As Jamie Cole approaches the end of his first term on the Alabaster City Council, he’s reflecting on the work that has been done in the past four years. “There are a lot of mission-accomplished items,” he says, “and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
When Cole campaigned four years ago, he was new to city government and anxious to see how quickly some of the items he spoke with residents about, like traffic and abatement of eyesore properties, could be handled. And fortunately, Cole can check these items off the list. “Right away, I wanted to address the way we handled traffic flow throughout the ward,” Cole says. “We added a new light at Kent Dairy Road and Highway 17 to improve traffic flow, and we got some abatement issues handled quickly, so in the beginning of my first term, I got to see that you could turn the wheels and get things done. That excited me.”
Taking care of Alabaster’s first responders was also high on Cole’s list of campaign goals. A new city ambulance service (coming online January 2025) is a huge part of that. “Keeping our city safe and protected and equipping our first responders with the tools they need to succeed was one of my highest priorities,” Cole says. “Our residents deserve the best ambulance service, and providing this was one of the primary reasons I voted for the one-cent sales tax increase in 2023.”
The Council has also taken steps forward when it comes to arts in the city. Through increased funding to the Alabaster Arts Council for Alabaster CityFest, and establishment of new events like Alabaster Jubilee and work with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, “we have created more diversity in arts and cultural events in the city,” Cole says. Construction of the new amphitheater at the Siluria Mill District (broken in as the location for the annual Water Tower lighting for the holidays) creates a dedicated space for art and culture events to take place. “It’s a true community space, and I’m so grateful that my colleagues, administration, and the citizens supported it,” he continues. “It has a state-of-the-art AV system, is well designed, and is just a great gathering space for our city.”
Cole is also thankful for the relationship between the city and the schools that benefits all of Alabaster’s citizens. “I am proud that we have a strong relationship between city government and the city schools,” he says. “We have come together in significant ways.” Working closely with Alabaster City Schools and other regional agencies was crucial, for instance, in flood mitigation in the wake of historic floods in 2021 that especially affected Ward 5. “It was a true crisis situation, and having close relationships with the schools and the county helped us find and execute engineering solutions to flood mitigation, including new retention areas on ACS property,” he says.
Other accomplishments Cole notes on this Council’s watch include hiring Neal Wagner as the city’s Public Information Officer, a strong Public Works Department under the leadership of Fred Hawkins, and improved communication citywide. “My go to is not just to communicate, but to over-communicate,” Cole says. “We’ve added more beef to how the city communicates with our citizens.” Cole also tackled the city’s rebranding project right out of the gate, leading the internal PR and Marketing Committee and managing relationships with resident panels and outside agencies to change the city’s logos and imaging, which is now reflected all over the city.
Finally, Cole is anxiously anticipating the start of the new city center project, which will create a community recreation center and a new library on the site of the old Thompson High School property. “The start was purchasing the old THS property and the refurbishment of the stadium and fields,” Cole says proudly. “It’s being developed smartly with the new rec center, library, and amphitheater close together, making it all walkable and improving the trail system. It’s creating something Alabaster has never had—a place where you can go and do everything you need without going anywhere else. And it’s anchored by the amphitheater, which I’m so passionate about.”
As for things that haven’t yet been accomplished, Cole is looking forward to another project that will improve traffic flow and safety in Ward 5. “By the time this term ends, we will have started work on Kent Dairy Road where it crosses Highway 119,” Cole says. This project is being done in collaboration with ALDOT and Shelby County. “We initiated this project, but it’s happening because we’re all working together,” Cole says. “It’s a major intersection that affects Ward 5, and it needs attention.” He is also serving on the Public Works Committee as the city’s services evolve with the realities of changing waste management. “We are always mindful of how to be efficient, economically sound and environmentally responsible,” he says. “It is a tough balance that is always challenging.”
For Cole, one of the biggest successes of his first term on City Council is the way the councilors work together for the betterment of the city. “On the council, everyone has a lane. We each have expertise in certain areas, and we listen each other, which is an important aspect of teamwork,” Cole says. “We have a good team of seven people with a diversity of expertise who work well together for the citizens of Alabaster.”