The Hoover City Council may be divided on many issues, but one important topic is uniting a majority — their support of police chief Nick Derzis for mayor. Four of seven councilmen have endorsed Derzis in his effort to unseat incumbent Mayor Frank Brocato, with two council members saying they'll stay neutral and one who did not respond to a request for comment.
In a statement given to 1819 News, Derzis said, "In the short time since we launched our campaign, one thing is clear: the status quo is simply not good enough, and the people of Hoover are demanding change. Today, I am happy to announce that a majority of the Hoover City Council has joined our movement and publicly endorsed me for mayor of Hoover."
He added, "It is an honor to be endorsed by council members Curt Posey, Steve McClinton, Sam Swiney and Casey Middlebrooks. They have endorsed my candidacy, but more importantly, they have embraced the desire for change in our city. This campaign is not about me. It is about the future of Hoover."
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In a public Facebook post, Councilman Casey Middlebrooks wrote, "I am writing to you today to express my strong support for Nick Derzis as the next Mayor of our great city. Having served on the Council, I've seen firsthand the critical importance of strong, effective leadership that fosters communication and trust. Nick Derzis embodies these qualities and possesses the vision and experience necessary to guide Hoover into a prosperous future."
He went on to explain, "Our city stands at a crossroads. We need a mayor who not only understands the challenges we face, but also has the courage to address them head-on. We need a leader who will establish a climate where open communication flourishes and is trusted. For too long, there has been a sense that you should go along to get along, and questions are discouraged or unwelcome. We need change, and Nick Derzis is the catalyst for that change."
Middlebrooks closed his statement by saying, "Therefore, I urge you to join me in supporting Nick Derzis for Mayor. Let us embrace the change we need and work together to build a brighter future for Hoover."
Councilman Curt Posey, who recently announced that he's honoring his two-term term limit pledge and will not be running for reelection said in a phone interview with 1819 News, "I really think, it goes back to term limits, eight plus one, we got that that extra year from the state legislature so nine years, after nine years things aren't improving and things are not, if you're not seeing this big push forward, you've just got to say, 'Well, I ran my race. I did the best job I could, and now it's time to hand it off to somebody."
He said that Derzis' tenure with the police department shows a "love for the city."
"I just think you're at a point where, and we got there in 2016, if you're at the point where you're not moving forward, you just need to hand it off to someone else," Posey explained. He said that new leadership would bring "new ideas, new visions, [and] help move the city forward."
"Nick, right now, is he's got a vision, and I think that people are wanting change," Posey said.
Councilman Steve McClinton explained why he supports Derzis, saying, "He's the kind of leadership we need."
Contrasting Derzis' consistently praised and recognized leadership at the police department with the descriptions of Brocato's finance department included in the Kroll forensic audit report, McClinton explained that the Kroll report found that under Brocato, there were "deleted files, omissions, IRS fines of $400k over three years, sloppiness, and errors."
He explained, "I think it's been so fractured right now in City Hall, because there's a lack of transparency, AKA honesty. And if you can't be honest with your citizens with your council members, that is the first step where things go downhill...Nick, I think he can rescore that trust."
McClinton said he was campaigning for reelection at an event with Derzis this past weekend and that "people flock to Nick."
Two council members, Councilwoman Khristi Driver and Councilman Derek Murphy, said they will remain neutral in the race. Councilman John Lyda did not return a request for comment.
Derzis' statement about the endorsements closed with, "As I said before, I refuse to stay silent about the issues facing our city. We can do better. And that is why I am running."
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