City Council makes William Parker president, Wardine Alexander pro tem

The Birmingham City Council, at its regular meeting for Tuesday, Oct. 22, voted to make Council President Pro Tem William Parker the new City Council President, replacing Valerie Abbott. Clinton Woods also received a nomination for the position.

Members then voted to make Councilor Wardine Alexander the new Council President Pro Tem, replacing Parker. John Hilliard was also nominated for the position.

The council president and pro tem serve 2-year terms.

The Council also held a swearing in for two of its members — Woods and Crystal Smitherman — to serve until the next general election in November 2019.

Woods and Smitherman, who were both already serving on the Council, won two additional years in the special municipal elections held in the city in Oct. 8.

Clinton Woods represents District 1, and Crystal Smitherman represents District 6. They were both appointed by the council in December 2018 and took the oath in January 2019. 

Woods and Smitherman replaced Lashunda Scales and Sheila Tyson, respectively, both of whom were sworn in as members of the Jefferson County Commission in November 2018.

There will be a run-off on Nov. 19 to determine the new representative for District 7. Wardine Alexander, who currently serves in that seat, was appointed in October 2018 to replace Jay Roberson, who resigned. She will face Ray Brooks in the run-off.

In the recent special election, Alexander took a little over 42% of the vote while Brooks took almost 31%.

Upon his swearing in, Woods said he hoped that his constituents have seen that in his nine months on the Council that he has been transparent and willing to communicate.

“I will always explain if you don't agree with the decision I made why I made that decision,” Woods said.

Smitherman expressed her appreciation to the voters who showed confidence in her.  “I thank you and won’t let you down the next two years,” she said.