From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
JEFFERSON COUNTY — Mayors from 22 cities in Jefferson County signed the “Good Neighbor Pledge” Wednesday. The pledge is a pact to combat business poaching and to pursue growth for the region.
Cities taking part in the initiative are Argo, Bessemer, Birmingham, Brighton, Center Point, Clay, Fairfield, Graysville, Homewood, Hoover, Lipscomb, Midfield, Mountain Brook, Mulga, Pleasant Grove, Sylvan Springs, Tarrant, Trafford, Trussville, Vestavia Hills, Warrior and West Jefferson.
Trussville Mayor Buddy Choat was on hand for a press conference about the alliance Wednesday.
“This pledge is a commitment to treat our neighbors the way we want to be treated and to accomplish what we all want — to build good communities,” Choat said.
The agreement means cities will not lure businesses away from other cities and that they will not provide incentives for businesses moving from one city to the other. Center Point Mayor Tom Henderson said the pledge means cities will be working together to bring in economic development for the entire county.
“This is a historic achievement,” said Henderson. “If we’re in the agreement and they’re not, we don’t have to abide by the agreement within the cities that didn’t sign. It evens out and doesn’t give cities that didn’t sign an advantage.”
The mayors all said they are committed to making the county’s economy stronger by putting trust in one another and exhibiting the highest level of professional conduct and integrity.