National politics got you up or down? Change starts locally, Birmingham.
ByJHDaniel
Reading time: 4 minutes
Stephen L. Murphy has declared his intent to run for Birmingham City Council in District 2. Why should you care?
Because, according to Occupy Wall Street co-creator Micah White, you should, “Go local, rural and small to try to foster big change.” Or, maybe your love how the country is currently running, and you’d like to encourage more of the same. Another reason to get involved with local politics. Right now!
Big change is coming to Birmingham this summer, in the form of city-wide elections for mayor and city council.
The sooner we start a public conversation with potential candidates, the more we can learn about those seeking public office on August 22.
My last city council candidate interview featured Jordan Thompson, and you can check it out here.
The Jefferson County Election Commission has until June 23 to officially call the upcoming Birmingham municipal election set for August 22, but tonight it’s all about another District 2 candidate, Stephen L. Murphy.
This first interview with each candidate is a formal introduction to Bham Nowers.
Each potential candidate was emailed the same questions, and I’m meeting with each of them in person.
Stephen L. Murphy, it’s your turn to take the Bham Now mobile stage:
When did you officially announce your candidacy and where/how did you do it?
I announced on March 6, 2017 to friends and family. Also, I announced on FB, IG, and Twitter @slmurphy2017 and launched www.stephenlmurphy.com. You can also watch my campaign video.
What is the name of your political action committee?
Campaign to Elect Stephen L. Murphy
Why do you want to run for Birmingham City Council?
As a social worker, I’ve spent a lot of time working with people and developing solutions. In doing so, I’ve had the opportunity to learn firsthand the needs of the Birmingham community. I want to use this experience in City Hall to ensure critical resources are available to the citizens of District 2.
What is your background, education and experience?
I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in social work from UAB and a Master’s degree in social work from the University of Alabama. I’ve worked providing service to others through my work in child welfare, mental health/chemical dependency, HIV/AIDS, Veterans Affairs and medical social work. Also, I’ve worked with a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring Birmingham’s students graduate from high school as college, career and life-ready young adults. I’m currently employed at a 200+ bed psychiatric hospital as Director of Risk Management & Regulatory Compliance, where I work to keep the facility and patients safe while ensuring employees are providing quality care in a therapeutic environment. Because of my leadership and strong work ethic, I am the youngest person on the administrative team at the hospital.
How will you foster a healthy, working relationship between the mayor’s office and the Birmingham City Council/city hall?
I want to use my experiences in leveraging strengths to create a unified leadership team in Birmingham by working together and putting citizens first. By working together, we will be able to break the barriers that plague communities and hinder growth in Birmingham.
How will you accomplish transparency with the residents of Birmingham, if elected?
Many citizens feel their concerns go unaddressed because of a disconnect between elected officials and citizens. Being accessible and providing accurate information to citizens is key to building confidence in leadership. I want to create an electronic accountability system that allows citizens to make and track the progress of their requests. I plan to regularly attend neighborhood meetings and host quarterly town hall meetings throughout the district to stay well informed of community needs. My priority is to ensure district priorities reflect the needs of District 2 citizens.
What district are you running for and what area does that cover?
District 2 encompasses the following neighborhoods: Brown Springs, Crestwood South, Crestline, Eastwood, Huffman, Liberty Highlands, Overton, Roebuck Springs and South East Lake.
District 2 encompasses the following neighborhoods: Brown Springs, Crestwood South, Crestline, Eastwood, Huffman, Liberty Highlands, Overton, Roebuck Springs and South East Lake.
