From staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — Trussville resident Jef Freeman has announced his intention to seek election to the Trussville City Council in the upcoming election year.
Freeman, a native of Walnut Grove in Etowah County, has lived in Trussville since 1993 and is a member of Trussville First United Methodist Church. Most recently, Freeman has served as the chairman of Trussville’s Downtown Redevelopment Authority (RDA). That experience led Freeman to believe his expertise could be useful.
“I’ve seen the council and administration in action. I feel like I can be more helpful as a councilman, than the head of the RDA,” Freeman said. “The scope gets bigger. Right now, my focus is downtown, and I think that’s a vital thing, but I would like to be influential all over Trussville.”
Freeman’s background is in finance, as he serves as a Financial Advisor for Wells Fargo Bank. He began his career in finance at 19 years old with the Birmingham National Trust Bank, now known as Wells Fargo.
In addition to serving as chairman of the RDA, Freeman is also a member of the Jefferson County Board of Zoning Appeals, the Jefferson County Mural Review board and is a past President of the Rotary Club. He has also been involved with municipal finance through the years, seeing both the good and bad, something he feels will bring another level of expertise to the council.
“I’ve seen governments at their best, and governments at their worst. I’ve called on cities and counties that are really, really good and some that are really bad. I think I can add that expertise,” he said. “I just think I can be a servant to the citizens by helping. I really think what I’ve learned in life and professionally can help make Trussville a better place.”
In doing so, however, Freeman said he would prefer not to run against any current members of the city council.
“It’s my understanding there will be at least one seat open,” he said. “It is my intention to run for an open position.”
Freeman added the current council, in his opinion, has served the city well.
“I think they’ve all represented the citizens well. They all take their role on the council very seriously, and they do a good job with it. I have insight with the experts who come to present to the council,” he said.
Adding a second opinion or another financial mind to the council is something Freeman feels could be insightful.
“I have a particular insight to municipal budgets because of the analysis I’ve done in the past. A second opinion most times is a good thing. I’ve looked at good ones, I’ve looked at bad ones. My experience will help in the future,” he said.
The main goal in the end for Freeman is to help Trussville become the city the citizens dream it can be.
“I want Trussville to be the town we dream of. It’s not there yet,” he said. “We’ve got some wonderful parts of it, but it isn’t finished. I’d like to be the guy who’s known for finishing those projects.”
Freeman has been married to his wife,Regina, for 35 years. They have two sons Joe and John, one daughter Rebecca, and granddaughter Addie.