City of
PELHAM
NEWSLETTER
Embrace the Outdoors – Southern Style May 2018
Official News from the City of Pelham, Alabama
Get answers with Pelham Connect Since October 2017, the city has had available an outstanding communication tool called Pelham Connect. Just like its name says, the tool can be used to connect with city staff for several reasons. Users can report a concern on multiple issues from barking dogs, parking issues, grass/weeds and debris in yards to damaged garbage bins and potholes. With the new app, users can also access the latest city council agendas, information for building permit requirements and applications, stay up-to-date with the city’s calendar and news, view job opportunities with the city, view Oak Mountain State
Park trail maps, access resolution. When we Parks and Recreation can quantify the information and pay a requests for any given parking ticket or water issue, it helps us put bill. fact to hearsay. For Readers may ask example, we may read why the city manager is on a local blog that, taking up space in a “everyone in the city monthly column to has garbage issues.” write about another When all the issues DiFante web app. The reason is with garbage are put simple…it helps us help into the request tracker you. As you can imagine, we are on Pelham Connect, we can see inundated with requests, and what types of issues our citizens each one is important to us. The are having, identify trends (like hard part is keeping track of how issues in a certain neighborhood), many requests we have for the identify the time it takes to reach same issue or need and ensuring resolution and quantify just how everyone receives response and many issues really exist in any
given area. When we target the problem in such a way, we are much better equipped to solve it for our citizens. We can also track trends enabling us to identify small issues before they become large problems. Please consider registering for Pelham Connect and help us become more responsive to your needs. IPhone: In the App Store the app is titled Civic Plus and you will select Pelham. Android: In Google Play the app is titled Pelham Connect. Gretchen DiFante is the city manager of Pelham.
Embrace the outdoors at Palooza in the Park Pelham City Park is the place to be on Saturday, May 19, as the city of Pelham hosts Palooza in the Park. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. guests are invited to enjoy an array of activities at this free event, powered by Pelham Palooza, Mobley Development and Coca Cola Bottling Company United. The event will feature 60 vendors lined along the walking trails at Pelham City Park, a variety of food trucks and a children’s area, according to Media and Event Coordinator, Paula Holly. Food trucks set to attend the event include 900 Degrees Artisan Pizza, Cookie Destiny, Dixie Land Concessions, El Taco Truck, Kona Ice, Swamp Monster BBQ and Frios Gormet Pops. Holly said all available booth spaces have been filled. The children’s area is sure to impress with multiple inflatables, carnival games, arts and crafts from Macaroni Kid, a bungee trampoline and a rock climbing wall. Holly said performers from Iron City Acrobats will roam throughout the event, stopping periodically to perform for guests. The lawn next to the tennis courts will be reserved for onstage entertainment. Live music performances kick off at 11:30 a.m. with song selections from singersongwriter Raquel Lily, followed by five-piece band Cotton Bird and then event
SPONSORS
UPCOMING EVENTS MAY 3-6
Adult 55’s League Championships Pelham Racquet Club
MAY 6TH
Alabama Interscholastic Cycling League State Championship More than 25 High School Mountain Bike teams compete. Approximately 425 racers will come to Oak Mountain State Park in the fast growing high school sport 8am to 2pm Oak Mountain Park
MAY 6TH
Exploring Natural Alabama: The Amazing Fishes of Alabama 2pm to 3pm Oak Mountain Interpretive Center
MAY 7TH
Youth Government Day Council Meeting Six graders from Pelham Park Middle School and their teachers will visit Pelham City Hall to gain first hand knowledge about municipal government and services. 7pm to 9pm City Hall
MAY 19TH
Palooza in the Park 10am to 4pm Pelham City Park
MAY 19 AND 20TH
Annual Xterra - Pan American Tour Oak Mountain The 13th annual XTERRA Oak Mountain offroad triathlons and trail runs returns to Oak Mountain State Park . The main event combines a 1.5km swim, 30km mountain bike and 10km trail run. 8am to 5 pm Oak Mountain State Park
PHOTO BY KEITH MCCOY
Members of the Swindle and Sketton family enjoy playing a game at last year’s Pelham Palooza.
headliner Margeaux and the Cat’s Meow. Prior to the musical performances, Tiger Rock Martial Arts will perform at 11 a.m. When musicians aren’t performing, a DJ will be provided by Blaze Entertainment. Pelham in the Park is a new twist on the annual event, which had been held at the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena in past years. With ongoing construction at the PCC and the arrival of the Birmingham Bulls, Holly said the venue was no longer a
viable location to host the event. With the city park being home to the recently constructed Pelham Park Middle School, Pelham Recreation Center and Pelham Public Library, Holly said hosting the event there also gives area residents a chance to tour the new facilities if they haven’t already. Guided tours of Pelham Public Library are set to take place at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.; however, guests will also be allowed to tour the facility on their own.
MAY 25, 26, 31
South City Theatre Presents The Importance of Being Earnest 7:30 each night lpine Square, 2969 Pelham pkwy, Suite j-k Pelham AL 35124 “Many of our city venues focus on sports, enjoying the outdoors and promoting community togetherness,” Holly said. “We’re a city that celebrates those things, so having the event at the park fits in perfectly with that.” For more information about Palooza in the Park, go to PalhamPalooza.live or Pelham Palooza on Facebook.
MAY 26TH
Baby Bird Shower at Alabama Wildlife Center We’re expecting!!! Over 1,000 baby birds will arrive at the Alabama Wildlife Center this summer. Chirp on in and help Alabama’s native baby birds at our Baby Bird Shower! Enjoy crafts, games, refreshments, tours of AWC, and bring a gift for the babies! Also meet AWC’s live raptors up close! 11am to 2pm Alabama Wildlife Center
MAY 7TH AND 21ST
Grand opening for new library set for May 17 The grand opening for the new Pelham Public Library will be held Thursday, May 17 at 6 p.m. Each floor of the $4 million, two-story library will be 10,000 square feet. Design for the new library was completed in 2016, and the city broke ground on the new facility in May 2017. During the 2017 groundbreaking, library director Mary Campbell thanked the City Council, the mayor, the library board and the library guild for the parts they each played in the process of constructing a new library. Councilman Maurice Mercer
called the event a “momentous occasion.” “It took a lot of future thinking and future planning to turn this dream into a reality,” he said at the event. The new library has received financial support from local stakeholders, including Alabama Power Company Foundation, Charter Communications, J. Steven Mobley of Mobley Development, Inc., Russell and Heather Bicista and Iberia Bank of Pelham as major donors. State Representatives Arnold Mooney and Matt Fridy donated funds through a Community
Services Grant. The Pelham Public Library Board provided $50,000 to cover building costs. The Library Guild also raised funds locally through Guild members, residents and business owners; the funds were used to help purchase furniture and shelves for the new building. The old Pelham Public Library closed on Monday, April 23. Library director Mary Campbell said the old library is closing to allow time for furniture and books to be moved to the new library. Items checked out from the
library will not be due until after the new library opens. “Beginning April 23, any book that would’ve been due while we’re closed won’t be due back until May 21,” Campbell said. A return drop box will be located at the old library until May 6 for those who would like to return items prior to May 21. After May 6, the drop box will be located at the new library. Books and audio books can be returned to any Shelby County library. However, movies must be returned to the library they were checked out from.
City Council Work Session and Council Meeting 7 p.m. City Hall
MAY 28TH
Pelham City Offices Closed in observance of Memorial Day All Day City Hall
APRIL 30TH TO JUNE 1ST
Pelham Youth Football and Cheer Registation 7am to 5pm City Park
MAY 31-JUNE 3
Adult 40”s League Championship 3.0 and 4.0 Pelham Racquet Club
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