Vestavia Hills has a council-manager form of government in which the Council’s role is policy-making and considering those actions which require council approval. Daily operations of the City are the responsibility of the city manager. The Mayor and the four members of the Vestavia Hills City Council are elected at-large, meaning that each represents all residents of Vestavia Hills rather than those of a particular geographic area. Therefore, the Mayor and/or any member of the Council may address any issue, regardless of area.
The City Council typically meets monthly on the second and fourth Mondays with a work session typically held on the third Monday. Meetings and work sessions begin at 6pm and are open to the public, although comment may only be made at the invitation of the Mayor. Schedule changes may occur due to holidays, emergency closures, etc. For more information, contact City Clerk Rebecca Leavings at rleavings@vhal.org or 205.978.0131.
The City Council’s primary objective is to shepherd an environment that builds a strong economic base, a superior school system, an unsurpassed quality of life, and a moral character beyond reproach.
– Ashley C. Curry, Vestavia Hills Mayor and Council President
Ashley Curry, Mayor
205.978.0130 | acurry@vhal.org
After finishing high school in Montgomery, Alabama, Ashley Curry obtained an undergraduate degree in Industrial Management from the University of Alabama and an MBA from the University of South Carolina. His professional career began with his work in production supervision, sales and accounting with Milliken & Company of Spartanburg, SC, followed by a 25-year career as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He served the Tampa division for two years then was transferred to Birmingham in 1980 where he remained until his retirement in 2003. During his tenure with the FBI, he worked a myriad of criminal investigations including white collar crime, organized crime, public corruption, drugs, personal crimes and property crimes. Prior to his retirement, he worked as the FBI Police Training Coordinator where he handled the training of state and local police officers.
After retiring from the FBI, Ashley served as the Assistant Federal Security Director for Law Enforcement with the newly created U.S. Department of Homeland Security, specifically the Transportation Security Administration, and was assigned to the Birmingham International Airport. In 2005, he left law enforcement and moved back into the corporate arena as the corporate recruiter for EBSCO Industries. In this capacity, he handled the recruitment of executive level positions within the company’s 30 different business units. He retired from EBSCO in 2014.
In the summer of 2016, Ashley launched his campaign to become the mayor of Vestavia Hills, Alabama. He was elected in August and began his first term in office in November of that same year. At the conclusion of his first term, Ashley ran for re-election and began serving his second term in office in November 2020.
Ashley and his wife, Marga, have been residents of Vestavia Hills since 1986. They are members of Vestavia Hills Methodist Church and recently celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary. They have two children: Stuart and Anna. Their son, Stuart Curry, is a dentist and resides in Vestavia Hills with his wife, Christy, and their two children. Anna Curry Gualano, their daughter, is an attorney and also resides in Vestavia Hills with her husband, Mark, and their two children.
Pursuant to Act 2010-544, the Mayor acts as the President of the Vestavia Hills City Council and is a voting member of the Council.
Rusty Weaver, City Council, Place No. 1 (Mayor Pro Tempore)
205.957.7427 | rweaver@vhal.org
Rusty Weaver was born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1970 and was raised in Vestavia Hills. He has been dedicated to and involved in Vestavia Hills for almost 40 years. He is a graduate of Leadership Vestavia Hills, class of 2018, and a member of Vestavia Hills Civitan Club.
Rusty attended Vestavia Hills Elementary East, Pizitz Middle School and graduated from Vestavia Hills High School in 1988. Following high school, Rusty graduated from the University of Alabama, Summa Cum Laude in Business Administration in 1992, and the University of Alabama School of Law, earning a Juris Doctor in 1995. He is an attorney and general contractor as well as owner of a working livestock farm in Etowah County, Alabama. He and his wife, Michelle, have two sons, Michael and Major. Michael is a recent graduate of Samford University and currently attends Cumberland School of Law. Major is a student at Vestavia Hills High School where he is a member of the varsity baseball team. The Weaver family attends Church of the Highlands.
His belief in the importance of a strong family, community, local values and teamwork inspired Rusty to coach a variety of sports in the Vestavia Hills Parks and Recreation system over the last 15+ years, including soccer, baseball and JSYFL football. That same dedication to his fellow Vestavia Hills residents and families was the basis for extending his involvement to the City Council. He currently serves as Mayor Pro-Tem and is on the Vestavia Hills Planning and Zoning Commission.
Kimberly Cook, City Council, Place No. 2
205.807.0503 | kcook@vhal.org
Born in Virginia and a graduate of the College of William and Mary, Kimberly and her husband, Greg, settled in the Birmingham area in 1991. In 2002, Kimberly and Greg moved to the Liberty Park neighborhood of Vestavia Hills. Since then, she has been an active volunteer in our schools and community.
First elected in 2016, Kimberly’s focus has been to improve transparency, communications, and bring a higher level of community engagement to city government. She supports our city’s upward-trending economic development that allows Vestavia Hills to provide excellent city services and facilities – something our citizens expect and deserve for their hard-earned tax dollars.
Shortly before moving to Vestavia Hills, Kimberly left her career as a senior software engineer with SouthTrust Data Services so she could devote more time to her family and community volunteerism. Kimberly helped develop and maintain systems in multiple industries, including military defense, car manufacturing, and banking. As a volunteer, Kimberly helps students through her work as a Boy Scout leader and Education Liaison for our City schools.
Ever since her oldest son entered Scouting as a Cub, Kimberly has been a volunteer Scout leader. Having held many positions, she most recently served as a Commissioner for the Vulcan District Boy Scouts. Kimberly completed the Wood Badge training course and has received the Vulcan District Award of Merit as well as the Silver Beaver award from the Greater Alabama Council.
In the past, Kimberly has served in a variety of leadership roles for Christian charitable organizations – on the board of Grace House Christian Home for Girls and Brother Bryan Mission – and is active in her church, having taught youth Sunday School for over 20 years at Dawson Baptist Church. Kimberly serves on the Jefferson County Republican Party Executive Committee and the Alabama GOP Executive Committee. Kimberly is a member of the Leadership Vestavia Hills Class of 2022.
Kimberly has developed many connections over the years through her work with PTOs at four of our city schools – holding a variety of positions, such as online registration chair, Partners in Education chair, corporate fundraising chair, newsletter editor at LPMS/VHHS and member of the Cash for Classrooms committee.
Kimberly’s husband, Greg, is a Justice on the Alabama Supreme Court and was previously at the law firm of Balch & Bingham. Greg is an ordained deacon and a Boy Scout leader.
Kimberly and Greg have three children, all of whom graduated from Vestavia Hills High School – Geoffrey (2010), Mary Catherine (2014) and Will (2019). Geoffrey, a graduate of the University of Alabama and an Eagle Scout, works as a software developer in Northern Virginia. Mary Catherine Jenkins, a Vanderbilt and Harvard Law School (Class of 2024) graduate, will be clerking for federal judges David Proctor and Andrew Brasher before joining the law firm of Maynard Cooper in Birmingham. Will, a graduate from the University of Alabama (Class of 2024) and an Eagle Scout, works as a relationship manager for Northwestern Mutual in Birmingham.
Paul Head, City Council, Place No. 3
205.490.3477 | phead@vhal.org
Paul has lived in Vestavia Hills for over 35 years and has been involved in youth sports for the past 10 years. He attended Vestavia Elementary East, Pizitiz Middle School and is a 1992 graduate of Vestavia Hills High School. Paul was a three-sport athlete, having earned eight varsity letters in football, baseball and basketball.
Paul attended the University of Mississippi on a football scholarship and graduated with a Masters in Accounting in 1997. He was a multiple SEC academic honor roll designee.
Currently, he is a managing partner and chief financial officer at Myrick Gurosky & Associates, where he is responsible for all accounting and finance functions, along with risk management and safety issues. In 2003, Paul was the recipient of the Regions Bank “Small Business Salute” award.
Paul is married to Leigh Anne (Smith) Head, a 1992 graduate of Vestavia Hills High School. Leigh Anne is a former teacher at Vestavia Elementary Central. They are the parents of three children, Ryanne, John Paul and Chance Stephenson, and are members of Shades Mountain Baptist Church.
George Pierce, City Council, Place No. 4
205.490.4752 | gpierce@vhal.org
George Pierce was first elected to the Vestavia Hills City Council in 2008 and is currently serving his fourth term. He is the council liaison to the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce and is the chairman of the City’s Standing Annexation Committee. George previously served on the Strategic Planning Committee and chaired the Feral Cat and Ordinance Revision Committees during Mayor Butch Zaragoza’s term in office.
Prior to his election to the City Council, George served on the Vestavia Hills Board of Zoning Adjustment for 12 years and was the chair of that board for six years. He has been a member of the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce since 2002 and was named Board Member of the Year in 2007. He previously served as vice president of the Chamber’s Business Development Committee and is currently serving as the City Council liaison to the Chamber. George is a graduate of Leadership Vestavia Hills and is an active participant in numerous community organizations and initiatives.
George and his wife, Kacy, have lived in Vestavia Hills since 1986. They have three children – Ali, Amy, and Adam – all Vestavia Hills High School and Auburn University graduates. They also have 11 grandchildren, all of whom reside in Vestavia Hills. George and his family are members of Vestavia Hills Methodist Church, where he currently serves as an usher and a member of the Finance Committee. Kacy retired from the Vestavia Hills School System, where she served as the first principal of Liberty Park Middle School and as a teacher and assistant principal at Pizitz Middle School. She is currently employed by Kids First 4. George is a graduate of Auburn University and is employed by Singleton Marine Group.
Jeff Downes, City Manager
205.978.0195 | jdownes@vhal.org
Jeff Downes became the city manager for Vestavia Hills in July 2013 after retiring from the City of Montgomery, Alabama, where he spent the last decade of his 26-year career there as an executive level leader and carried the title of deputy mayor. He possesses a wealth of experience and understanding of municipal government and is especially adept at connecting people to promote community and economic growth. He espouses New Urbanist philosophy for creating quality living spaces in urban development, and economic development is a primary focus of his efforts in Vestavia Hills.
From early in his career in Montgomery, Alabama, where he served as the city’s first risk manager and later as its first deputy mayor, Jeff has kept a continuous eye for improving operations. Under his direction, the Risk Management Division began numerous innovative initiatives designed to control the costs of certain risk exposures, which included the creation of a workers’ compensation management system, a fully integrated employee assistance program; drug testing program; international drug importation program; self-insured liability program; and flexible spending account program. As deputy mayor, he led a number of successful projects that earned him widespread respect among government, agencies and the residents of Montgomery. Among his Montgomery successes was facilitating the establishment of the non-profit organization Eat South, whose mission is to support urban agriculture and healthy eating, similar to the Jones Valley Farm in Birmingham. He sought to improve aesthetics through infrastructure projects whenever possible and was an advocate for preserving historical architecture and promoting culture. An award from the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce for his work with The Alley entertainment district (2013) described him as “Courageous, Visionary, Rebellious. For vision and leadership that has forever changed the Quality of Place of the Capital of Dreams.”
Upon engagement as Vestavia Hills’ city manager in 2013, Jeff quickly established a dynamic of cooperation that led to movement on a number of projects that had been slow to progress. His leadership and facilitation have overcome challenging obstacles and have gained critical support for many efforts including the Community Spaces Plan and preceding recreational facilities improvements, development projects in areas throughout the city’s geography, and investments in infrastructure improvements. Within the City of Vestavia Hills organization, he has overseen the restructuring of several departments and strengthened the value of its vendor relationships through increased partnership and innovative programs. He has embraced technology and social media as tools to build consensus in the community and enhance City services to the public.
Since relocating to Vestavia Hills in 2013, Jeff has become a sought-after member for several boards on the local, state and national level. His current list of board memberships are as follows:
- Alabama City/County Managers Association, Immediate Past-President
- Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham, Secretary
- Local Government Health Insurance Board (Alabama), Vice President
- Cahaba Solid Waste Disposal Authority, Vice President
- Vestavia Hills Miracle League, Coach of the Red Tornadoes
- The Exceptional Foundation, Board Member
- United Way of Central Alabama, 2023 Campaign Co-Chair Community Division
- States Risk Retention Group,* Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Jeff graduated with honors from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration and from AUM with a Master of Public Administration. He has served in many community groups: Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Weed and Seed Program, St. Bede Child Development Center Board of Directors, Health Services Inc., Hampstead Institute and Catholic Social Services. He is a graduate of Leadership Montgomery and Leadership Alabama. He also is proud to share that he earned the rank of Eagle Scout in his youth. Since moving to Vestavia Hills, he has joined the Vestavia Hills Sunrise Rotary Club and graduated with the Leadership Vestavia Hills Class of 2015. Jeff is married to the love of his life, Penny. Jeff and Penny, along with their children – Chad (Miracle League athlete), Sydney (nurse), Harrison (musician) and Alex (future teacher) — are long-time residents of the Liberty Park area of Vestavia Hills and are parishioners at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church.
*States Risk Retention Group is a nationwide captive insurance company domiciled in Vermont. Jeff Downes is a certified workers’ compensation claims adjuster.
Cinnamon McCulley, Assistant City Manager
205.978.0143 | cmcculley@vhal.org
Cinnamon McCulley has been employed with the City of Vestavia Hills since April 2017. She served as communications director until October 2022 when she was promoted to assistant city manager.
In her current role, Cinnamon engages in a variety of economic development activities focused on the retention and growth of existing businesses within the city and coordinates cross-departmental activities and initiatives to provide efficient and effective City services. Additionally, she directs the City’s communications and branding efforts through the sharing of information, ideas and practices. Communications efforts involve a variety of platforms, including various print and digital publications, Web marketing, social media outreach, working with local and national media outlets and participation in membership organizations.
Cinnamon brings more than 30 years of experience in marketing, communications, public relations and graphic design experience with both non-profit and for-profit entities. Her professional career began with HealthSouth Corporation (now Encompass Health Corporation) in 1993, where she held many positions within the marketing department. During her 14 years of employment with HealthSouth, she advanced from the role of production coordinator to assistant vice president. Additionally, she worked with Brasfield & Gorrie as a senior marketing coordinator for three years and served as executive director of the Vestavia Hills Library Foundation.
In addition to serving in professional roles, Cinnamon enjoys being actively involved in working toward the betterment of her city and community and is an avid volunteer in the Vestavia Hills community. She is a 2017 graduate of Leadership Vestavia Hills and has served as a member of the Sibyl Temple Foundation Board, Vestavia Hills City Schools Foundation Board of Directors and Help the Hills Coalition Board.
Cinnamon was born in Mobile, Alabama and lived there until moving to Montevallo, Alabama to attend college. In May of 1992, she graduated from the University of Montevallo with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing. She and her husband, Kirk, along with their two sons, Walker and Whitten (both students at Mississippi State University), are long-time residents of Vestavia Hills and members of Vestavia Hills Methodist Church.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Council Places?
There are four Places on the Vestavia Hills City Council in addition to the Mayor. The Mayor and City Council are elected at large. Therefore, “places” designates the seats only; they are not tied to any geographic area.
When are Council members elected?
Members of the Vestavia Hills City Council are elected for four-year terms on the fourth Tuesday of August for terms beginning November 1 of that year.
How can I view minutes of a Council meeting?
The minutes of the previous meeting are included with the agenda for the upcoming meeting. Agendas are available online at https://vhal.org/government/agendas.