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By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – Rusty Nix, the mayor of Montevallo, has announced his intentions to run for reelection.

The announcement came during the Shelby County Chamber’s annual State of our Communities Luncheon on Wednesday, Feb. 19. If elected, it will be Nix’s last term, as  according to Nix he only wanted to serve two terms in the role.

Nix cited that multiple ongoing projects in the city compelled him to run for reelection, including the Cobblestone Inn and Suites being currently developed in Montevallo.

“We should start breaking ground on it in May,” Nix said. “This is a project that’s been going on through the past three administrations, so I’d like to see that project come up out of the ground and get finished.”

Other projects Nix is endeavoring to see implemented if he is reelected include the refurbishing of the Morris Crossroads area, which is the city’s northern gateway, and the construction of a 22-acre development.

“It’s about a $35 million project,” Nix said. “We’re going to get a major grocery store there plus all of the outparcels that go with it. Once that’s up and running, that could be about a $2 million tax increase coming to the city over the course of the next three to four years.”

Nix is also looking for the city to construct a parks and recreation/community center if he is reelected. The center would be across from Shoal Creek Park, and Nix previously discussed the new center at a Montevallo Chamber of Commerce meeting in January.

“We are in the process of getting a parks & rec community center, getting it underway for our youth and also just our community to use,” Nix said at the time. “It’s going to be a big undertaking, but we are in the steps of getting renderings of it.”

Nix said he believes that his experience leading in Montevallo sets him apart from others running for mayor.

“I served on the (Montevallo) City Council for 12 years and then decided to run for mayor,” Nix said. “I’ve got 12 years of experience on the council and five as mayor. I ran for city Council back in 1988… I’ve served on just about every board throughout the city.”

Nix’s experience and motivation to complete the city’s various projects has spurred him to run for reelection, which will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 26.