Meet Birmingham City Commission Candidates -- All 13 of Them -- at Forum

Four Birmingham City Commissioners are stepping down at the end of their terms this year and taking with them 50 years of combined experience. Ready to fill their shoes are 13 candidates whose names will be on the Nov. 3 election ballot.

All 13 contenders will appear together in a public forum at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17, at Next, formerly known as BASCC. Each candidate will make brief opening remarks followed by a period of questions and answers. The evening’s moderator will be Jay Grossman, longtime reporter from the Birmingham Eccentric.

Cris Braun, executive director of Next, who was integral in organizing this forum, is ensuring that simply because Next is a community center for anyone 50 or better, issues important to Baby Boomers and their parents will not be the sole focus of the evening,

“Of course we are all interested in hearing the candidates’ views on the growing impact of 50 plus population in Birmingham, but those won’t be the only questions that will be put to them,” Braun said in a statement. “Hopefully, the issues covered will be ones that Birmingham residents, and anyone who works, shops or spends time in the city will find important.”

Braun said some of the topics she expects will be covered are road design, parking, and business development – Topics, she reiterated, that are important to everyone who enjoys and spends time Birmingham, not just residents,

“People living in the surrounding communities make Birmingham their downtown,” Braun said. “I would encourage anyone who is interested in the future of their community to attend this forum.”

This forum is part of a larger effort on the part of Next to connect the community to their city officials and community leaders. Next’s Know Your Community events have already hosted John Heiney, executive director of the Birmingham Principal Shopping District, and Beverly Hills’ Village Manager Chris Wilson.

Over the next three months Next will host Birmingham Police Commander Scott Grewe, Birmingham City Manager Joe Valentine, and Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard. All of these events, like the upcoming candidates forum, are free and open to the public.

Braun said she wants Next to be a place for everyone to be able to come and learn about their community, not just Next members.

“I think we have an obligation in making this the best possible community we can,” she said. “One of the ways to do that is to make Next a place for sharing ideas and providing a place for citizens to hear directly from the community leaders charged with shaping the future of where we live, work, raise our children and care for our parents.”

Next is located at 2121 Midvale in Birmingham. More information is available at www.BirminghamNext.org.