NORTHPORT, AL — Seven candidates have submitted applications to fill the vacancy on the District 3 seat on the Northport City Council.
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The window to apply for the open seat closed at 4 p.m. on Friday.
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The vacancy was prompted when former District 3 Councilman John Hinton was elevated to council president and then mayor following the abrupt resignation of former mayor Bobby Herndon at the end of the calendar year.
City Administrator Glenda Webb told Patch that the candidates will be interviewed by members of the Council and city officials on Friday, Feb. 3.
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Patch obtained the applications for each of the seven candidates through a public records request, so here’s a quick look at who is in the running and why the decided to apply.
Jason Barksdale
EDUCATION: 1996 graduate of Holt High School
WORK EXPERIENCE: Owner of Northriver Lawn. Previous experience at Mercedes Benz U.S. International, Uniroyal Goodrich and Phifer Wire.
Cover letter excerpt:
“The reason I am interested in filling this seat is I see the current Mayor and Council working tirelessly to move Northport forward in the City it can be. Too long have previous administrations sat stagnant and not reached Northport’s full potential. I think with this current group, we can! While I want to see our City progress, we have to be sensible and conservative in our approach with tax payer money.What makes me different is my ideas are all but stagnant. I also have been fortunate to have worked my entire life alongside all different kinds of people from different walks of life, with different ideas and ways of thinking. I feel like my experience in various trades along with owning my own business allows me to be more open minded than most. I want to be someone that each of you can trust, that does not have any hidden agendas, and genuinely wants to work together for the betterment of Northport. I will always listen and not make irrational decisions. That is my promise to each of you.”
Phillip Bernardo
EDUCATION: 1990 graduate of Tuscaloosa County High School; 2003 graduate of Shelton State Community College with associates in applied science; Attended University of Alabama from 1990-1992.
WORK EXPERIENCE: Sales/Purchasing/IT at Wagner’s Team Sports and supervisor/custodian at MetroServ, Inc. Past experience at Southern Heat Exchanger, The Athlete’s Foot, Sprint Nextel, Shoe Carnival and Sprint PCS.
Cover letter excerpt:
“I believe that I get along well with others and feel that I am well liked in return. I feel that I am straight forward in responding to adversity and use common sense judgment and guidelines in resolving those adversities. As an [Home Owners Association] board member, I’ve had to organize and conduct annual meetings and filter calls/emails thought out the year. With over 200 homes in Highland Park, it is not possible to please every homeowner. I have learned to listen to the good and bad feedback from the homeowners and to decipher those comments to deem what is relevant and beneficial to the rest of homeowners as a whole. To me, becoming a council member, not only will satisfy my personal goal, but also will give me recognition, in being a part of making history in changing our growing community and city. Though this may be temporary position, if able, I definitely could see myself running in the next council elections.”
MARK S. BROWN
EDUCATION: 2000 graduate of the University of Alabama with a masters degree in business administration; 1987 distinguished graduate of the United States Naval Academy.
WORK EXPERIENCE: Former plant production manager at Michelin Tire Corp.; Former manufacturing engineer for Johnson Controls, Inc.; Former production manager at Build America Homes; Former quality resident engineer at GDX Automotive. Brown also served in the United States Marine Corps, where he achieved the rank of captain.
Cover letter excerpt:
“I believe that I possess many of the qualifications for which you are searching. My educational background, with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and an M.B.A. from the University of Alabama, gives me the range of acquired education needed. I have over twenty years of industrial manufacturing experience in both the tire and the automotive industry, preceded by five years as a Marine Corps officer. We first came to the Tuscaloosa area in 1992 when transferred here to the BF Goodrich Plant as an Industrial Engineer. My wife Karen was a Chiropractor in Northport, eventually opening her own practice in 1996 and practicing here until 2011. We have two children that were born and raised in this community-Matthew is currently on active duty in the U.S. Navy, stationed on the USS Abraham Lincoln based out of San Diego, and Melanie is finishing her 4th year of dental school at UAB. In my career with Michelin, I was able to work not only here at the Tuscaloosa plant for a lengthy time, but also in the Fort Wayne, IN plant and the Spartanburg, [South Carolina] plant. In the middle of 2021, I made the decision to retire, as my wife and I wished to move back to this community and re-establish our lives here. We moved back here in December of 2021, and established permanent residency at our address above in June 2022. I believe that my full complement of abilities and personal convictions, coupled with a desire to serve and make this community the best place to live, work, and grow, will allow me to significantly contribute to the City of Northport and the residents of District 3 and the city and greater community as a whole.”
James H. Clements, Jr.
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering Technology from the University of Alabama.
WORK EXPERIENCE: Owner of James H. Clements, Jr. P.E. Previously employed by Pela Geoenvironmental; Tuscaloosa Land Professionals, Inc.; Sentel Engineering; CSS Mullins LLC; University of Alabama College of Engineering; Charley Foster & Associates.
Cover letter excerpt:
“I am a Tuscaloosa County native and I have lived in either Northport or Tuscaloosa since 1983. I believe I am the right person to complete the term of District 3. In addition to the information included in my resume, my current civic activities include being a member of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee of the MPO. I represent the local bicycling clubs and have been a member of this committee since 2019. In the past, I was a member of the Tuscaloosa County Republican Party and the Alabama Republican Party as well. I held the positions: secretary, treasurer and vice chairman of the county party and I was on the financial oversight committee for the state party.Over the past 30 years as an engineer, I have been to numerous City of Tuscaloosa projects committee meetings, planning and zoning meetings, and council meetings. I have also attended the same meetings for other towns and cities as well, including Northport. While I have never served as a council member before, I do believe I have adequate experience that will help me learn what I need to know as a council member quickly, so I could be a productive member of the City Council. I believe Northport is growing in a very positive manner and I’d like to be part of the growth. There are also issues in District 3 that need addressing and I believe my technical knowledge would be beneficial on the Council.”
Jaime Webb Conger
EDUCATION: 2007 graduate of Tulane Law School; 2004 graduate of Furman University and 2000 graduate of Saint James School in Montgomery.
WORK EXPERIENCE: Partner at Smith & Staggs, LLP; Former associate at the Fisher Law Firm, P.C.; Former associate at Charles W. Edmonson, P.C.
Cover letter excerpt:
“Northport has been my home since I moved to Tuscaloosa County in 2008, and I have lived in District 3 for over 7 years now. It would be my honor to utilize my skill set and experience to benefit the city and my neighbors. As you will note from my attached résumé, I have had leadership positions in a number of organizations in Tuscaloosa County. This experience is invaluable, as I have had the opportunity to work with a diverse cross-section of our community and learned how to work together for the betterment of the community. Coupled with my work as an attorney, I have developed the ability to express opinions and support positions in a productive manner, which would be an asset for this position. In summary, I believe I am the best person for this role given my already proven interest in promoting the City of Northport and my community and given my experience. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter. If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.”
Kevin Pate
EDUCATION: 1980 graduate of Tuscaloosa County High School; Shelton State Community College (1986-2017); National Fire Academy (1986, 1988, and 1996); LSU Fire School (2000); Texas A&M Fire School (2005).
WORK EXPERIENCE: Chief of Training Alabama at the Alabama Fire College from 1980 until 2008; Tuscaloosa Fire Rescue battalion chief from 1986-2017.
Cover letter excerpt:
“An experienced Firefighter whose professional responsibilities expanded his knowledge in the areas of fire suppression, training, rescue, hazardous material, public relations, public education, fire prevention, and decision-making. A proven record of success with progressively increasing responsibilities based on experience, knowledge, and superior work performance. Strong interpersonal skills and a proven ability to work effectively with individuals on all levels. Committed to promoting a positive public image of the fire service. The ability to remain calm and utilize deductive reasoning in critical and demanding situations. Excellent communication and time-management skills and abilities.”
Karl D. Wiggins
EDUCATION: 1997 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in political science.
WORK EXPERIENCE: Vice president of information technology at Randall-Reilly; Former information systems/project manager at MAP Quality Engineering; Former technical services representative at SysCon Computers
Cover letter excerpt:
“I have lived in Northport since July 1999, and Leslie and I raised our children here. My four kids, Hannah, Benjamin, Noah, and Abbey, all attended and graduated from Tuscaloosa County High and three of them are currently students at the University of Alabama. I have worked for Randall Reilly (formerly Randall Publishing) almost 23 years, starting as a DBA and rising to my current role of VP of IT over my career there. Today, I manage a team of 33 IT professionals for a growing company with over $250M in revenue the last two years. I have interviewed hundreds of people over the years, hired scores of them, and had to fire a few. I understand how to manage a team and a budget, and how to set and meet expectations for the rest of the business as well as our customers. In addition, I spent many years involved in Scouting with my sons and daughters, leading the committee that managed all decision-making for Troop 100, one of the longest-serving BSA troops in the Black Warrior Council. In that time, I helped the troop secure a football parking lot that brings in tens of thousands of dollars annually to fund high adventure trips and pay the way for the Scouts to participate at little personal expense. Over the years, I dealt with parents, business owners, and football fans, often when they were upset or aggravated, and I have experience dealing with difficult situations in a calm and rational manner. My reasoning for wanting to serve the city of Northport and District 3 in particular stems from a desire to see the city grow and prosper, and to do so in a way that improves life for the current residents as well as those in the future. I have a strong commitment to see the education and health systems in Northport improve, and to attract families and businesses to the area. I am sensitive to the infrastructure issues facing the city and the district, and I discussed Two Mile Creek with Dr. John in particular as an area of concern. In short, I think I am qualified and suited to serve as a member of the Northport City Council, if the council chooses to give me that opportunity.”
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