Birmingham mayoral town hall: from left,
Emory Anthony, William Bell and Scott Douglas.

Five candidates for mayor of Birmingham came to Tuesday’s town hall. The event, sponsored by progressive young professional group Catalyst, took place at WorkPlay before hundreds of attendees.

Topics ranged from the budget to the arts to local food, with questions from audience members and the moderator.

The participants:

• Emory Anthony;
• William Bell;
• Scott Douglas;
• Steven Hoyt;
• Carole Smitherman.

(Organizers invited Patrick Cooper, who did not attend citing previous commitments. At the beginning of the event, T.C. Cannon asked to participate but was denied.)

From left, Steven Hoyt, Carole Smitherman
and moderator Natalie Davis.

Included below are audio clips of the candidates’ responses.

1. Candidate introductions
Order: Anthony, Bell, Douglas, Hoyt, Smitherman.
[15 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralTownHall12-01-09/BirminghamMayoralTownHall2009-1.mp3]

Moderator questions

2. Fixing the city’s financial mess
Order: Bell, Douglas, Hoyt, Smitherman, Anthony.
[9 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralTownHall12-01-09/BirminghamMayoralTownHall2009-2.mp3]

3. Where to cut city budget
Order: Douglas, Hoyt, Smitherman, Anthony, Bell.
[4 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralTownHall12-01-09/BirminghamMayoralTownHall2009-3.mp3]

4. What do you want to be your biggest accomplishment in 2 years as mayor?
Order: Hoyt, Smitherman, Anthony, Bell, Douglas.
[5 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralTownHall12-01-09/BirminghamMayoralTownHall2009-4.mp3]

Audience questions

5. How can the mayor facilitate partnerships among families, schools and communities?
Order: Smitherman, Hoyt, Douglas, Bell, Anthony.
[7 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralTownHall12-01-09/BirminghamMayoralTownHall2009-5.mp3]

6. Air pollution
Order: Hoyt, Douglas, Bell, Anthony, Smitherman.
[7 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralTownHall12-01-09/BirminghamMayoralTownHall2009-6.mp3]

7. Supporting local food initiatives / community gardens
Order: Douglas, Bell, Anthony, Smitherman, Hoyt.
[6 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralTownHall12-01-09/BirminghamMayoralTownHall2009-7.mp3]

8. Arts funding
Order: Bell, Anthony, Smitherman, Hoyt, Douglas.
[5 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralTownHall12-01-09/BirminghamMayoralTownHall2009-8.mp3]

9. Making it a “Magic City” / attracting young people
Order: Anthony, Bell, Douglas, Hoyt, Smitherman.
[6 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralTownHall12-01-09/BirminghamMayoralTownHall2009-9.mp3]

10. If you don’t win, how will you make Birmingham better during the next 2 years?
Order: Bell, Douglas, Hoyt, Smitherman, Anthony.
[6 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralTownHall12-01-09/BirminghamMayoralTownHall2009-10.mp3]

11. Closing statements
Order: Douglas, Hoyt, Smitherman, Anthony, Bell.
[9 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralTownHall12-01-09/BirminghamMayoralTownHall2009-11.mp3]

Also: a town hall report from the Birmingham News.

The election takes place Dec. 8.

• • •

More Vote 2009 coverage.

The Birmingham Business Alliance put on a mayoral forum Monday at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. Nine candidates answered questions submitted ahead of time and from the moderators on economic development.

About 150 people attended the nighttime event at the Alabama School of Fine Arts.

The participants:

• William Bell;
• T.C. Cannon;
• Steven Hoyt;
• Stephannie Sigler Huey;
• Edith Mayomi;
• Carole Smitherman;
• Jason Sumners;
• Jody Trautwein;
• Harry “Traveling Shoes” Turner.

Included below are audio clips of the candidates’ responses.

1. Candidate introductions (up to 60 seconds each)
Order: Cannon, Bell, Hoyt, Huey, Mayomi, Smitherman, Sumners, Trautwein, Turner.
[10 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/MayoralForum11-30-09Part1/MayoralForum11-30-09Part1.mp3]

2. How to encourage entrepreneurship and small business development (up to 90 seconds each)
Order: Bell, Hoyt, Huey, Mayomi, Smitherman, Sumners, Trautwein, Turner, Cannon.
[12 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/MayoralForum11-30-09Part2/MayoralForum11-30-09Part2.mp3]

3. How to attract and retain young professionals
Order: Hoyt, Huey, Mayomi, Smitherman, Sumners, Trautwein, Turner, Cannon, Bell.
[13 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralForum11-30-09Part3-9/MayoralForum11-30-09Part3.mp3]

4. Candidates’ financial experience
Order: Huey, Mayomi, Smitherman, Sumners, Trautwein, Turner, Cannon, Bell, Hoyt.
[12 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralForum11-30-09Part3-9/MayoralForum11-30-09Part4.mp3]

5. Move forward with domed stadium?
Order: Mayomi, Smitherman, Sumners, Trautwein, Turner, Cannon, Bell, Hoyt, Huey.
[13 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralForum11-30-09Part3-9/MayoralForum11-30-09Part5.mp3]

6. Airport expansion
Order: Smitherman, Sumners, Trautwein, Turner, Cannon, Bell, Hoyt, Huey, Mayomi.
[12 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralForum11-30-09Part3-9/MayoralForum11-30-09Part6.mp3]

7. Legion Field (up to 30 seconds each)
Order: Sumners, Trautwein, Turner, Cannon, Bell, Hoyt, Huey, Mayomi, Smitherman.
[3 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralForum11-30-09Part3-9/MayoralForum11-30-09Part7.mp3]

8. City takeover of Birmingham school system?
Order: Trautwein, Turner, Cannon, Bell, Hoyt, Huey, Mayomi, Smitherman, Sumners.
[5 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralForum11-30-09Part3-9/MayoralForum11-30-09Part8.mp3]

9. Support Gov. Riley’s plan for turning U.S. 280 into toll road?
Order: Turner, Cannon, Bell, Hoyt, Huey.
(Due to technical error, audio ends without 30-second responses made by Mayomi, Smitherman, Sumners and Trautwein.)
[2 min.]

[audio:http://www.archive.org/download/BirminghamMayoralForum11-30-09Part3-9/MayoralForum11-30-09Part9.mp3]

Also: Birmingham News summary of the forum.

Video: NBC 13 report on the forum

The election takes place Dec. 8.

• • •

More Vote 2009 coverage.

A group calling itself the Birmingham Roundtable has scheduled a debate for Dec. 3, but has invited only five of the 14 candidates for mayor.

How did the Roundtable form?

A few weeks ago, a lively debate about the future of Birmingham politics broke out at downtown’s Surin West. The result? A group of young, working Alabamians decided to make their voices heard and organize a debate of the five leading candidates.

This informal group, led by Tracie A. Todd, included young African-American lawyers, grassroots organizers, bankers, teachers, politicians and business professionals. The group has coined itself the Birmingham Roundtable … dedicated to engaging young adults in the political and civic communities.

Birmingham Roundtable mayoral candidate debate

• When: 6 p.m. Dec. 3
• Where: Vulcan Conference Room, Highland Conference Center, 2012 Magnolia Ave. [map]
• Format: debate. Organizers invited Emory Anthony, William Bell, Patrick Cooper, Stephen Hoyt and Carole Smitherman; so far Anthony, Bell and Hoyt have accepted.
• For more information: See the Urbanham.com story or e-mail organizer Tracie A. Todd at tracietodd9@hotmail.com.

Other upcoming forums:

• Nov. 30: Birmingham Business Alliance candidate forum
• Dec. 1: Catalyst 2009 mayoral town hall

The election takes place Dec. 8.

• • •

More Vote 2009 coverage.

Two more candidates are in the race for mayor of Birmingham bringing the total to 14.

• T.C. Cannon — retired bar owner and former president of the Southside neighborhood association. He placed eighth in the 2003 mayoral election.
• William Jason Sumners — no information available.

Also, Natalie Davis, political science professor at Birmingham-Southern College, and André Natta, publisher of the Terminal, discuss the candidates and themes so far in this election.

Here’s the final list of candidates:

• Emory Anthony
• William Bell
• T.C. Cannon (see above)
• Patrick Cooper
• Scott Douglas
• Ernie Dunn
• Steven Hoyt
• Stephannie Sigler Huey
• Edith Mayomi
• Carole Smitherman
• Jimmy Snow
• William Jason Sumners (see above)
• Jody Trautwein
• Harry “Traveling Shoes” Turner

The election takes place Dec. 8.

• • •

More Vote 2009 coverage.

Scott Douglas to announce his candidacy also on Thursday

William Bell has entered the race for mayor of Birmingham, or at least, has announced his media conference for 10 a.m. Thursday in Linn Park. The Jefferson County commissioner and former city councilor announced his intention via media release [pdf].

Bell served briefly as interim mayor following the retirement of Richard Arrington. He ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1999, 2003 and 2007, coming closest in 2003 until the runoff election against incumbent Bernard Kincaid. He began his service on the city council in 1979 and was the first black council president.

He devised the Bell Plan, selling the Birmingham Water Works for $200 million that went to school improvements.

Bell’s campaign Web site, WilliamBellForMayor.com, appears to be under construction.

• • •

Scott Douglas also intends to run. His conference will also be at 10 a.m. Thursday, but at Kelly Ingram Park.

Douglas announced via a media release [pdf] (written in the past tense) on his campaign site, DouglasForMayor.org, defining his platform as “green jobs, green schools, green transportation, green communities.”

He has served since 1992 as executive director of Greater Birmingham Ministries, an interfaith group that serves the underprivileged and functions as community organizer.

The number of mayoral candidates has reached 11.

Hat tip to The Terminal for breaking stories on both candidates.

Also:

• Bhamwiki tracks the mayoral candidates

• • •

More Vote 2009 coverage.

Then and now

Does not compute: Back in his Fairfield days, Mayor Langford set up a charity with pals John Katopodis and Richard Scrushy to get computers to kids. Except that tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars went to him, Katopodis and a gay porn star. All of this came out in court as HealthSouth and Katopodis sued each other.

Both sides settled in March without revealing the terms of the deal. Frankly, plenty was revealed already.

Meanwhile, Langford’s latest effort to give computers to kids rolls on, having ordered an additional 14,000 laptops this week without Birmingham school board approval. The technology upgrades could cost millions for a system already struggling to keep facilities open.

More on Larry Langford and John Katopodis.

Keep reading for more updates, plus a scandalous photo of yours truly, after the jump …

(more…)

Bell wins Jefferson County Commission seat

Mike Huckabee has won the Republican primary in Alabama. He has 41 percent of the votes with 99 percent of the boxes counted. CNN says that he’ll win 14 delegates, while John McCain (at 37 percent) will win 13 delegates.

Barack Obama has won the state’s Democratic primary. He has 56 percent of the votes with 99 percent of the boxes counted. CNN projects that he’ll earn 20 delegates, while Hillary Clinton, with 42 percent of the vote, will earn 21(!) delegates.

Also, Birmingham city council member William Bell has won Place 1 on the Jefferson County Commission.

• • •

Complete Vote 2008 coverage.