Homewood Council honors retiring officials, creates 'Mike Kendrick Award'

Mayor Alex Wyatt opened Monday's Homewood City Council meeting with a series of proclamations recognizing public service milestones and retirements, including proclamations for National Pharmacist Month and for council members and staff stepping down after long tenures.

The mayor read a proclamation declaring October 2025 as National Pharmacist Month in Homewood, saying in part, "Whereas pharmacists are essential health care providers... Now, therefore, I, Alex Wyatt, mayor of the city of Homewood, Alabama, do hereby proclaim October 2025 as national pharmacist month in the city of Homewood." Students from Stanford University's McWhorter School of Pharmacy accepted the proclamation and offered brief remarks.

The council also read proclamations honoring Councilor John Harden for six years of service, Mayor Wyatt for 10 years in elected roles, and Council President Walter Jones for 29 years of service. Each honoree spoke briefly; in his remarks Harden said he was "grateful for the people up here" and reflected that the council members had acted from a desire to improve Homewood. Jones thanked staff and family and said he tried to "leave Homewood in a better place than when I got here."

The meeting included an extended recognition for Mike Kendrick, who is retiring after 45 years of service to the city as an elected official and longtime city attorney. Wyatt described Kendrick as central to the city's legal work and announced an annual "Mike Kendrick Award" that the city will hand to employees in future years to honor outstanding service. Kendrick accepted the proclamation and thanked his family, law partners and colleagues.

Council members and department heads also offered public remarks praising staff, highlighting capital projects completed during the honorees' tenures, and thanking the departing officials for years of service. The session closed with multiple councilors offering personal reflections before the meeting adjourned.