BAY MINETTE, Alabama — Bob Wills has announced his intention to seek a second term as mayor of Bay Minette. He was first elected to the post in 2012 and said that during his tenure there have been many improvements in the city.

“I’m particularly proud of the growth in civic pride and overall positive attitude which we have experienced over the past four years,” Wills said. “This is a result of the spirit of cooperation and togetherness which exists in our civic institutions, our schools and our citizens.

“The wonderful working relationship we have with the Chamber of Commerce, North Baldwin Utilities, the Board of Education and local principals as well as with other civic groups and individual citizens has allowed us to make great strides in improving our quality of life in Bay Minette and all of north Baldwin County.”

The city has also undertaken some major capital projects and upgrades. In 2013 the city council refinanced a bond issue with lower interest rates which netted an additional $1 million that could be used for capital improvements throughout the city. This refinancing was obtained without any increase to the city’s costs.

The capital funds were used for improvements to the Bay Minette Public Library, Civic Center and City Hall, the Douglasville school campus, construction of a new concession stand and bathroom facilities at Halliday Park, and the acquisition of Holly Hills Municipal Golf Course, among other projects.

“We have upgraded our fleet of police patrol cars, and added much-needed equipment for the fire and public works departments,” Wills said. “Through the efforts of Chief Mike Minchew, we also obtained a grant to purchase a new ladder truck for the Fire Department to replace a 1977 model.”

The fire truck was purchased with a FEMA grant for a total of $637,689 with the city only required to provide a 10-percent match toward the cost.

Other infrastructure improvements included upgrades to Hand Avenue and the addition of sidewalks along key paths, made possible with another grant totaling $280,000.

“We are currently building sidewalks on Hand Avenue to get them from Petty Lane down to 12th Street where it will then tie into our existing sidewalk system,” Wills said. “A major drainage, utility and paving project is about to begin in the Old Daphne Road-Moran Street area.” That $700,000 project will be funded in part by a Community Development Block Grant.

Wills said while these are all tangible projects which the citizens can see, “there have also been many improvements in the operations of the city government which are not visible. All of these things are done in an effort to be more efficient with the expenditure of our tax dollars.”

Wills also said he continues to work hand in hand with the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance, Baldwin County and the State to attract new industry to our area.

Wills has been a resident of Bay Minette for nearly 50 years and has been active in community service for many years. In addition to serving three terms on the Baldwin County Board of Education, he has served as president of the PTA at local schools and with the baseball league. He is a long-time member of the Bay Minette Rotary Club. He is also a member of the First United Methodist Church of Bay Minette where he serves as a choir member and Sunday school teacher.

Married to Betty Lou Mitchell Wills, the couple has three children and nine grandchildren all living in Bay Minette. He is a 1970 graduate of Auburn University with a B. S. in economics and a graduate from Emory University School of Law with a J.D. in 1973. He is a lawyer and his firm, Robert A. Wills, Attorney at Law is based in Bay Minette.

“It has been a privilege and an honor to serve as your mayor for the past four years and I respectfully ask for the opportunity to continue to work hard for the improvement of our community for the next four years.”