Birmingham Won't Retain Bruner As City Manager

Bob Bruner isn't staying as Birmingham's city manager.

The Birmingham City Commission on Monday opted not to renew Bruner's contract when it expires next month, ending a few weeks of speculation and uncertainty.

"After extensive consideration, the commission has decided to allow Mr. Bruner's contract to expire on Feb. 13," Mayor Pro Tem Stuart Sherman read from a statement on behalf of the Board. "We expect Mr. Bruner to complete the terms of his contract."

Sherman also said an interim city manger will be appointed at an upcoming commission meeting.

City commissioners discussed the matter during a closed session that lasted more than an hour after Monday's regularly scheduled meeting at City Hall. Mayor Scott Moore was not in attendance.

The decision comes at an interesting time for both Bruner and Birmingham. The city is on the cusp of a bond campaign to revamp the Baldwin Public Library that could reach voters in May and cost $21 million. Bruner and commissioners spent much of the public portion of the last meeting discussing how to proceed on what he called the most complex building projects the city has attempted in decades.

As contract negotiations continued last month, Bruner became a candidate for the vacant city manager's position in Huntington Woods. He abruptly withdrew his name before the final round of interviews last week, and apologized to Birmingham residents while praising the City Commission in an e-mail.

“In many respects … the best governing body I have ever had the privilege of working with," he wrote.

Bruner did not respond to an email from Patch Wednesday.

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