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• Education

• Board of Education

1. 1. 1. 1. Work closely with the new Superintendent and Board of Education to discuss time and resources the city can provide that is not already being provided.
         2. Work with the Superintendent and Board to fund and create a strong Music/Band, Arts, Voice/Singing, and Foreign Language  program in all Birmingham City Middle Schools.
         3. Significantly increase and earmark funding from the low present level
         4. Will be an advocate for public schools.

• Local Businesses and Community Leaders

1. 1. 1. 1. Create a Sponsorship Program for businesses and faith communities to support the local school system.
         2. Work closely with Community Leaders to ensure that there is transparency and support in the community for initiatives and actions undertaken by the Board of Education.

• Literacy Program

1. 1. 1. Create a literacy program that is led in the community by   community organizations, churches, community centers, and libraries.
      2. Provide GED training to the community through collaborative initiatives with community partners

• Communities

• Create a Community Development Fund

1. 1. 1. 1. Goal of $10 million ($5 million private funds/contributions & $5 million from city budget)

• Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP)

1. 1. 1. 1. Clean up blighted and ignored lots and neighborhoods.
         2. Create Street Paving Division as a part of the Public Works Department.
         3. Repair roads across the entire city that are in desperate need of attention.
         4. Utilize Community Job Placement Program

• Community Job Placement

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Work with local organizations to employ unemployed individuals and ex-offenders in the communities that the NRP is working.
            2. Create a city led initiative for work to literacy/GED program.

• Urban Farms and Gardens

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Transform empty and abandoned lots into community urban farms and gardens.
            2. Develop appropriate lots into community baseball, softball, and soccer fields, and, tennis and basketball courts.
            3. Work with local schools, community organizations,  businesses, and individuals in the community, to develop a healthier, greener, more sustainable community.

• Community assessment of comprehensive services to the homeless.

1. 1. 1. 2. Use unused city owned building(s) to create “Homeless Central”; an organizational hub for services and referrals through a city and community consortium and partnership to address with a holistic approach to the pervasive homeless crisis in our city.

• World Class Community Centers

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. One Center in each district (9 in total). All Community Centers will have Seniors Activity Program, Youth Development Program, Cooking Classes for all ages,  Intro to Computers, Job Preparation, Resume’ Building and Job Interview Skills training,  Parenting Classes,  Classes for: Anger Management, Conflict Resolution, and Domestic Violence, Family Relationships, and Community Care,  along with various other offerings 
            2. Neighborhood Healthcare Clinics attached to district Community Centers.
               1. Work with consortium of the local hospitals and primary care providers to provide basic care assessments, education, and referrals
               2. Focus on education and preventive medicine
            3. Public Safety goal is to equip Community Centers with certified storm shelters and auxiliary generators.
            4. Free domestic violence, conflict resolution, and anger management programs in all districts including city schools.

• Establish a Racial Reconciliation Program

1. 1. 1. 1. Intentionally work to eliminate systemic and institutional racism.
         2. Lead our state, nation, and world in addressing and healing the inherent evil and injustice embodied in racism and hate of others.
         3. Goal to host national and international Civil Right Summits within the Birmingham Civil Rights Heritage Trail
         4. Create cross cultural/racial unity partnership and oppurtunities to engage our citizens to form and promote community unity
         5. Create a city-wide holiday, a sort of a City Stages and Festival; First weekend in June celebrating the citizens; Birmingham Day.

• Community Micro-Loan Program

1. 1. 1. 1. Work with local credit unions and financial institutions; in conjunction with city funds, to provide easier access to lower income individuals for, rehabilitating homes to create a vibrant community and housing resurgence.
         2. Work with local credit unions and financial institutions, in conjunction with city funds, to provide easier access to small business entrepreneurs to start businesses or enhance existing businesses

• Transportation Assessment

1. 1. 1. Complete overhaul of Max Transportation system.
         1. Complete assessment of the routes and their efficiencies.
         2. Upgrade the fleet towards smaller more efficient vehicles.
         3. Create a reduced-price system for transportation passes.
      2. Create a study to determine the best way to transition to a more urban friendly road system.
         1. Dedicated bike lanes throughout the city.
         2. Work with the Zyp Bike Program to expand into other neighborhoods.

• Government

1. 1. Conduct a full forensic audit of the city’s finances.
   2. I will hire an Ethics Officer.
      1. Will institute a program to enact Ethics Training for all government employees.
         1. Orientation and Yearly Renewal Ethics  Program
   3. City Wide Transparency
      1. All city spending will be posted on the website.
      2. Seek to create Open Birmingham; every check written will be able to be tracked to a person, agency, business, organization, or any other entity
      3. Restore longevity pay, uniform allowance, review pay equity, and seek to bring fair equity to the city employee’s rising insurance burden.  
      4. Monthly report to disclose financial data and expenditures of the city funds.
         1. Provide data to Neighborhood Associations each month.
   4. Create a Citizen’s Task Force to work with the Birmingham Police Department, along with community to ensure that the community concerns are being addressed and best served.
   5. Conduct a full assessment of the Birmingham Police Department and determine what is best for the city going forward:
      1. Personnel
      2. Policies
      3. Budget
      4. Equipment and Training

• Refocus Mayor-Community Involvement

1. 1. 1. I will attend each Citizen Advisory Board meeting every month.
      2. I will seek to have monthly Town Hall meetings.
      3. I will work with city council respectfully and in good faith. I will meet with the council members monthly as individuals and monthly and openly, in a public group.
      4. Work with all city boards monthly as well.
      5. Weekly lunches with citizens from each district.
         1. Recommendation of Neighborhood Association Presidents, individuals and community stakeholders that submit requests
   2. Create a Business Development Program to work with and assist new and existing businesses in the city to determine how the city can operate in a more business-friendly environment.
      1. Create a business incentive program to keep businesses in the city of Birmingham and attract new businesses.
      2. Provide fair and equitable process for all; to ensure city contracts are awarded  fairly without corruption, and with strict integrity.
      3. Create a role in the Mayor’s office that primarily focuses on creating a relationship between businesses and the city.
      4. As Mayor I will seek to develop friendly city, other municipality, and regionally beneficial relationships and policies that have not existed before in the history of our fragmented communities.

Project Restoration Birmingham will be utilized as an evolving document that does not have all the solutions to the great challenges that we face in this great city, but to be a starting point for:

Better Schools!

Better Communities!

Better Government!  

TalkBhm With Brother Sims

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens could change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.

~ Margaret Mead