Safe for more business and family friendly city.

And we know from scripture that where uh brothers live in harmony, uh, and where brothers are united, that God commands a blessing.

And so my encouragement to uh mayor elect um Spiro is to find the way to make sure that God's face still shines upon the city of Mobile as he tries to unite us and move us forward.

I'm excited to work with him in a transition plan.

Um, we're going to do everything we can to make sure that all the institutional knowledge that we've learned over the last twelve years and the things that um of how we can move the city forward.

Uh, deposit that with him, and then as he puts his team together, we will be um in the background, and if he needs our help, we'll be glad to give it to him, but he will be the mayor, and um, I'll be citizen Sandy.

But I really believe that the best is yet to come for the city.

Also, I want to thank uh Lisa Lambert.

Um I've never run an election.

None of us in here have ever run an election, but I sense that it's not an easy thing to do.

Uh, and she's uh probably aged ten years over the last few days or the last uh three weeks.

So Lisa, thank you so much for what you've done.

Excuse me, it's Saturday, October 11th.

It's going to be from 9 to 1 p.m.

at SEALs Community Center.

It's a free event and enables residents to safely depose uh of the common hazardous items, which are like automobile fluids, aerosols, fertilizers, paint, cleaners, pesticides, batteries, any other common hazardous materials.

I want to commend our environmental engineering department for organizing these events.

Since twenty twenty twenty-two, we've collected nearly a hundred tons of hazardous waste that could have otherwise ended up on roadsides or in waterways.

So thank them for what they've done to organize that and thanks, MOP.

Thank you to the Mobilians that take advantage of this free service.

Again, that's October 11th.

I have two proclamations to read this morning.

One of them uh is for the partners for uh for environmental progress, it's their 25th anniversary.

And we have Jennifer Denson with us, she's the executive director, and Steve Stewart, who is the president of the board.

So if y'all can come to the podium and I'll read them, then present you the proclamation.

Whereas Partners for Environmental Progress, PEP proudly celebrates his 25th anniversary, marking a quarter century of advancing the Gulf Coast as a region where business and the environment work together in harmony, and whereas established in the year 2000 by visionary industry leaders in the mobile area, PEP has grown to include more than 200 member companies committed to sharing science-based practices, addressing environmental challenges and promoting sustainable growth.

Whereas through the groundbreaking initiatives such as the Byproducts Energy Program, which reduces industrial waste, and the Eagle Reef Project, which engages businesses in coastal restoration, PEP has demonstrated how industry leadership can result in cleaner waters, stronger fisheries, and healthier communities.

And whereas PEP's annual environmental stewardship awards have showcased real-world achievements in energy efficiency, waste and greenhouse gas reduction and habitat preservation, such success stories that inspire innovation across sectors and contribute to the thriving regional economy.

And whereas for 25 years, PEP has built impactful partnerships that influence policy, improve environmental outcomes, and position Mobile as a national model for balancing economic prosperity with the protection of our natural resources.

Now, therefore, I William S.

Stimson, the 108th mayor of the City of Mobile, do hereby recognize and commend the Partners for Environmental Progress on its 25th anniversary and its enduring contributions to our community and environment and our future.

Congratulations and thank you for what you do.

Thanks, sir.

Congratulations, Jennifer.

Okay.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Council.

Um I was trying to decide if the mayor was just being humble or didn't want to share his age because he was a part of the grassroots efforts over 25 years ago to help get this started.

So we really appreciate uh what you you and uh several others have started, and Jennifer's been our executive director for 16 years, and we have several of our board members here uh today.

And so we continue on, hopefully for another 25 years for uh over 200 member companies strong.

All the larger employers in town are a part of our organization.

And the reason we were started, as the mayor uh mentioned, was to balance you know environmental with industry and development, and I think we've continued to do that as a community, and all of you as stakeholders have contributed to that, and so we just thank you.

Thank you all.

If I may, I would just like to recognize some of our board members who are here today.

We have Tom Bramlett, who is actually the first president of our board of directors with OEC, a founding member company, just like Mayor Simpson was a founding member, and then we also have several of our other um board members today, and we look forward to another 25 years working hand in glove with everyone in the room.

Thank you.

Can we yell to board members that please stand, but we can recognize you all?

Thank you all.

Steve, I don't mind talking about my age, but just to quantify it, I am younger than Tommy Bramlett.

Not much, but just a little bit.

So the next proclamation is about suicide prevention month.

And the attendees, if they could come join me at the podium with Carrie McNair, who's with the Alabama Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

She is the policy chair.

We have Rory Evans and Jamie Conley.

Good morning.

Whereas in 2023, suicide was the 13th leading cause of death overall in Alabama and the third lead leading cause of death among individuals aged 15 to 34 years.

And whereas in the United States in 2023, over 49,000 individuals died by suicide.

And in Alabama, 869 individuals died by suicide.

Whereas over 90% of the people who die by suicide have a diagnosable and potentially treatable mental health condition, although often that condition is not recognized or treated.

And whereas the negative attitudes associated with mental health conditions and suicidal thoughts and behaviors work against suicide prevention by discouraging persons at risk for suicide for from seeking life-saving help and further traumatize survivors of suicide loss and people that lived experience of suicide.