North Alabama Bids Farewell to Long-Time Madison Mayor Paul Finley

North Alabama Bids Farewell to Long-Serving Madison Mayor

In a heartfelt ceremony held at the Von Braun Center, political figures and community members gathered to honor Madison Mayor Paul Finley, who has chosen not to seek re-election after serving three terms. The event saw a strong presence of local leaders, including Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison County Chairman Mac McCutcheon, and Bob Crow, the Treasurer of the Madison County Chamber, who stood beside Finley on stage.

Over the course of Finley's 12-year tenure, Madison has experienced significant growth, with an increase of four people per day, reflecting the city's expanding population. Since 2016, the sales tax base in Madison has doubled, showcasing the city's economic progress.

Mayor Finley remarked, “That’s the money that we, as a mayor and council, have to spend on our community, on our employees, and for our citizens. But if you want to equate that and how we’re doing in the city of Madison, when you look at other cities, we’ve grown ours dramatically, but we’re doing so much more with so much less. And you can see where things stand.”

Under his leadership, the administration has channeled funds towards various infrastructure initiatives, allocating $74 million for capital improvement projects. These investments include enhancing employee salaries, constructing a public safety annex, and implementing road upgrades like the Gillespie Road walking path. Finley highlighted the importance of the path for residents in previously underserved areas, noting, “It was basically a food desert. For those of you who don’t know, that’s basically where the folks that live along that path don’t have easy access to transportation, so funding that sidewalk helped them have access.”

Additionally, Finley addressed legislative efforts to expand Toyota Field, which will include a one-story locker room that complies with new MLB regulations and accommodates female umpires. This development is expected to pave the way for more businesses at Toyota Field.

Significant improvements have also been made in Town Madison, such as the development of the I-565 interchange and the renovation of Town Madison Boulevard to alleviate traffic congestion. Future developments in the area include the opening of an ALDI on September 11 and the construction of a Crestwood Hospital freestanding Emergency Room, slated for completion in 2026.

Mayor Finley's term concludes on November 2, when Ranae Bartlett, a city council member since 2020, will assume the role of mayor.