Story By Mary Bailey

Tuesday evening residents of Boaz filled the seats of Fielder Auditorium at Snead State Community College to listen to the 2025 Boaz City Election Forum.

All candidates running for election participated.

Mayoral Candidates:

David Dyar

Tim Walker

Jana Pair

Council Place 1:

David Ellis

Rodney Frix

Council Place 2:

Steven Bates 

Darla Lasseter

Riley S. Young

Council Place 3:

Kevin Brooks, Jr.

Alan Hales

Johnny Willis

Council Place 4:

Matt Brannon

Council Place 5:

Caleb Williams

Dr. Joe Whitmore, President of Snead State Community College was the moderator for the event which in total last almost three hours.

The first part of the forum included the mayoral candidates.

When asked what his plans were as far as improving the roads, sidewalks, parks, bridges and maintaining other infrastructure with the continued rising costs, Mayor David Dyar said while he has been Mayor the city has paved over 110 roads.

“We are working on a plan for 25-26 fiscal year and that will include thirty additional roads. As far as sidewalks we are currently pursuing grants as I speak and those grants are going to be centered around our school campuses and we are also going to be concentrating around Snead State,” Mayor Dyar said. “As far as bridges, they are inspected once a year by the state. They come in and evaluate them and then we address the issues as they are. As far as parks, we are currently renovating Paradise Park. We have done everything that I know that we can do to make this community more attractive to industry. We have a new Rec Center, we have a new park, we are trying to get a grant so we can renovate Cherokee, and we are currently renovating Paradise Park, so it’s a work in progress.”

Candiate Pair was asked the same question, and she said she believed setting a budget and seeing what the priorities are.

“As the mayor said he has paved a lot of roads. I think that we also need to budget money for a new fire department on the east side of Boaz. There are several people who live on that side, and they are just too far away from the present fire department,” she said. “I want to deal with the drainage problems on Darnell where our track team runs. It is deplorable how the storm drainage is going over there. There are a lot of things we can still do with budget as far as roads and sidewalks. Infrastructure isn’t just paving it’s also the buildings. We have got several buildings that are in disarray, and I don’t see the ordinances being held on these buildings. There’s no signage for these ordinances and it just makes the city look bad. You have buildings that have junk sitting in the windows. I walked downtown yesterday and looked in every window and it seems like almost all of them are storage units. That is not what our city downtown is supposed to be.”

Walker, who has previously served as the city’s mayor, said infrastructures also include what goes under the ground 

“My dad was a road builder, and I grew up around that as a kid. We did a lot of things different when I was in office, we bid our asphalt out per square foot, almost like buying carpet. And we saved a little bit of money to do that. But let me tell you this, you can help. Buy your gasoline in Boaz because that’s where a lot of infrastructure repair money comes from,” Walker said. “So, if you have almost an empty tank, try to make it to Boaz to fill it up because we need that. You know when you look at Boaz it’s a tough job. No matter who is involved it is a tough job to carry infrastructure. But don’t forget the stuff that runs underground. If I am elected, I will make sure our department heads have what they need to make sure infrastructure is maintained.”

The second part of the forum involved those who are running for a place on the city council.

Rodney Frix was asked his vision on community service and quality of life specifically as it relates to community events in general. 

“I don’t feel like I would be holding anything back if I said the relationship between our chamber of commerce and city government is broken or at least faltered. I understand the importance of the chamber. A city cannot strive, a city cannot be successful without its chamber. We need the chamber; the chamber needs our city. We have got to continue to work together. I’m not necessarily interested in whatever the issue was that got it in this state, but I’m interested in fixing it and bringing the city of Boaz back to the place that I grew up in which was all about loving our neighbor.”

 Steven Bates was asked how he would handle a business or industry that wanted to come to the city that didn’t really fit the character of Boaz.

“I know infrastructure, probably the best on anybody in here. I’ve been doing it for 19 years. I don’t understand that not all businesses are the greatest for Boaz. Just like the other night, we definitely need the community input, it is community first. I do realize that big major businesses who help our town in infrastructure help keep the water and sewer rates down. A lot of people don’t know that.

Darla Lasseter was asked how she would respond to citizens’ concerns on crime and public safety in the community. 

“Well, I love to run. I run the sidewalks, the streets. Sometimes it’s dark in the mornings and sometimes it’s not. I’ve always felt safe in these streets, that’s not anything that I’ve had a second thought about until about a year ago. Here’s why I know; I appreciate the men that are standing at these exits. They need to earn a good wage for protecting our city. As Mayor Dyar mentioned raises, the cars are great, but they have to be able to earn a living do they can protect us. We need them. Our fire department, I want them to have a wage they can raise a family on because we need them. We they get a call they go. That’s important to us. What I see we need more of is communication.”

Johnny Willis was asked what he saw as the biggest challenge was in the town and what he would do to address it.

“I think the biggest challenge in Boaz is the lack of high paying quality jobs. I would like to see more industries located in Boaz provide jobs for our citizens so that young people in Boaz can locally, after high school and college stay here. High paying jobs are the key to the city’s growth.”

Kevin Brooks, Jr. was asked how he would formulate a balanced city budget and spending priorities. 

“I think you have to start with having the correct human resources director in place and a city bookkeeper in place that are working. You know we have got money in our bank but right now an outsider looking in we are sitting on our hands, and we haven’t really done anything with that money.”

Alan Hales was asked how to communicate better with K-12 students the importance of the types of jobs that are going to be in greater demand like welders and plumbers.

“15, 20 years ago I would have given you the answer of Auburn, Alabama, UAB, that’s where you needed to go. Then I opened my eyes when I bulldozed into development and saw what we had lost the years. We have lost much knowledge that has retired out that has passed on and we did not replace them. There are so many jobs out there that go untaken, you would be amazed. Giving the knowledge base and letting them know early on that hey, you can make a very, very good living doing a trade.”

When asked how he would address the current labor shortage in the community and make it more attractive to new businesses Caleb Williams said it starts early.

“If you have ever been able to be a part of the mock interviews here at the high school it is heart breaking to talk to these graduating seniors and hear them, say they don’t have a plan or they don’t know where they are going to go. I think it starts so early on. We must get into our schools at a young age. It takes all business owners to help instill that work ethic at a young age. You can change your path but it’s having the right people show up for you.”

Incumbent David Ellis spoke about being a life-long member of the Boaz community.

“I am a life-time member of Boaz and as everyone knows we are very blessed to live in such a wonderful city where people want to be a part of. I hope you recognize that there is a passion in   of these people that are sitting up here or the mayoral candidates sitting down there. It takes a lot of times to do these jobs, and I’ve always committed myself to doing it,” he spoke. 

When asked about how he would report back to the community on the actions he is taking Elis said he has always been a transparent person.

“Everyone has a problem. My problem may not be your problem but to that person that problem means something to them. I have always looked at it that way and tried to place everyone’s concerns first and help people.”

Riley Young, who was the youngest candidate on the stage at 28, says his age is an asset.

“I worked at Chick Fil-A for a decade as General Manager at several different locations throughout the southeast, managed over 600 employees and over 100 different team leaders. As far as business goes and driving people and driving results, that’s just second nature to me,” he said.   

When asked what his vision would be of Boaz in the next five to ten years, he said we have to realize that where we are right now didn’t happen overnight.

“There are a lot things that this city has seen leave over the years but we have to understand that we didn’t get in this position overnight and we are not going to get this fixed overnight either. This is going to take not just this next term coming in right now, but this might take a cycle or two. But my vision for Boaz in the next 10 years would include a thriving downtown full of businesses.”  

Matt Brannon, who is uncontested in Place 4 said he felt that it was still important that he came for the forum.

“I was born and raised right here in Boaz and graduated from Boaz High School in 2005. Shortly after I joined the military, served five years in active duty. I was wounded in Afghanistan in 2009, Honorably Discharged from the military in 2012. I came back here to Boaz and started a career in Law Enforcement. I worked at Boaz Police Department for a little over six years. I know work for ALEA. Even though I’m uncontested I thought it was important to come here and tell those who might not know who I am, just to give a little insight on my thoughts and actions.” 

Caleb Williams, who is uncontested in Place 5 also spoke.

“I am honored to know that I will be serving as your Place 5 representative. I am a Boaz guy, graduated in 2012 and married my high school sweetheart. I am excited to be here and serve this city. I serve on the school board, and it has been an honor of my life to represent your children, your grandchildren in this city. I am also president of the Civitan’s Club. I am excited to be here, and I am excited to get to work.”        

A small reception was held after the forum.

The full video of the forum can be found on the Boaz Chamber of Commerce social media.

The Boaz City Election Forum was presented by the City of Boaz, Boaz Chamber of Commerce, Boaz Civitan Club, Boaz Rotary and Snead State Community College.