Photo by Jon Anderson
Former Hoover Councilwoman Donna Mazur, who served on the council from 2000 to 2004, said she intends to run for the City Council again for the August 2025 election.
It has been 21 years since Donna Mazur served on the Hoover City Council, but now the 80-year-old is ready to give it another go.
Mazur, who was part of former Mayor Barbara McCollum’s “dream team” from 2000 to 2004, has declared she intends to run for a spot on the City Council again this year.
She hasn’t decided which seat she will seek yet, but she doesn’t officially have to pick a spot until the qualifying period of June 10-24. The city election is Aug. 26.
Mazur said she had no intention of running again but felt compelled to do so after watching decisions by the current mayor and City Council and how they treat residents and business people who come to meetings.
She particularly doesn’t like that the city is paying rent for space in an office building in the Riverwalk Village development in Riverchase even though no one is using the space yet, she said. The rent is $700,000 a year for 10 years for 30,000 square feet on the first floor of a former Regions Bank office building, but the first year’s rent was waived.
That was in addition to an estimated $25.8 million in tax rebates to the private company developing Riverwalk Village, plus up to $16 million in cash payments over the next 10 years to help get the project started.
“It’s an abuse of taxpayers’ money,” Mazur said. She also noted that Mayor Frank Brocato admitted in sworn testimony that he didn’t fully read the contract with the Riverwalk Village developer.
Brocato said when the tax incentives and upfront payments were approved by the City Council in November 2023 that they were well justified because Riverwalk Village is projected to have a $2.5 billion economic impact over 10 years, creating more than 3,500 construction jobs in the short term and more than 1,000 full-time jobs.
Riverwalk Village also should generate $29 million in property taxes for Hoover City Schools over 20 years, help the city diversify its economy to rely less on retail and traditional office complexes, revitalize an underutilized campus and bring more top-shelf medical services to the city, the mayor said.
Mazur also said Brocato initially ignored demands from the IRS to pay back taxes that were required due to erroneous payroll information being supplied to the IRS, so the city ended up having to pay fines. That, too, is an abuse of taxpayers’ money, she said.
Mazur also said she doesn’t like how many City Council members fail to respond to residents’ questions and concerns when they are stated at council meetings. Council President John Lyda frequently thanks people for their comments but specifically states that the council doesn’t respond to comments shared at meetings.
“They have every right as a council member to open their mouths and say something, but they don’t. They sit up there, and they look at you like you have two heads,” Mazur said. “It seems that some of our elected officials have forgotten that they are here to serve the people, not the other way around. Decisions are made behind closed doors, priorities are skewed, and residents are often left in the dark. This is not how government should operate.
“Taxpayer dollars must be spent responsibly, and the people of Hoover deserve leaders who are open, honest and accountable,” Mazur said. “I am committed to making Hoover safer, more efficient and community-driven. My campaign will focus on addressing stormwater issues, ensuring responsible development, and restoring trust in local government. … There is no trust right now.”
Mazur also criticized Lyda’s treatment of developer William Kadish. Lyda in April of last year called out Kadish for having been convicted of grand larceny, a felony, more than 20 years ago in New York. When Kadish tried to respond and explain how he took steps to make up for his past mistakes, Lyda would not let him and told him to sit down. Mazur said that was unfair.
Mazur, who has lived in Hoover for 40 years, said she has witnessed the city’s tremendous growth and the challenges that come with it.
“I believe that strong leadership prioritizes smart development, public safety and fiscal responsibility,” she said. “My experience in city government and community service has equipped me with the strategic, forward-thinking vision necessary to serve on the council once again.”
Mazur said that during her previous tenure on the council, she played a pivotal role in several major initiatives that shaped the city, including:
- The development of The Preserve and Ross Bridge, including the Robert Trent Jones golf course at Ross Bridge
- The expansion of the Patton Creek shopping center, enhancing Hoover’s retail and dining landscape.
- Securing the former BellSouth warehouse that now is the Hoover Public Safety Center and houses the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences’ Birmingham laboratory and the National Computer Forensics Institute.
- Championing the Hoover Public Library expansion
- Contributing to the development of the RV Park at the Hoover Met, helping to retain the SEC Baseball Tournament and attract revenue-generating events
When Mazur ran against and beat former Council President Johanna Hutto in 2000, she said she wanted to stop large annexations until schools and city services had a chance to catch up. After she was elected, she voted in favor of the annexation of Ross Bridge property and development of The Preserve.
Mazur said last week that Ross Bridge had to be done and has been a great development for the city. She also said the school system was prepared and capable of handling children from those developments.
In 2023, she opposed an effort by a development company to amend the plan for The Preserve and add 295 residential rental units, 38 townhomes, a 40-room boutique hotel, 49,200 square feet of retail space and 943 parking spaces.
Mazur also was one of three council members in 2002 to vote in favor of residential development in Tattersall Park. The plan at that time had 373 loft apartments, condos and townhomes, including 107 rental units, but that plan later was voided after the developer failed to act on it in a certain timeframe.
Mazur said last week she didn’t remember voting on that and said that, today, she would oppose rental units in Tattersall Park. “We have enough apartments,” and “there is enough traffic on 280,” Mazur said.
Mazur also said that beyond her City Council experience, she has served as a community leader in other ways, including as a member of the steering committee that worked on the creation of the Hoover school system and as a two-term president on the Hoover Beautification Board.
