Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin Delivers State of the City 2019 Address

Mayor Randall Woodfin

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin touted progress made during the first year of his administration while delivering his 2019 State of the City address January 14 at Boutwell Auditorium.

Woodfin, who took office as Birmingham's youngest mayor in a century in November 2017, began his address to city employees and managers by honoring the memory of Birmingham Police Sgt. Wytasha Carter, who was fatally shot around 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, January 13, while investigating a car break-in in the 900 block of Fifth Avenue North downtown. Another police officer was wounded and is recovering in a hospital from his injuries. The suspected gunman was taken into custody. 

Woodfin also paid tribute to former Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford, who died last week in a Birmingham hospital after a long illness. The mayor focused on several accomplishments and goals during his address. Among them:

• Commitment to focus on Birmingham's 99 neighborhoods, including continuation of town hall meetings in all 9 council districts
• A top priority for 2019 will be addressing "food deserts"—areas of the city where residents don't have access to affordable, healthy foods
• Job growth hit a seven-year high in 2018, with 2,100 new jobs created 
• Vowed to address violent crime in Birmingham
• Addressing city worker pension shortfall

Visit the City of Birmingham Facebook page to see links to the mayor's State of the City address.