Campaign Website:
https://drummondformayor.com/
As part of PEP’s commitment to informed civic engagement, we invited City of Mobile mayoral candidates to share their positions on key issues impacting Mobile’s economy and environment. Below are Barbara Drummond’s unedited responses, shared with PEP members, their employees, and the community.
Note: Candidates are listed in alphabetical order.
PEP has supported environmentally responsible businesses for 25 years. In your view, is the Mobile community healthy environmentally? What specific environmental improvements or changes are still needed in the Mobile area? Which groups—such as government agencies, businesses, or community organizations—should take the lead in addressing these issues?
RESPONSE: I believe a healthy environment and a healthy industrial community are not mutually exclusive; in fact, they must go hand-in-hand for Mobile to thrive. While our city has made progress, we still face significant challenges with air and water quality, particularly in neighborhoods adjacent to industrial corridors. As Chair of the Mobile Area Water and Sewer Board (MAWSS), I have a direct, hands-on understanding of our environmental infrastructure and the constant need for vigilance and upgrades.
Addressing these issues requires a true partnership. Government agencies, like the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), must be empowered to enforce regulations effectively. Our businesses and industries have a critical responsibility to be good corporate citizens, investing in the best available technology to minimize their environmental footprint. And importantly, community organizations and residents must have a seat at the table to ensure their voices are heard. As Mayor, I will facilitate that collaboration to ensure our industrial growth is both prosperous and sustainable for generations to come.
Mobile Bay is one of our region’s most valuable natural and economic assets. How will your administration improve water quality, stormwater management, flood resilience, and habitat restoration, such as living shorelines and oyster reefs, while also supporting ongoing industrial and port development? What existing city efforts in this area would you continue, strengthen, or change?
RESPONSE: My commitment to protecting Mobile Bay is not just a talking point; it’s a responsibility I live every day as Chair of MAWSS. Protecting our bay is essential to our economy, our culture, and our quality of life. My administration will take a proactive and comprehensive approach to bay health. We will prioritize the necessary work of upgrading our aging stormwater infrastructure to reduce polluted runoff, a major source of contamination. My administration will also actively support our coastal resilience by seeking opportunities and funding for innovative, nature-based solutions, which could include projects like living shorelines and oyster reef restoration that serve as our natural first line of defense against storm surge.
This does not have to come at the expense of our Port’s growth. We can and must support ongoing industrial development by ensuring it adheres to the highest environmental standards. I would seek to strengthen the city’s partnerships with our local environmental organizations and scientific experts, and I will continue to invest in data-driven water quality monitoring to ensure our policies are effective and our bay remains a vibrant asset for all.
PEP businesses have expressed a strong interest in better recycling options locally. How would you expand and modernize recycling access in a way that is financially sustainable and attractive to the business community?
RESPONSE: Mobile can and must do better on recycling. For our residents, it’s about providing convenient, reliable curbside service. For our business community, it’s about creating a system that is financially sustainable and makes good business sense. As Mayor, I would direct my team to explore a modernized recycling plan that includes public-private partnerships to reduce the financial burden on taxpayers. We need to look at creating incentives for businesses that participate in robust recycling programs and reduce their waste streams. A better recycling system isn’t just an environmental goal; it’s an economic development opportunity that can attract businesses committed to sustainability.
What specific measures would you take to reduce litter, marine debris, and landfill waste in Mobile? How would you expand and modernize recycling access in a financially sustainable way, and how would you engage the public? What programs from the current administration would you retain or revise?
RESPONSE: I have a proven track record of tackling litter through community engagement: as an executive for the city, I launched the citywide Litter Awareness Campaign because I believe fostering civic pride is the first step. I also created Mobile 311, a system that empowers citizens to easily report issues like illegal dumping.
As Mayor, I will build on that foundation. We will re-energize citywide cleanup initiatives in direct partnership with our 75 citizen action groups, providing them with the resources they need. We will also modernize our approach to waste, moving beyond just awareness to implementing a financially sustainable recycling program that makes it easy for every household and business to participate. We must combine strong enforcement against illegal dumping with positive, community-driven engagement to create a cleaner Mobile we can all be proud of.
Quality of life is a key criteria for talent attraction and that includes outdoor recreation. How will you support the development and maintenance of green spaces, trails, blue-ways, and sustainable zoning practices to improve quality of life and encourage economic growth? Which current and/or new initiatives or planning efforts would you continue or adjust?
RESPONSE: Attracting and retaining the next generation of talent means creating a city with an exceptional quality of life, and our beautiful natural spaces are central to that. My administration will be committed to expanding and maintaining our green and blue spaces. This includes championing the completion of key projects like the Three Mile Creek Greenway, which connects neighborhoods and provides invaluable recreational opportunities. It also means continuing my legislative work of turning blighted, abandoned properties into productive community assets like pocket parks and green spaces. We will ensure our zoning practices protect these vital areas and work to create a network of trails and public access points so that every Mobilian, in every neighborhood, can enjoy the natural beauty of our bay city.
What is your strategy for ensuring that Mobile remains both economically competitive and environmentally resilient amid climate-related challenges, including extreme weather and sea level rise? How would you support energy efficiency and renewable energy investment? What current or new climate or energy initiatives will you continue or implement?
RESPONSE: For a coastal city like Mobile, economic competitiveness and environmental resilience are two sides of the same coin. We cannot have one without the other. My strategy is to integrate climate resilience into our economic planning. As MAWSS Chair, I deal directly with the impacts of extreme weather on our most critical infrastructure, and I know we must be proactive. This means upgrading our infrastructure to withstand stronger storms and sea level rise, and ensuring our building and zoning codes reflect these new realities.
I will also support smart investments in energy efficiency for city operations, which saves taxpayer money and reduces our carbon footprint. We will work to attract renewable energy businesses and support local industries in their transition to more sustainable practices. A resilient, forward-looking city is one that businesses want to invest in and where people want to live.
Businesses and industry are challenged with recruiting and retaining workers wh have the appropriate amount of training and experience. What will you do as mayor to both train locally and attract work force from other regions?
RESPONSE: This is a cornerstone of my platform. We have incredible economic engines like Airbus and Austal, and my top priority is ensuring Mobilians have the skills to fill those good-paying jobs. I have a proven record of supporting workforce development, from helping fund the new manufacturing center at Bishop State to championing our high school signature academies and dual enrollment programs. As Mayor, I will deepen these partnerships between our school system, our community colleges, and our industries to create direct, clear pipelines from the classroom to a career. We will build the best-trained workforce in the state, which is the single most effective way to both retain our local talent and attract new workers to our region.
Please share any other environmental, economic, or quality-of-life priorities not covered above.
RESPONSE: Ultimately, all of these issues – from our environment and infrastructure to our economy and workforce – are interconnected. For me, ensuring Mobile’s growth is equitable means committing to the principle of environmental justice. This means that no neighborhood, regardless of its zip code or history, should bear a disproportionate burden of pollution. Every community deserves clean air, clean water, and healthy, safe places for their children to play.
We see the urgent need for this commitment in historic communities like Africatown, which has a rich, unique heritage but has also endured the consequences of industrial pollution for generations. The challenges faced there serve as a powerful example of why we must be intentional and fair in how we balance industrial growth with community health across our entire city.
Addressing these deep-seated challenges requires a leader with a comprehensive understanding of how our city, county, and state governments work, and a proven ability to bring people together to forge solutions. I am the only candidate in this race with executive experience at all three levels. I have spent my life serving Mobile, and I have the experience, the vision, and the deep love for this city to lead us into a more prosperous, resilient, and unified future for all our communities.
Note: Candidates are listed in alphabetical order.