By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

Alabaster’s newest City Council member said she is excited to have the opportunity to serve her city, and said she plans to share several ideas aimed at strengthening Alabaster.

Stacy Rakestraw, who recently was appointed to fill the Ward 3 council seat vacated when Adam Moseley stepped down earlier this year to accept a position on the city’s first board of education, was officially sworn in to her council seat before the council’s June 4 meeting.

“I was completely humbled by (the swearing-in ceremony). I think this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to serve my community at this level,” Rakestraw said. “I’m looking forward to getting involved.”

Rakestraw, the children’s director at Evangel Presbyterian Church and an employee at Judy’s Plantscapes, was recently chosen for the council seat over other candidates Suzanne Clemons and Scott Long.

Rakestraw said her immediate plans are to learn the council’s procedures and to take an active role in the community.

She said she has several project ideas to help improve Alabaster’s appearance, community involvement and economy. She said she would like to see the city implement an “adopt-an-intersection” program to allow local businesses to adopt and care for certain areas of the city.

Rakestraw also said she would like the city to consider forming its own chamber of commerce. Currently, Alabaster businesses participate in the Greater Shelby and South Shelby chambers of commerce.

“We have grown so much that it would be good to have one place people can go to find out about Alabaster’s local businesses,” she said.

She said Alabaster should look at possibly marketing itself to surrounding states as a sort of beach rest-stop as the city gets more hotels. Rakestraw also said she would like to make comment cards available to Alabaster residents to share their ideas with the city.

“We need to see more community involvement. There are a lot of people out there who have great ideas,” she said.