Randy Garrison last week announced he will seek a second term as the mayor of Hartselle.

“Four years ago, I shared with you that I believed it was God’s plan for me to seek the office of mayor to serve the City of Hartselle,” Garrison wrote on Facebook. “I followed the path I felt He was leading me toward, and as always, He did not disappoint … I was, and continue to be, very humbled and grateful. The past four years serving as mayor of my hometown have been truly some of the best years of my life.”

Garrison said he’s proud of the work that has been done to help move Hartselle forward, and he wants to keep the momentum going into the next four years.

“One of my biggest goals was I wanted people to be proud to call Hartselle home and share that with other people,” he said.

That’s a goal Garrison said he thinks he and others who lead the city have accomplished.

From the number of empty buildings on Main Street that are now filled, to the roads that have been paved, Garrison said big strides are being made in improving the way of life for Hartselle residents. Among those improvements are new equipment for various city departments, including a garbage truck and a fire engine; the purchase of more than 20 patrol vehicles for the police department; and new businesses and rooftops being added.

“We were able to buy body cameras for HPD, as well as make upgrades and additions to playground equipment – we did work on the cemetery and new sidewalks were added,” he added. “The last four years have seen growth in most areas of our City: new homes, new businesses, new jobs and new opportunities, along with many other improvements.”

Garrison ran in 2016 on the slogan “Together We Can,” and he said in his post that he knows the work that has been done was not a one-man job.

“I believe working together has made the last four years successful for the City of Hartselle, the folks who call Hartselle home, the City Council, city employees, Hartselle businesses, Hartselle City Schools, Hartselle Utilities and all other organizations and people that work together or along with the City,” he wrote.

Garrison said he is proud of the rich history and strong foundation upon which the City of Hartselle is built, and he attributes that to the hard work of those who built it. “Due to the hard work of those who came before us, we have the ability to make what is a great hometown even better,” he said.

He said it’s up to those who are in Hartselle now to continue the positive growth.

Garrison said his first term has “flown by,” but he is proud of the progress that has been made and thankful to those who have helped him along the way.

“When you walk in here and sit down, there’s not a manual telling you how to do this job,” Garrison said. “I feel like the biggest job that I can do as mayor is to promote the city, encourage folks who live here and show community pride by example.”

Garrison is involved with the Hartselle Kiwanis and Rotary clubs, and he is an active member of Hartselle First United Methodist Church.

Garrison and his wife Lynn have been married for 34 years and have two sons, Jordan and Jacob, two daughters-in-law, Alex and Sally, and one grandson, Jack.