05/04/02

Birmingham's land spat with Homewood is an example of how personalities can interfere with regional cooperation, Birmingham Mayor Bernard Kincaid told a leadership summit Friday.

Kincaid spoke on a panel with Vestavia Hills Mayor Scotty McCallum and Pell City Mayor Guin Robinson at a Regional Leadership Summit sponsored by Region 2020. The mayors spoke about the obstacles to regional cooperation between governments.

Kincaid spoke first and wasted no time mentioning the fracas between the two cities, which centers on Homewood's plans to buy Birmingham land for municipal complexes.

"We must not have the sanctity of our borders invaded without at least a conversation," Kincaid said. "Until recently we thought we were in sync. The Homewood issue is thorny and we have tried to be cooperative."

In January, the Homewood City Council agreed with the Georgia-based owners of the Palisades mall to investigate buying the shopping center to use as a municipal complex. In a separate plan, the Homewood council approved a deal to buy 110 acres in Birmingham's Oxmoor Valley for ball fields. Birmingham's City Council passed a resolution condemning Homewood's actions and stating its intention not to lose commercial property.

Birmingham's chief complaint has been that Homewood officials have not tried to negotiate. Homewood Mayor Barry McCulley disputes that.

On Friday, Kincaid, McCallum and Robinson talked about their goals for regional cooperation in the future.

Robinson said many people in St. Clair County commute outside the county to work and that transportation, particularly on Interstate 20, will be a major concern for a long time.

"Transportation, in my opinion, from a regionalistic approach will be the battle cry of the future," Robinson said.

McCallum said he would like to see a representative from over the mountain appointed to the Birmingham Water Works Board, whose members are named by the Birmingham City Council.

"Call it the Birmingham Water Works Board, fine. Understand that we need representation," he said.