By Terry Schrimscher, For the Tribune
IRONDALE – The Council Chamber at Irondale City Hall was nearly full Tuesday night, Sept. 19, for the second regular meeting of the Irondale City Council. Mayor James D. Stewart Jr. took a few minutes in his report to the city to present a Key to the City to Pastor Mike McClure Jr.
Pastor Mike McClure Jr, also known as PMJ, poses with Mayor James D. Stewart Jr. who presented McClure with a Key to the City. (Credit: Terry Schrimscher)
“He writes songs that are extremely big because he’s always encouraging people to be winning,” Stewart said. “Therefore, I would like to bring, better known as PMJ, to the front. I want to give him the key to the city. If you all are asking the question why I am giving him the key to the city, well, in the last three years he has won 17 Stellar Awards.”
“In that building across the street and the city of Irondale, everything, and I mean this from the depths of my heart, that the world sees me doing was nurtured right here in Irondale, Alabama,” McClure said.
McClure moved to Irondale as a child when his father, Pastor Mike McClure Sr., began pastoring Revelation Church Ministries located at 1925 2nd Avenue South near City Hall. McClure Sr. still serves as pastor of the church.
“My son, Miles, asked me, he said ‘Dad, you’re getting the keys to the city?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘What does it open,’” McClure said. “I said, it doesn’t mean I have a key to open a door. It just means that a city has opened its heart to me and I thank God for each and every one of you.”
McClure Jr. will headline the upcoming music festival in Irondale on Sept. 23. As he was leaving, he announced he will be performing at this year’s Dove Awards. The GMA Dove Awards, an annual ceremony honoring Christian performers, will be held Oct. 17 and will be broadcast on TBN on Oct. 20.
Stewart also awarded three proclamations during his time at the podium. With these proclamations, the city officially recognized National Attendance Awareness Month, stressing the importance of school attendance; National Gear Up Week, stressing the need to equip underserved students with the tools to succeed; and Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month, stressing the need to fund research for all types of gynecological cancer.
In other business, the Council moved two items off its consent agenda to be voted on in the regular agenda. Both items, a resolution to amend the 2022-2023 fiscal year budget and a resolution to extend the 2022-2023 fiscal year to March 31, 2024, passed but were opposed by Councilmember Cindy Cuellar.
The Council approved the purchase of 2074 Ruffner Road for $300,000 to be used by public works, and the purchase of 1849 Crestwood Boulevard for the amount of $415,000 to be used by public safety.
The Council also approved an ordinance eliminating police jurisdiction in areas where service is provided outside the limits of the city of Irondale. The services will end Jan. 1, 2024.
The Council moved the date of the next meeting of the Irondale City Council. It will now be held on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 6 p.m., at Irondale City Hall.
