The Stadium Trace Village Phase 2 saga took another unusual twist on Thursday.
Hoover City Council president John Lyda called a special meeting for 1:30 p.m. on Friday to consider how to proceed with negotiations for an incentive package on the next phase of Stadium Trace Village.
According to the Hoover Sun, the council will consider at the Friday meeting whether or not to return Mayor Frank Brocato and the city's economic development manager Greg Knighton authority in the negotiations.
At stake is a $30 million incentive package for the project.
As of publication, Lyda has not responded to an 1819 News request for comment.
Hoover City Councilman Steve McClinton, a critic of Lyda's approach, questioned Lyda's motivations in comments given to 1819 News.
"Obviously, the mayor and the council president have let their personal feelings interfere in city's business," McClinton said. "This project is good for the city and its citizens and there is no reason not to go forward. It doesn't make sense. Councilman Lyda, the president — he's the one who seconded the motion to continue this until April 15, where it comes up for a vote again. Why now does he want to have this special meeting on a Friday afternoon at 1:30 [p.m.]? My suspicion is that the developer is engaging with citizens next week, as he was asked to do so by the president. And he is trying to delay the inevitable."
"Being an elected official means you will always have somebody disagree with you and call you nasty names," he continued. "But you just have to put on your big boy pants and do what's right for the city. The Mayor is troubled because his staff is not for this project and wonders why the council is still pursuing it. Well, his staff has always been for it. It's just about the details. And in the end, the staff works for the Mayor. I've never known the staff to ever question the Mayor. So, the Mayor's mindset of saying, 'Hey, we're the government and we know what's best,' well, you know — like Reagan said, it makes you kind of nervous when you hear someone say, 'Hey, we're from the government and we're here to help.'"
"I'll always want to see two sides of the equation," McClinton added. "I heard the government's side, which is the Mayor's. Now, I'm hearing the capitalist entrepreneur's side."
Broad Metro president William Kadish, the project's developer, was set to host a meeting next week to address local residents' concerns, which raised questions about the timing of Lyda's call.
In a statement to 1819 News, Kadish expressed his disappointment in the special meeting.
"Feeling profoundly disappointed and infuriated by the city council's abrupt decision to convene a special meeting tomorrow. This project, which I've poured my heart and soul into for the past 14 months, amounts to upwards of a $250 million investment. It's beyond frustrating to witness attempts to derail something so vital for the growth and prosperity of the Hoover community, which I hold dear."
Earlier this week at a council meeting, Lyda ambushed Kadish by revealing he was convicted of a felony more than 20 years ago. For that reason, Lyda said he "would never vote to do business" with Kadish.
Jeff Poor is the editor in chief of 1819 News and host of "The Jeff Poor Show," heard Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-noon on Mobile's FM Talk 106.5. To connect or comment, email jeff.poor@1819News.com or follow him on Twitter @jeff_poor.
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