By Megan Miller, Editor
TRUSSVILLE – After 20 years as Trussville’s Mayor, Gene Melton has endorsed runoff candidate Buddy Choat.
“I am most appreciative and very honored that Mayor Melton has decided to support me,” Choat said. “I really appreciate his commitment to support me in the upcoming runoff.”
Melton said his primary reasoning behind supporting Choat is he believes Choat’s heart is in the right place, and he will take good care of the people of Trussville.
Melton said Choat’s eight years of experience on the Trussville City Council serving in different capacities such as liaison to the Trussville Public Library and Parks and Recreation Department show his passion and commitment to serving the city.
“He’s tried his best between his work and trying to serve the city,” Melton said. “I think he’s done as well as anybody could to try to learn how a city actually runs and operates.”
Choat said he has tried to build a great relationship with Melton over the last eight years, and thinks Melton has done a great job for the city of Trussville.
“What he’s done is part of my vision for Trussville moving forward,” Choat said.
Choat’s experience serving on the Trussville Downtown Redevelopment Authority will give him a greater insight into what the city is trying to do with the downtown area, according to Melton.
“He has a step up in the knowledge and experience being on that board during the time that it started out,” Melton said. “It will take a strong mayor to make sure they don’t lose sight of what they need to be doing.”
In addition to Choat’s experience serving on the council, Melton said he’s also been eager to learn as much as he can about other facets of local government.
“I’ve tried to make him a part of the decision making process, along with the rest of them, and offered to come in and act as a mentor if they wanted to learn,” Melton said.
However, just like with any new position, Melton said there will be a learning curve for whichever candidate is elected.
“It’s not just going out and shaking hands and patting people on the back and attending all these civic organizations, you have to take care of the city and be forward thinking,” Melton said. “If elected he (Choat) will get the chance to sit on this side of the table and deal with five independent thinkers and keep them corralled. I believe he can.”
Regardless of whichever candidate wins, Melton said he will be around to help. Melton remembered when he came into office in 1996, asking the previous mayor for help, but being told he was on his own.
“I won’t do that to either one of them,” Melton said.
Melton said the things that are most important for either candidate to learn quickly should he be elected is the day to day operations of the city, and how to stop what they’re doing to address a problem quickly. He said although the management of personnel is part of the job, as is hiring and firing, he hopes that Trussville continues to put its people first.
“I hope the mayor won’t lose that down home type of feeling,” Melton said.
The mayoral runoff election will take place October 4.
18 Comments
Jacob Allen Hudson
Won’t vote for choat now… BAD endorsement
Jason Putman
Well, aren’t you just a little ray of sunshine.
Suzi Trammell Sockwell
Which means Montalto needs to be elected!
Scott White
That’s why I will vote Montalto…
Jacob Allen Hudson
Bad endorsement
Amy Russo Cochran
Me too
Shawn Abel
Well since he has endorsed choat I will definitely vote for Montalto now!!!!
Kevin Small
All joking aside, does that hurt or help Choat?
Chuck Biddinger
I agree Shawn. I have moved and can’t vote, but I will put a Montalto sign in my yard at my Trussville house.
Michelle Quattlebaum Daniel
If he supportes Mr. Choat, that is his choice. However, to insinuate that Mr. Montalto’s heart is not in the right place is very bothersome to me.
Elizabeth Womack
We were blessed to have three wonderful choices for mayor. God bless all these men and there families to be willing to be dissected by everyone. Thank you Melton, Montalto, and Choat for loving our community.
Jason Putman
You people are hilarious. If he backs one candidate, you gripe about that. If he had not backed either you would have griped about that too.
Just be glad that you had a mayor that truly cared about the city for two decades. And don’t cry when your city is facing financial troubles in the coming years.
Shannon Harris
Amen Jason.
Harry Gulledge
I just hope Buddy will rebuff those Melton supporters who wanted to spread lies about Anthony Montalto or this could be a long 6 weeks.
Tammy Harrison Palmore
Please do not allow him to choose your future. Melton did not win for specific reasons Anthony Montalto will move our city forward with a truly giving heart.
Scott Sizemore
More like pathetic! Comments by bystanders who more than likely didn’t vote in the first place and won’t now either.
Hunter Wright
what Montalto lies were there?
Harry Gulledge
Some we’re saying that Anthony , if elected, would sell the Utilities Board and fire all of the
Dept heads among other outrageous things.