Hodges' mayor and councilman honored for years in service

By Staff
Melissa Cason
HODGES-Two Hodges town leaders were given distinguished service awards at a recent Alabama League of Municipalities conference.
Councilman Raymond Cantrell was presented with an award for 30 years of service to the community. Cantrell has been a member of the Hodges Town Council for 34 years and has been involved with a number of things to help the town grow.
"I wanted to get involved," Cantrell said.
Cantrell said he remembers when the town was a booming town and how he saw it dwindle into a small community.
Mayor Ed Crouch was recognized for 20 years of service to the town as mayor.
Crouch was first elected in 1988 and, at the time, his main goal was to build a park in Hodges so that local children would have a place to play.
"I ran because people in the town asked me to, and the main thing I wanted to accomplish was to build a park," he said.
The park he dreamed of now sits at the old Hodges School site.
"In the 1980's that was a drop off point, and there were dumpsters there," Crouch said. "Now it's a park and we are working to improve it."
During his time in office, Crouch has served as past president for the Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments and currently serves as chairman of the board for the Bear Creek Development Authority.
Crouch and Cantrell will both seek another term in the local government elections in August.
"I hope to get another term in office," Crouch said.