Grissom seeks four more years of positive change in Russellville as mayor
David Grissom
Born and raised in Russellville, David Grissom considers it an honor to serve the community as mayor. He seeks a second four-year term in the role.
“My goal the past four years as mayor – and going forward, the next four – is to make Russellville the absolute best that we can make it and take advantage of every opportunity we have,” Grissom said. “I feel like we have made great improvements the past four years in a lot of different areas.”
Although “every elected official talks about jobs,” Grissom said, he does take pride in the 900 jobs he and the council brought the City of Russellville over the past four years.
“Those are families with incomes, who we feel like we have made a difference for,” he said. “The good Lord has really looked down on the City of Russellville in the past four years.”
Infrastructure improvements also rank near the top of the list of accomplishments Grissom is proud of. The council undertook $7.6 million in city improvements “most of which was made possible through the ATRIP program. We took advantage of every opportunity,” Grissom said.
Other achievements include the new police vehicles, additional storm shelters and being a part of lowering the ISO rating in the Russellville Fire Department.
A city project that’s near and dear to Grissom is the downtown redevelopment/revitalization initiatives that are in progress. Grissom said he is eager to continue working to restore Russellville to its former glory, continuing aesthetic improvements and working to bring new businesses downtown to create a thriving “heartbeat of the community.”
“I think we can do it if we get a good team together,” he said. “It’s our goal to have a vibrant downtown – a place people want to come back to like they did years ago, to spend their time and spend their money. We’ve got to have retail; we’ve got to have restaurants; we’ve got to have things to bring people downtown.”
Grissom emphasizes teamwork in the City of Russellville.
“You can see a difference … when you have everyone working together to make our city the best we can possibly make it.”
When it comes to future emphases for the city, Grissom named a number of focuses that all boil down to one central challenge.
“We need more police cars. We need better equipment in the street department. We need improvements in the Parks and Rec Department. All the departments can use improvements. The challenge is money,” Grissom said. “We’ve taken advantage of every grant opportunity, and that’s something I’m proud of, but that’s going to be a challenge going forward.”
Grissom said he thinks his foundational experience as a city councilman is a key reason he is the best man for the job when it comes to the mayor’s office – that experience gave him a solid background for the inner-workings of government. His mayoral experience is also a clear asset, as well as “my ability to work together as a team with others.”
“I want to keep the positive change going,” Grissom said. “I feel like we’re in an unprecedented time. The sky’s the limit for the City of Russellville.
Grissom and his family – wife Melissa and daughter Kate – are members of South Side Baptist Church. He is a lifetime member of Russellville Masonic Lodge 371 and is a past master; member of the Scottish Rite 32nd Degree of Birmingham; member of the Cahaba Shrine; Community Spirit Bank Board of Directors; and Alabama League of Municipalities.
