Four Birmingham City Councilors graduate from Alabama League of Municipalities’ Training Program
Last month, four Birmingham City Council members completed the Alabama League of Municipalities’ (ALM) Economic Development Academy. Councilors Darrell O’Quinn (President), Wardine Alexander (President Pro Tem), Clinton Woods and Hunter Williams were part of this cohort.
As a way to strengthen our communities and foster excellence in municipal governance, ALM offers a wide range of training opportunities for local elected officials. Our City Councils have taken a very active role in engaging with this organization in recent years.
Launched in 2021, the Economic Development Academy is a comprehensive program designed to empower municipal officials with the knowledge and tools needed to drive economic development in their communities.
Through a series of four intensive sessions, participants delve into the key elements and phases of economic development, learning best practices and sharing experiences. The collaborative team approach fosters innovation and empowers municipalities to implement impactful community programs and projects. Academy graduates are recognized at the ALM’s annual Municipal Leadership Institute and receive certification.
Birmingham’s metropolitan area generates over 30% of Alabama’s annual GDP, making it the state’s economic engine. Our elected officials are looking to build coalitions and regional cooperation to keep this momentum moving forward, Council President Pro Tem Wardine Alexander said.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to work alongside so many amazing people who have dedicated their time, and expertise to improving the quality of life in — not only the city of Birmingham — but across our state,” Council President Pro Tem Wardine Alexander said. “I’m thrilled to be with this group of public officials today who share that same level of dedication. We’ve really focused our efforts on working in a regional capacity to bring in more economic development opportunities.”
Having more qualified and trained leaders in Alabama means more institutional knowledge and understanding of how local government can best serve our citizens, Council President Darrell O’Quinn explained.
“True leadership in local government requires a commitment to lifelong learning,” Council President Darrell O’Quinn said following his graduation from the program. “By mastering the intricacies of our city’s operations, it allows us to better anticipate issues, collaborate effectively with stakeholders, and deliver tangible results for our constituents. I’d like to thank the leadership at ALM for their continued effort to empower municipal leaders across our state with these training opportunities.”
Following the recent approval by the Council for infrastructure improvements at the new amphitheater location, Councilor Hunter Williams spoke to the importance of Birmingham maintaining its place as the economic driver in Alabama.
“We all know that tourism, sports and entertainment will be a growing part of our economy in the future,” Councilor Hunter Williams said. “We are finally seeing cooperation between all governmental groups to get ‘big build’ economic development projects…Given the renewed focus from state and local officials in recent years to position Alabama — especially Birmingham — as a destination for large employers to open up shop, I can firmly say that our best days are still in front of us.”
