Mayor James D. Stewart Jr. used the first Irondale City Council meeting of 2026 to present multiple proclamations, announce small grants to local nonprofits and recognize volunteers who supported city events in 2025.

Stewart read a proclamation designating January 2026 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month in Irondale and said the city would give $2,500 to each of two local organizations to support anti‑trafficking work. "Whereas human trafficking is a form of modern day slavery," the proclamation recited, and the mayor urged residents to report suspected trafficking to the national hotline listed in the proclamation.

Why it matters: Council members and the mayor framed the proclamation and grants as part of a continuing effort to train first responders, support survivors and reduce exploitation. A representative of Covenant Rescue Group thanked the mayor and council and described prior training efforts with local agencies, saying the training had helped lead to arrests in the community and that some arrested individuals had been found with images of victims on their phones.

The mayor also read a proclamation recognizing Jan. 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day and said City Hall would be lit in yellow "in the spirit of education and remembrance." Stewart cited partnerships with the Alabama Holocaust Education Center and community groups and called the action a visible symbol to honor victims and survivors.

Stewart closed his report with a remembrance proclamation for Lieutenant Mark Meadows, honoring his 30-plus years of service to the Irondale Police Department and his prior service as an Army Ranger. The proclamation set Jan. 6, 2026, as Lieutenant Mark Meadows Remembrance Day and the council observed a moment of silence.

The mayor also used the report to present "community champion" awards to volunteers and to announce upcoming events, including a ticketed "Live the Dream" MLK breakfast and a deadline-driven community service grant program. He encouraged residents to sign up for events and for the city’s revived 'Stewart Report' newsletter to receive meeting recaps.

What happens next: The proclamations were read for the public record during the meeting; the awards and the two $2,500 service agreements for anti‑trafficking work were included on the consent agenda and moved forward by the council.