Personnel Update: Commerce Sec. Greg Canfield to retire, Kay Ivey appoints Ellen McNair
On Friday, Governor Kay Ivey announced that Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield will step down after 12 Years of Service. Ivey announced that she will appoint economic developer Ellen McNair to take over next year. Canfield will stay on until the end of the year. “Throughout my time as governor, we have proudly solidified Alabama as a top state for doing business, and no doubt, Greg has been a key part of that success,” Ivey said. “Together, we have secured more than $42 billion in new investments in our state, which has created 78,000 good-paying jobs,” said Governor Ivey. “Greg will go down as one of Alabama’s best economic development heads, and he will be noted for projects like Mazda Toyota and credited for branding the Made in Alabama name worldwide. I will forever be grateful for all that Greg has accomplished for our state, and I know he will continue having great success in his career.” Previously, Canfield served in the Alabama House of Representatives. In both his role at Commerce and in the Legislature, Canfield has been a champion for pro-business legislation. In this past legislative session, he helped Gov. Ivey pass Alabama’s economic incentive package, “The Game Plan.” Ivey says this legislation will help the state continue attracting businesses and industry and support existing companies for years to come. After a long career in the private sector, Secretary Canfield took the helm of the Alabama Development Office in 2011 and reorganized the department into the Department of Commerce. During his tenure, Alabama launched its first-ever strategic economic development plan: Accelerate Alabama. The state has established new records in international exports, capital investment, and job creation. Secretary Canfield represented Alabama on business and trade missions to 30 countries across the globe and is credited for launching Commerce’s successful rural development strategy. “I am proud to have been a part of Governor Ivey’s cabinet, and I am proud of the team of professionals we have assembled at Commerce. I am more confident than ever that Alabama is poised for a robust era of economic expansion that will transform the trajectories of communities and families across the state,” said Secretary Canfield. “I am honored to have made a contribution to the effort to improve Alabama’s future, and I know that the momentum we’ve built will continue to grow in the capable hands of Ellen McNair.” McNair will take over the Commerce Department on January 1. McNair is currently chief economic development officer with the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. Throughout McNair’s tenure at the Chamber, she has successfully worked on almost 600 national and international projects with a capital investment of over $8 billion, resulting in nearly 30,000 new jobs for the Montgomery community. “I have known Ellen since my days at the Alabama Development Office, and I know she will be of tremendous value to the state of Alabama,” Ivey said. “She sees past just the investment and jobs numbers and knows that these results are changing the lives of Alabama families. Ellen has partnered with Greg and I to bring growth to the Montgomery area, and I am confident we will see success like that all over the state.” McNair was the senior project manager and a member of the negotiating team that brought Hyundai Motors Corporation to Montgomery. Former Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange and current Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed described McNair as a “smooth bulldog” and “tenacious.” “I am extremely honored to have been selected by Governor Kay Ivey for this very important role,” McNair said. “Economic development has been a passion and focus for the governor her entire career. The success of the state under Governor Ivey’s and Secretary Canfield’s leadership is unprecedented. These will certainly be big shoes to fill.” “I have great respect for Secretary Canfield and the Commerce team, and we will work together for a smooth transition,” McNair continued. “The state of Alabama is blessed with many strong local and regional economic development professionals, and I look forward to working closely with them and the entire state team to continue Alabama’s smart and strategic economic development.” Before working with the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, McNair worked for the Alabama Department of Commerce. McNair first entered the economic development sector after graduate school in the Department of Economics at Auburn University. At that time, Governor Ivey served as assistant director of the Alabama Development Office, now known as the Department of Commerce. McNair comes to lead the Department of Commerce with 40 years of economic development experience and a handful of firsts. On top of being the first female project manager at the Alabama Department of Commerce, she was the first woman Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) in Alabama and one of a handful of economic development professionals in Alabama with this designation. She was also the first woman president of the Economic Development Association of Alabama and the first woman to lead a major metro area’s economic development effort in the state. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Montgomery mayoral election is Tuesday
Montgomery voters go to the polls on Tuesday to elect their mayor for the next four years. Incumbent Mayor Steven Reed is hoping for re-election and appears to be the frontrunner, according to recent polling. Reed was first elected in 2019 and is the first Black mayor in the history of Montgomery. Reed is a former Montgomery County Probate Judge and the son of Alabama Democratic Conference Chairman and Alabama Democratic Party Vice Chairman for Minority Affairs Joe Reed. Reed, like his father, is a Democrat. Reed inherited a prosperous local economy from former Mayor Todd Strange and Governor Kay Ivey. Hyundai is expanding its automobile manufacturing, and the Air Force continues to be a major economic force for the City of Montgomery. Reed and the state of Alabama have worked to lure several new employers to the city. Like many American cities, Montgomery saw shootings spike in 2020, and crime remains a serious concern. The Montgomery Advertiser’s Alex Gladdon has interviewed four of the mayoral candidates. Reed said he is dedicated to building on the progress achieved in Montgomery over the last four years. “From being the state leader in economic development by bringing more than $1.7 billion in investment and 2,000 new jobs to securing $33 million annually for MPS. Of course, public safety remains my top priority as we continue investing at historic levels in police and fire,” Reed said. Reed says it is time for people to believe in Montgomery and focus on the city’s potential rather than a doom-and-gloom narrative. Reed emphasized expanding broadband access in the city, dealing with food insecurity, limited transportation, dilapidated infrastructure, and outdated community centers – which he has invested $50 million in through the Montgomery Forward program into our community centers. Reed said, “Statistics show a decrease in overall crime, but we understand that the effect is significant for those who have been victims. That’s why we remain committed to enhancing public safety in every corner of our city.” Reed says patrols have increased in high-crime areas. The city is working with the state and federal authorities and leveraging technology and training to enhance response capabilities. Reed says the city invested more than $10 million in public safety this fiscal year on top of a 15% salary increase for police and fire personnel last year. “We’re about to graduate one of the largest classes of officers in recent history,” Reed stated. Barrett Gilbreath appears to be the number one contender. Gilbreath is a real estate investor and entrepreneur running as a non-partisan candidate. Gilbreath has said that he is prioritizing fighting crime. Gilbreath said that he would also focus on neighborhood cleanliness, recruitment and retention of public safety department personnel, economic development, and improving public education. Victorrus Felder works for the Alabama Department of Corrections. Felder is also running as a non-partisan candidate. He says that he would hire a strong cabinet, including a chief human resource officer, to help ensure that all staff are qualified and understand the vision for Montgomery. Felder says he would avoid partisan rancor and encourage all parties to come to the table and work together, including better relations with the city council and better treatment of city employees. Felder says that his administration would address: crime, economic development, education, infrastructure, and the city’s cleanliness. Felder says that the city needs more police officers, and part of that would be achieved by asking former officers who left the MPD in past years to return. Marcus McNeal is an entrepreneur and the CEO of Effervescent Ventures Inc & Subsidiaries. McNeal describes himself as an Independent. He says that he would prioritize being a servant of the people. He would focus on the city’s economy, infrastructure, and day-to-day operations, all of which he says “are increasingly declining” under the current administration. McNeal said that crime, sanitation, emergency response times, education, and lack of transparency and accessibility to the mayor’s office are the most pressing needs for Montgomery. McNeal said that he would create task forces to deal with the high-crime areas of the city without pulling officers away from neighborhood patrol. He is also calling for an audit of the city’s finances. There are also city council seats to be decided. Montgomery is one of the four largest cities in Alabama. Polls will open at 7:00 am on Tuesday and close at 7:00 pm. It is too late to ask for an absentee ballot, but if you have one already, fill it out and turn it in on Monday. Bring a valid photo ID to the polls, as Alabama election law requires a photo ID to participate in any election. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Study: Gambling could mean $700M, 19,000 jobs for Alabama
Legalizing gambling in Alabama could create about 19,000 jobs and pump roughly $700 million in new revenues into state government, a study group appointed by Gov. Kay Ivey reported Friday. The committee, created earlier this year to examine a perennial topic at the Statehouse, also said social costs could result from expanding gambling and did not make specific policy suggestions, news outlets reported. The almost 900-page report will become another piece of evidence as Alabama — one of only five states without a lottery — considers whether to allow additional gambling. Former Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange, who chaired the panel, said the group found that about 60% of Alabama adults, or about 2.3 million people, would participate in expanded gambling. An estimated 66,000 of them, or 3%, would be problem gamblers, he said. Speaking during a news conference outside the Capitol, Strange said the state could absorb the costs considering the potential revenues and new jobs. “Gambling will work in the state of Alabama,” Strange said, adding that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Ivey said the research would be “pivotal” as leaders consider whether to expand gambling, which is currently dominated in the state by video-gaming casinos operated by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. “The potential to act on gambling is an opportunity that cannot be accomplished solely by a governor or solely by the Legislature. It is incumbent on us to work together to provide the citizens of Alabama their opportunity to determine the future of gambling in Alabama,” she said in a statement. Proposals to establish a state lottery and to allow the Poarch Band of Creek Indians to have full-fledged casinos failed to get floor votes this year before Ivey created the study group. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Steven Reed takes office as Montgomery’s first black mayor
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed was sworn in Tuesday as the capital city’s first African American leader. Reed took the oath of office after easily winning the mayoral runoff last month. He is the first black mayor of a city that was the first capital of the Confederacy and later the birthplace of the civil rights movement. “We are assembled here because we chose destiny over division. Today, we are assembled here because we chose the future over fear,” Reed said. In a nod to his history-making win, Reed said his inauguration was an event that the enslaved people once sold on the banks of the Alabama River just a few feet from his inauguration ceremony “could only have imagined.” “This is a culmination of those distant dreams,” Reed said. Reed replaced outgoing Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange, who has served since 2009 and did not seek reelection. Reed is the first black mayor of the city where Southern delegates voted to form the Confederacy in 1861. The city also played a critical role in the civil rights movement. Montgomery was a city that led the fight for change, he said. “This is why the son whose parents would not have been served in a local restaurant just up the street, and whose father led sit-in protests for equal treatment under the law can now take this oath and help write laws that apply equally to all,” Reed said. Reed said Montgomery is a city with a “complicated past” and ongoing challenges. The major said the city “must lay a new foundation for growth.” “We must lay more fiber, pay our teachers and first responders their worth, implement apprenticeship programs, reinvest in our neighborhoods, and show a stronger commitment to strengthen the ties that bind us together.” Reed was already the first black probate judge elected in Montgomery County and was one of the first to issue marriage licenses to gay couples in the state. His father, Joe Reed, is the longtime leader of the black caucus of the Alabama Democratic Party. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Montgomery City Council backs off jail time for helping panhandlers
The city council in Montgomery, Alabama, has rejected a proposal to punish people who give cash to panhandlers with jail time. The Montgomery Advertiser reports their vote was unanimous after protesters packed a city council meeting Tuesday night. Many wore stickers declaring “poverty is not a crime.” One man held a sign saying “Jesus was a panhandler.” The amendment would’ve criminalized passing money or objects through car windows to someone on a public road. It was tacked onto an ordinance that requires panhandlers be jailed for at least two days. That ordinance still stands. It was unanimously passed in July but has yet to be enforced or signed by Mayor Todd Strange, who’s in the final days of his term. Mayor-elect Steven Reed takes over the office on Nov. 12. Information from: Montgomery Advertiser, https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
The Latest: Alabama capital elects its first black mayor
The latest on the mayoral election in Montgomery, Alabama (all times local): 8:20 p.m. Voters in Alabama’s capital have elected the first black mayor in the city’s 200-year history.Probate Judge Steven Reed won Tuesday’s runoff election by a wide margin over David Woods, a white businessman. Reed will be the first African American mayor of the city where Southern delegates voted to form the Confederacy in 1861. Unofficial returns showed Reed capturing 67 percent of the vote with 98 percent of precincts reporting. He will replace current Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange, who did not seek reelection. Reed is the first black probate judge of Montgomery County, and his father Joe Reed is the longtime leader of the black caucus of the Alabama Democratic Party. 4:30 a.m. Voters in Montgomery, Alabama, are about to elect a new mayor. Probate Judge Steven Reed and businessman David Woods face each other in the Tuesday runoff. The two were the top finishers in the first round of voting in August. Reed is the probate judge of Montgomery County. Woods is a businessman and owns WCOV-TV. The winner of the runoff will replace current Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange. Strange did not seek reelection. If Reed is elected, he will be the city’s first African-American mayor. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Maxwell AFB lands $18 million for new air traffic control tower
Montgomery-based Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base will receive $18 million from the Air Force’s Fiscal Year 2019 military construction account for a new air traffic control tower. Alabama 2nd District U.S. Rep. Martha Roby made the announcement Wednesday. “Updating the Air Traffic Control Tower at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base is long overdue. I have personally climbed up the antiquated tower and can attest to how dangerous it is and how badly it needs to be replaced,” Roby said in a statement. “I am very pleased that this issue is being addressed through the recently passed military funding bill, and I look forward to seeing this improvement become reality as Maxwell continues to support the needs of the Air Force in the River Region, including the 187th Fighter Wing’s missions.” Maxwell’s existing Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) was constructed in 1955 and is one of the oldest active ATCT in Air Force inventory and fails to meet current mission requirements. “This needed upgrade will increase the base’s functionality by improving the structural conditions and enhancing the safety and visibility of all operations,” said U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby. “Without the replacement tower, the current facility’s health and safety issues could result in ground accidents and costly damage or loss of assets. Maxwell AFB is the second busiest distinguished visitor base in the Defense Department. Controllers in the current tower do not have 100 percent visual contact of all aircraft landing surfaces or ground controlled movement areas due to obstructed views. Further, the facility does not have an elevator and therefore does not meet National Fire Protection Association line safety code. It also has numerous additional health and safety issues resulting from the tower’s age and deterioration. “This allocation is more than a construction project – this signifies that the Air Force and our congressional delegation recognizes and supports the long-term national significance of Montgomery’s military installations, international students, thought leadership, cyber defense and business systems it supplies to the Air Force,” added Montomgery Mayor Todd Strange. The construction is expected to begin June 2019 and conclude December 2020.
Amid budget overages, Montgomery Fire/Rescue receives much-needed $3.5M grant
Just when things were starting to looking fiscally grim, as news broke that the Montgomery Fire/Rescue (MFR) Department had shockingly exceeded its overtime budget by over $2M thus far in 2018, the city was awarded a much-needed federal grant that will help keep operations running smoothly. U.S. Senator Richard Shelby on Tuesday announced the $3,553,843 award as a part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program. “The funding will ensure the city has the proper resources and staff to adequately respond to emergency medical, fire, and rescue incidents throughout the area. I am proud that FEMA has awarded this SAFER grant to facilitate increased safety and security in the City of Montgomery,” said Shelby. As of mid-August, MFR had spent $2.2 million on overtime. That amounts to $2,079,470 more than expected, or 1,411 percent over budget. The $3.5 million grant will be used to help hire additional firefighters and first responders over a three year period to achieve and maintain proper staffing levels. “We could not be more grateful to Sen. Richard Shelby for his role in helping Montgomery secure this SAFER grant to increase the number of firefighters who serve and protect our capital city,” said Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange. “The additional 33 firefighters provided by this grant will help us meet the increasing demand for suppression and emergency medical services. Sen. Shelby’s support for this grant award speaks to his abiding commitment to the public’s safety and his unflagging work on behalf of our city and state.” SAFER grants are awarded to fire departments and national, state, local, tribal, or territorial organizations that represent the interests of firefighters.
Montgomery Fire/Rescue shockingly exceeds overtime budget by over $2M: Montgomery Advertiser
The city may have just passed its 2019 budget, but according to the Montgomery Advertiser, the Montgomery Fire/Rescue (MFR) Department is operating way over budget in 2018. “As of mid-August, MFR has spent $2.2 million on overtime. That amounts to $2,079,470 more than expected, or 1,411 percent over budget,” the Montgomery Advertiser reports. Apparently a multiyear worker shortage is the culprit, leaving the current staff working extra, overtime hours due to so-called minimum manning requirements, which should be four workers on pumping-hose trucks, four on ladder trucks and two on medical calls according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. “At the end of the day, you’ve got to have firefighters in place,” Mayor Todd Strange told the Advertiser. “You can’t understaff.” But MFR going over budget is nothing new. In 2017, the department exceeded its overtime budget by a cool $2 million. However, in 2018, MFR is expected to surpass that number by $500,000. MFR officials hope to up their up their recruiting numbers in the future, help ease the burden of current firefighters. “We’re hiring! Take the 1st. step to an exciting and rewarding career with Montgomery Fire/Rescue by applying NOW at jobaps.com/mgm,” MFR posted on Facebook last month.
Montgomery City Council unanimously passes 2019 budget, raises garbage pick-up fee
The Montgomery City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange‘s proposed budget for fiscal year 2019 Tuesday evening. The slightly more than $252 million budget was approved only after several amendments were added, including a 3 cent per gallon gas tax increase, a reduction of the garbage pick-up from two days a week to just one, as well as $3 increase to garbage fees. The garbage fee increase will save the city about $2.2 million. “Charlie Jinright (the City Council president) gets a lot of credit,” Strange said according to the Montgomery Advertiser. The council president proposed all of the ordinances Tuesday that successfully bridged the gap between individual council member’s desires and the mayor’s original budget.
Checking in: What has Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange been up to?
Ever wonder what your mayor been up to each month? Sure you may have helped elect them, but what happens after that? Alabama Today has you covered. Each month we’ll highlight what the Yellowhammer State’s Big 5 mayors have been doing in an effort to hold them accountable and keep things more transparent. Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange has been busy this month, keeping up with his constituents and attending events across the city. July 13 Strange attended the Montgomery Education Foundation‘s Brain Forest 2018, “This program benefits both our students and our teachers as a learning laboratory where both walk away with new ideas, better methods and a sense of achievement during the summer months,” Strange posted on his Facebook page. “Thanks to the City and County host Parks & Recreation programs to complement the learning environment, during which children can go horseback riding, learn archery and kayaking or even just run around and be a kid! Not to mention, this partnership has served more than 650,000 meals, engaged nearly 45,000 students and cultivated relationships with more than 50 youth-oriented agencies in the River Region since 2014.” July 17 Strange has his own way of communicating with his constituents: hosting a YouTube series called “Tuesdays with Todd.” Every week on the City of Montgomery Alabama YouTube channel Strange talks about different events, and happenings within the city. This week, Strange welcomes the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s All Star week to Montgomery, an event which he says will add an $8 to $10 million economic boost to the city. July 24 This week on Tuesday’s with Todd; Strange is in the newly renovated Morgan Library, to talk about the MCCPL Book Sale, and updates to the library. August 7 On this episode of his show, Strange meets with the Chef of Central, a restaurant in Montgomery, to talk about Eat MGM, Montgomery’s restaurant week. August 14 Last week, on Strange’s YouTube show he meets with Montgomery Finance Director Barry Crabb to discuss the 2019 budget, and budget increases within the city in an effort to provide transparency to the city’s governance.
Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange proposes $250 budget for FY19
During Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange asked for a budget increase in the upcoming fiscal year. Strange proposed a $250 million budget — an $8 million increase from FY18 — that would fund public safety, merit-based raises as well as a one-time payment for retirees. The mayor’s proposed budget includes: $3 million for health care for those active and retirees called an “internal service fund” $1.7 million increases to the Montgomery Police Department and $1.3 million for the Montgomery Fire Department, including a merit increase for “deserving employees.” $1.2 million for public safety $500k for a one-time payment to retirees $1.5 million in additional neighborhood paving, intersection upgrades and striping (nearly $225k per district) Strange proffered several ways the city will pay for the increase: The city would raise $3 million with a 2-cent gas tax: from $0.04 to $0.06 $3 million from a general increase in sales and lodging taxes $2 million of those dollars by reducing city sanitation costs by limiting the trash pick up days from three days a week down to two.
