‘No’ vote explanation

An article in your September hard-copy edition ("New senior/recreation building will be built") accurately reports that I was the "lone 'no' vote" last month when the Birmingham City Commission passed a resolution to demolish the YMCA building.

For the record, I voted in favor of purchasing the YMCA property in 2023 and am supportive of the community center concept proposed for this location. But I believe we owe it to our taxpayers to iron out many unresolved programming, operational and funding issues, including our plans for the pool, before we unleash the wrecking ball.

As cited in the article, I reminded my fellow commissioners of the lessons learned from the ill-conceived library-replacement bonding request that voters rejected 3 to 1 in 2015, our citizens' unwillingness to spend $21.7 million (close to $30 million with interest) to refurbish the existing library and erect a massive new structure led to the three-phase $9.5 million solution that updated the building, created the popular new Children's Wing, and will be completed on September 15 when the ribbon is cut for the library's beautiful new entrance opposite Shain Park.

The good news is that the commission will be holding a workshop focusing on the community center project. So, we're still deliberating, the demo crew is not onsite yet, and we expect to see lots of happy faces downtown in front of the library on the 15th.

Brad Host

Birmingham City Commissioner