2017-2021 Birmingham City Council
The 2017-2021 Birmingham City Council served as the Birmingham City Council from 2017 to 2021. The nine members were elected by district to concurrent four-year terms in the 2017 Birmingham municipal election on August 22, 2017.
- District 1: Lashunda Scales (third term), resigned November 2018. Clinton Woods was appointed to fill the vacancy on December 18.
- District 2: Hunter Williams (first term)
- District 3: Valerie Abbott (fifth term), President
- District 4: William Parker (first full term)
- District 5: Darrell O'Quinn (first term)
- District 6: Sheila Tyson (second term), resigned November 2018. Crystal Smitherman was appointed to fill the vacancy on December 18.
- District 7: Jay Roberson (third term), President Pro Tempore, resigned September 2018. Wardine Alexander was appointed to fill the vacancy on October 30.
- District 8: Steven Hoyt (fourth term)
- District 9: John Hilliard (first term)
Officers
After the council members were sworn in on October 24, 2017, Valerie Abbott was elected President, with Jay Roberson as President Pro Tempore. After Roberson stepped down, William Parker was elected to serve the remainder of his term as Pro Tem.
On October 22, 2019, the council elected William Parker as its new president, with Wardine Alexander as the council's president pro tempore.
Committees
Council members were assigned to one or more of nine committees (as well as the Committee of the Whole):
- Administrative/Education Committee: Abbott (chair), Roberson, Parker
- Budget & Finance Committee: Abbott (chair), Roberson, O'Quinn
- Community Education/Government Relations Committee: Scales (chair), Abbott, Tyson
- Economic Development Committee: Hilliard (chair), Scales, Roberson
- Parks & Recreation Committee: Parker (chair), Tyson, Hoyt
- Planning & Zoning Committee: Hoyt (chair), O'Quinn, Abbott
- Public Improvement Committee: Tyson (chair), Parker, Williams
- Public Safety Committee: Williams (chair), Hilliard, Hoyt
- Transportation Committee: O'Quinn (chair), Scales, Hilliard
- Utilities/Technology Committee: Roberson (chair), Williams, Parker
Resignations
Council member Jay Roberson stepped down in September 2018 to move to Alabaster after his wife accepted a job with Alabaster City Schools. Sheila Tyson and LaShunda Scales were elected to the Jefferson County Commission in the 2018 general election and therefore resigned their seats that November.
Thirteen applied for District 7 open seat in September: Gwendolyn Calhoun, Gibril Davies Jr, Wardine Alexander, Marcus King, Charles Crockrom, Gertrudis Hunter, Lonnie Malone, Raymond Brooks, Walter Wilson, Theodore L. Smith, Jameania Ravizee and Jeffrey Rowser.
In their October 16 meeting the Council deadlocked 4-4 on whether to appoint Wardine Alexander or Lonnie Malone to Roberson's former District 7 seat. On October 30 Stephen Hoyt changed his vote and Alexander was appointed on by a 5-3 majority.
Fourteen people applied for the District 1 vacancy: Michael Milner, Terrika Shaw, Clinton Woods, Sherman Collins Jr, Brandon McCray, William Harden Jr, John Norman, Sims Smith, Michael Todd, Kintisha Matthews, Alberto Reid, Michael Bell, Cedric Small, and Gwendolyn Welch. Woods, a contractor and the son of Chris Woods, was appointed by a 4-3 vote on December 18, with McCray receiving the other votes. After the vote was taken, the council passed a unanimous resolution supporting his appointment.
Sixteen applied for the open seat in District 6: Keith Williams, Abigail Gambles, Carlos Chaverst Jr, Barry Bearden, Onoyemi Williams, Tony Christon-Walker, Richard Rice, Clarence Muhammad, Keinijel Davis, Carla English, Crystal Smitherman, E. Philemon Hill, LaTanya Millhouse, Willie Maye Jr, Willine Body, Andre McShan, Brandon Cleveland, and Steve Small Jr. Smitherman, a law student and the daughter of Roger and Carole Smitherman, was appointed to the Council by unanimous vote on December 18.
| Preceded by: 2013-2017 Birmingham City Council |
Birmingham City Council 2017-2021 |
Succeeded by: 2021-2025 Birmingham City Council |
References
- Edgemon, Erin (October 30, 2018) "Birmingham City Council makes appointment to empty seat." The Birmingham News
- Edgemon, Erin (September 11, 2018) "13 apply to fill District 7 seat on Birmingham City Council." The Birmingham News
- Prickett, Sam (November 20, 2018) "Applicants for Vacant Council Seats Include Former BoE VP, Former Mayor’s Brother." BirminghamWatch
- Prickett, Sam (December 18, 2018) "Birmingham Council Appoints Two New Members With Familiar Names." BirminghamWatch