City of
PELHAM
NEWSLETTER
Embrace the Outdoors – Southern Style April 2018
Official News from the City of Pelham, Alabama
Meet Pelham’s new city manager The Pelham City Council elected to move to a new form of government which includes a city manager. While local government with city managers is the most common form of government in the country, there are very few in Alabama. City managers are not politicians and are not permitted to engage in any political activity (including displaying bumper stickers and making campaign contributions) except to exercise their right to vote. The city manager’s job is to lead city staff in the implementation of policy set by the city council. City managers have education and experience much more in line with business management and serve as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer of a local government. They have a broad understanding of and experience in financial and legal issues, municipal regulations and processes, personnel management and more. I am privileged to be able to return to Alabama after living in upstate New York for 29 years to serve as the first city manager in Pelham. This position is exciting
and tricky. I am tasked to and work here and those who partner with city department visit us – to better understand heads to evaluate the priorities of the operations from the people who create and perspectives of sustain our city. From e f f i c i e n c y , these discussions and effectiveness and the collection of a quality. To do this great deal of data, our means initiating city council and mayor discussions and will be able to create a making decisions that vision for the city’s are uncomfortable, future. Our priorities because these will be driven from DiFante discussions may lead this vision. It will be to things being done my responsibility to differently than how we are work with city staff to decide doing them today. Uh-oh, how to best put those priorities change. into action, measure our The good news is we will be effectiveness and adjust course looking at data that tells us how appropriately. we are performing. In order to As you can imagine, change paint a holistic picture to help us driven from this type of process know where we need to be with is much easier to get excited operations, we are launching about. Pelham has a few other two major planning initiatives in important factors working on its the city, and every citizen will behalf: have multiple opportunities for Visionary leadership: I his/her voice to be heard. There have lived in fourteen different will be on-line surveys, public cities and worked for many meetings, small focus groups organizations, both as a senior and discussions with various executive and as a consultant, civic and social groups in order and I can assure you that Pelham to purposefully create two-way has some of the most visionary conversation. We need to hear leaders I have ever met; from Pelham – those who live Outstanding employees:
We have a passionate, hardworking and customer-driven group of employees, most of whom are willing to do anything to see this city succeed; Partnerships: Many communities are successful despite the roadblocks put in place by other government entities and organizations. Pelham’s relationship with the leaders in Shelby County, Pelham City Schools, the state and surrounding municipalities is second to none. We are fortunate to have great team members with whom we can work with and not around. As we begin our long-term planning, I look forward to meeting many more of our community members. For those of you I’ve had the privilege to get to know, thank you for making my family and I feel so welcome in Pelham and back to my Alabama home where iced tea is always in season, fresh shrimp is readily available and where my winter coat, hat and gloves have “mostly” remained in the closet. Gretchen DiFante is the city manager of Pelham.
Bulls eye playoff spot to end first season After an absence of 17 years, the Birmingham Bulls returned to the ice at the Pelham Civic Complex for the 2017-18 hockey season as a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League, featuring 10 of the best minor league hockey teams from around the Southeast. With their return, fans have turned out in droves to show their support for the Bulls. General manager Art Clarkson said he is pleased with the support the team has received from the city of Pelham. “I went to the (BJCC) first and they didn’t want any part of me,” Clarkson said. “As it’s turned out, being out here in Pelham with the city government and Mayor Gary Waters, they’ve done nothing but give us 100 percent support, which has made for a great situation for the hockey team and the city of Pelham.”
PHOTO BY KEITH MCCOY
The Birmingham Bulls have returned to the ice for the first time in 17 years this season. They have two homes games left on April 6 and 7.
The Bulls have had a great first season. Currently in ninth place in the SPHL standings, Birmingham sits one spot outside of the necessary top eight to make the playoffs. After winning 13 of 15 games
and six in a row, the Bulls have lost three in a row, but still have a strong chance to jump into a playoff spot as they’re down just three points to both Mississippi and Roanoke (NE), who have 52 points to the Bulls’ 49 points.
With each win being worth two points and a loss being worth zero, the Bulls still have a very realistic chance at making the postseason. Birmingham has two road games left at Pensacola (FL) on Friday and Saturday, March 3031, before returning home for possibly the Bulls’ last two home games of the season Friday and Saturday, April 6-7. For these games, the Bulls are having a special promotion where the best seats in the building (the gold and silver levels) will be $10 per person. With more than 10,000 likes on their Facebook page and strong attendance for home games, the Bulls have had a magical return that you want to be a part of before the season comes to an end. As the organization and fans would say best, they may be down now, but you just have to “Bullieve.”
Alliance works to unite businesses with community The City of Pelham was recently selected as the best place to live in Alabama. One of the reasons mentioned in the Money Magazine article was the 5,500 businesses located in Pelham. The Pelham Business Alliance (PBA) is on a mission to unite local businesses with the community and to drive awareness and loyalty to these many businesses. The result would be economic growth and further successes in Pelham, Alabama. The PBA offers small business owners an opportunity to share the good, the bad, and the ugly of business ownership with other small business owners. As an organized group, small business owners can share
ideas, offer suggestions for marketing, collaborate to take advantage of discounts, and much more. Members have worked together to design and distribute advertising postcards to Pelham businesses and residents. One business owner will find that others share some of the same frustrations, joys, issues, and answers. That, in itself, is helpful, but as a larger group, members can find solutions more easily and more quickly. Members are becoming familiar with other Pelham businesses that they were previously unaware of, discovering products and services that are available, right here in Pelham, and developing relationships
with new and different people. Ads on the PBA Facebook page are available to members, as are discounts to participating Pelham businesses, and regular monthly workshops led by other Alliance members. The workshop subject matter ranges from marketing, to banking, to accounting, to how to recognize new opportunities to grow your business. The PBA has events and activities planned throughout the year to encourage residents to “Think Local” and patronize local Pelham businesses. When residents decide to make a purchase or need a service provider, the PBA suggests they first think of the local businesses in Pelham. The Pelham Palooza
on May 19, 2018, will be the next event where the PBA will be in front of Pelham residents to showcase local businesses. Meetings of The Pelham Business Alliance are scheduled on the eighth of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. If the eighth falls on a weekend, then meetings will be held on the following Monday. There will be one evening meeting per quarter to accommodate those business owners who cannot get away during the day. The meetings are held at IBERIABANK (2695 Pelham Parkway). Please come to any of the meetings, check out our Facebook page, or contact Karen Apel at 205-664-5757 or karen. apel@empireautohaus.com.
UPCOMING EVENTS MARCH 31
City Easter Egg Hunt The city’s annual egg hunt, which is free to attend, will kick off at 9 a.m. at the youth football field at Pelham City Park, 555 Ballpark Road. The Easter Bunny will be available for pictures. Easter Egg Hunt and Spring Market Oak Mountain State Park’s 11th Annual Easter Egg Hunt and Spring Market will offer kids’ activies and pictures with the Easter Bunny from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
APRIL 2 AND 16
City Council Work Session and Meeting A work session and council meeting will be held April 2 and 16 from 6-8 p.m. in the Council Conference Room and Council Chambers at Pelham City Hall, 3162 Pelham Parkway.
APRIL 6
Birmingham Bulls vs. Macon Mayhem Watch the Bulls take on the Macon Mayhem at 7:30 p.m. at the Pelham Ice Arena, 500 Amphitheater Road. Visit Bullshockey.net.
APRIL 7
Birmingham Bulls vs. Huntsville Havoc Watch the Birmingham Bulls take on the Huntsville Havoc in the last game of the season at 7 p.m. at the Pelham Ice Arena, 500 Amphitheater Road. Visit Bullshockey.net. Spring Clean Up Day – Heavy Trash Residents will have the opportunity to discard items not normally picked up by Advanced Disposal. All items need to be curbside by 6 a.m. Spring Clean Up Day – E-Recycling ProTec Recycling will be at Pelham City Hall on Saturday, April 7 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. to provide free electronic recycling for our residents with two exceptions: Hard Drive Shredding and CRT Monitor Recycling are $10 each. No TVs will be accepted at this event.
APRIL 8-15
Legacy Women’s Pro Circuit Tournament The Pelham Racquet Club is hosting its Legacy Women’s $25,000 Pro Circuit Tournament the week of April 8 - 15 at 100 Racquet Club Parkway, Pelham. Visit Pelhamracquetclub.com.
APRIL 13
REFIT Experience Come be a part of the REFIT® Experience at Pelham Rec Center. We will offer a free highenergy class on Friday, April 13.
APRIL 17
Pelham Business Council Mayor Gary W. Waters and the City Council will hold a meeting of the Pelham Business Council at 11 a.m. at the Pelham Civic Complex, 500 Amphitheater Road. Be sure to attend this meeting where you will have the opportunity to provide input on how the city can be more supportive of businesses.
APRIL 18 AND 25
Ballantrae Spring Ladies Golf Clinic Ballantrae Golf Club will host a Spring Ladies Golf Clinic Wednesdsay, April 18 and 25 at 8:30 a.m. Visit Ballantraegolf.com.
APRIL 19
Taste of Pelham The Pelham Library Guild will host the Taste of Pelham featuring 27 food vendors from 6 to 8 p.m. on April 19 at the Pelham Civic Center. Visit Pelhamlibrary.com for ticket information.
Pelham City Council Members
Rick Hayes
Mildred Lanier
Beth McMillan
Maurice Mercer
Ron Scott
Gary Waters
Council President rickhayes@ pelhamalabama.gov
Council President Pro Tempore mildredlanier@ pelhamalabama.gov
Council Member bethmcmillan@ pelhamalabama.gov
Council Member mauricemercer@ pelhamalabama.gov
Council Member ronscott@ pelhamalabama.gov
Mayor mayor@ pelhamalabama.gov
CITY OF PELHAM 3162 Pelham Parkway Pelham, AL 35124 205-620-6400