Williams running on infrastructure, economic development, opioid crisis
When State Rep. Jack Williams announced in February that he would not seek re-election to the Alabama House of Representatives, he left the door open for what might come next.
On Wednesday, he declared publicly that his next move would still be in public service, but this time, he is seeking a more local position.
Williams announced he will seek the District 5 seat on the Jefferson County Commission in the 2018 election, the seat currently held by David Carrington. District 5 includes sections of Vestavia Hills, Homewood, Hoover and Mountain Brook.
Williams has served in the Alabama legislature since he was elected in 2004, acting as various committee chairs and in other roles.
Supporters, including several elected officials, gathered at SoHo Social in Homewood to hear Williams' announcement. William's son Jordan spoke to his father's credit and said he could not think of a better person for the commission.
"My dad is a passionate man," he said. "When he finds something he's passionate about, it's almost impossible to stop him."
Marty Connors, former chairman of the Alabama GOP, also spoke of his support for Williams and listed the affiliations and accomplishments of Williams' time as a state legislature
Williams began his announcement speech by invoking President Ronald Reagan's "City on a Hill" address, explaining how he wanted to treat Jefferson County the same way.
"Alabama cannot be great unless Jefferson County is great, and Jefferson County cannot be great unless its cities and communities are great," he said, referencing the rhetoric of President Donald Trump's campaign.
"Unfortunately, our community has not always been what President Reagan and John Winthrop envisioned," Williams said, "But as a collective group, our community has refused to be defined by the troubles of our past. We are striving for a better future for ourselves, and for our children."
He repeated that when he was running for re-election in 2014, he knew it would be his last term in the legislature, but said that he did not decide to run for the commission until he found out Carrington would not be seeking the seat again.
"At that time I was content to return to the private sector and leave politics behind," he said. "But as the calendar turned to 2015, I started to see changes take place in our community."
Williams' said he will be focusing on five major issues: infrastructure improvement, economic development, the opioid epidemic, tourism initiatives and keeping young professionals in the area after graduation.
Among those issues, Williams said he will fight to push the development of the Northern Beltline and bringing new tourism opportunities to the area. To fight the growing drug problem, he said he will partner with faith communities, because "you can't arrest your way" to a solution.
Finally, Williams said he wants to find and promote ways to reduce the "brain drain" in the county, as young professionals continue to either leave after graduation, or never return after going to college elsewhere.
"Coming home must always be a viable and hopefully preferential option," he said.
The primary election for the commission will occur in June of 2018. Over the next year, Williams said he will be working to meet the constituents of District 5, and attempt to show them how he could better the county.
See a segment of Williams' speech below: