Village Living
| August 2012 |
www.VillageLivingOnline.com
neighborly news & entertainment for Mountain Brook
Back-to-School Fashion-pg 8
Cheer camp awards- pg 15
Volume 3 | Issue 5 | August 2012
A lifetime of public service Mayor Terry Oden set to begin fifth term, discusses projects of past, present and future By RICK WATSON Long before Terry Oden took the reins as mayor of Mountain Brook, he handled a very critical government assignment: Protecting former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in New York. That sensitive job the year after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated came in Oden’s first year working for the U.S. Secret Service. He later joined the White House team, protecting presidents and fulfilling assignments that sent him to all corners of the globe in a career that spanned the years from 1964 to 1989. Almost 50 years since that first government assignment, Oden is continuing his lifelong commitment to public service. With no challenger in the upcoming election, he will begin his fifth term as mayor of Mountain Brook in November. He has held the mayoral role since 1996, and the new term will see him reach the 20-year mark in the mayor’s chair. Looking back on his tenure as Mountain Brook’s mayor, he cited developing the Birmingham Zoo as a key project. “Several years ago, the old Shades Valley property came up for sale,” he said. “I’d heard a developer wanted to bring a K-Mart in there.” Oden got the City of Mountain Brook involved
See ODEN | page 28
August Features City Council Crime report Mountain Brook events Village Fashion Library calendar Kari Kampakis Village Sports School House Business Spotlight Restaurant Showcase Dale Wisely Around the Villages Calendar of Events
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Mayor Terry Oden looks over plans for the city’s new municipal complex from the temporary city hall building. The mayor will begin his fifth four-year term in office in November. Photo by Madoline Markham.
City council remains unchanged August 28 election cancelled
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No new candidates entered the city election in July, so current council members Jack Carl and Virginia Smith will continue to serve on the council. Pictured is the full council: Jack Carl, Billy Pritchard, Virginia Smith, Amy Carter, Jesse Vogtle and Mayor Terry Oden (seated). Photo courtesy of the City of Mountain Brook.
By KATEY COURTNEY The qualifying period for the August 28 Mountain Brook city elections ended on July 17 with no new applicants. Only incumbents for the three open positions had entered, so the city cancelled the previously scheduled election. “I’m surprised that no one signed up to run against any of us,” said current City Council President Virginia Smith, a 12-year member of the council. “We heard that a few people were inquiring about running, but no one ever did. I’m surprised, but pleased.” Smith will remain in Place 4 on the council, and Place 2 Council Member Jack Carl and Mayor Terry Oden will also remain in office for another four years. The City Council is made of five representatives plus the mayor. Places are held at-large, not by district. There are no term limits, and the members are not compensated. Each council member serves a four-year term, and elections are held every two years in order to stagger the terms. “This is the first time that we haven’t had any opposition since the staggered elections began,” said City Clerk Steve
See CITY COUNCIL | page 26