the meeting.
“We are really grateful to have Ken as part of our team,” said Mayor Frank Brocato. “Tremendous amount of experience. He’s come full circle.”
Grimes grew up in Bessemer and had worked in the chamber of commerce and economic development before relocating to Orange Beach where he worked for 20 years.
“And the thing that has impressed me about him is he’s absolutely a fine gentleman, a wonderful family,” said Brocato. “But his experience really stood out and I knew we really needed someone who would step in and knows the job and I’m convinced that Ken can step in and change the name from Orange Beach to Hoover.”
Brocato noted Grimes’ dealing with issues during an oil spill caused by BP in 2010, which affected Orange Beach, as well as hurricane events.
“You know, disaster management is not everything that we do up here,” Brocato said. “We certainly folks in that business but to have that knowledge and the recovery aspect is golden.”
Grimes spoke briefly after Brocato.
“It’s a special place,” he said. “And it’s truly exciting for what we have ahead of us. It’s been something through this process that I truly am blessed and I’m blessed to have such a family that’s been supportive of public service and all of the things we’ve gone through, and hopefully all of the issues that [Brocato] mentioned we will deal with promptly and quickly, and hurricanes turn into tornados but we’ll deal with it.”
In other business the council:
- Heard a presentation from Hoover Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Alice DeLuca on a strategic marketing and economic plan overview,
- Approved an alcohol license for Yum Yai Thai Takeout,
- Approved an alcohol license for Ippin Ramen,
- Entered into an agreement with the Cahaba Solid Waste Disposal Authority,
- Approved a financial manual for the city,
- Entered into an agreement with Robert Yeager for special projects and to be City Treasurer effective Oct. 1,
- Approved a franchise agreement with MCIMetro Access Transmission Services Corp. doing business as Verizon Access Transmission Services to allow for a fabric mesh innerduct inside the existing franchisee-owned, two-inch wide HDPE conduit in place of a secondary two-inch HDPE,
- Amended Article 1, Section 6 of the municipal code to insert R 402.4.1.2 testing and table R 405.4.2, specifications for standard reference and proposed designs,
- Granted conditional use for a cosmetology school for a property located at 2169 Rocky Ridge Road,
- Granted conditional use for a tattoo studio for a property located at 3133 Lorna Road, Suite 103,
- Amended Chapter 11.5, Sections 11.5- 1.1 of the municipal code to exclude the Hoover Metropolitan Complex from the definition of athletic parks and amended Sections 11.5- 1.1, 11.5-4(E), And 11.5-5(E) to allow for the possession, consumption and sale of alcoholic beverages a passive or playground parks and preserves if a special event permit from the city has been obtained pursuant to Chapter 13, Section 13.4 of the municipal code, and
- Adopted the general fund budget, a special revenue fund budget, and a capital project fund budget.
Hoover City Council meets on the first and third Mondays of every month at City Hall on 100 Municipal Lane. Livestream recordings can be found on the city’s YouTube channel.
