Earl V. Johnson took the oath of office for an unprecedented sixth term as mayor of Andalusia on Monday.
Judge Ben Bowden, recently appointed to the Alabama Court of Civil Appears, administered the oath.
Justice Bill Lewis of the Alabama Supreme Court administered the oath to members of the Andalusia City Council. Councilman Terry Powell and Councilman Kennith Mount also were sworn in for sixth terms, while Councilman Joe Nix and Councilman Presley Boswell took the oath for a second time, and Councilman Jeremy Craig was sworn in for the first time.
Guest speaker retired District Judge Frank “Trippy” McGuire reminded the new administration that Andalusia’s future rides on its shoulders and lauded previous administrations for carrying out a vision, even when the vision was. Unpopular.
“Patrick henry said we have no way of judging the future but by the past, McGuire said.
“Judging from recent past, Andalusia’s future looks bright indeed,” he said. “While many other small towns have languished, or are dying or stagnant, Andalusia has been shining brightly.”
McGuire referred to the public opposition to turning the court square into a park; to the renovations of East Three Notch School as city hall; and to the acquisition of Springdale Estate.
“Now, it is the most popular venue for weddings and wedding receptions in Covington County,” he said, adding that the acquisition gave rise to July Jamz, and became the home of Christmas in Candyland, which brings in thousands of people from miles around, putting Andalusia on the map.
“If that doesn’t make you proud, nothing will,” McGuire said.
Quoting Teddy Roosevelt, he said it is not the criticism that counts, but the vision.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; …who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
Andalusia is where it is today because of the vision of its leaders, he said.
“That statement is a credit to you, Mayor Johnson, and the council and other councils you’ve had in the past.”
In his own comments, Mayor Johnson said, “I am so very proud of all that we as a community have accomplished in the past 21 years, but I think we have only scratched the surface of what we have the potential to become. I look forward to working with the council and the community over the next four years to continue to grow our community and improve the quality of life for those who live here.”
Iin the organizational meeting that followed the oaths of office, the mayor and council also:
• Set its regular time and place of meeting as 6 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month in the Andalusia City Hall Auditorium. The Council will use Robert’s Rules of Order to organize its meetings.
• Named Councilman Terry Powell mayor pro tempore.
• Reappointed John Thompson city clerk and treasurer, and city administrator.
• Reappointed Councilman Powell to the Utilities Board of the City of Andalusia
• Reappointed Councilman Kennith Mount to the board of Southeast Gas.
• Reappointed Councilman Joe Nix to the Planning Commission of the City of Andalusia.
• Reappointed Mark Christensen as city attorney.
• Reappointed William Alverson as city judge.
• Reappointed current department heads and assistant department heads.
• Named CCB Community Bank as the depository of municipal funds.
In unrelated business, the council also approved Resolution No. 2025-38, authorizing the application of a grant for $2 million in highway funds. The city’s portion of the grant, if approved, would be no more than $280,000. The grant would find highway improvements on the west bypass for new retail developments.