Reflecting on a Strong 2025

As I put together this message just before Thanksgiving, I’m looking forward to the weeks of community events, dinners, and gatherings of family and friends that mark the holiday season. This is also a great time to take a look back at 2025.

Alabama Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter (left) administers the oath of office to (left to right) Mentone Mayor Rob Hammond and Council Members Ray Padgett, John Paul Verdo, Hobson Kirby, Gerald Bailey, and David Allgood.

The year no doubt brought challenges and heartache for some people, but it also brought hope and encouragement. And as a whole, the year was marked with good news and progress for our community.

I realize talk of infrastructure development is boring to some. It’s a slow process, after all, with months (and sometimes years) of planning behind the scenes. For the general public, none of it seems real until the work finally starts to unfold. And even then, progress can be slow and the benefits can take time to become apparent.

This year saw great progress in our local infrastructure. We are nearing completion of a sidewalk expansion that will make our town more walkable and attractive to residents and visitors alike. A waterline upgrade is underway that will bring more water pressure and volume to our homes, businesses, and camps, enhancing safety and improving overall quality of life. The Town paved several streets this year. The initial phase of a major Brow Park improvement has begun with the clearing of undergrowth off the side of the bluff that will prepare for an eventual trail system (a project for next year). Architect plans are complete and we will soon advertise for bids for a major renovation to protect and enhance the historic main building at Moon Lake Campus.

Crews are removing underbrush from along the bluff below Brow Park. Next year, additional phases will bring a walking path, observation deck, and hiking trails off the bluff to this popular park. The work depends on grant awards.

These projects are good for our community. They bolster our economy in many ways. And they continue our strategic, methodical work of slowly improving life in Mentone for all.

Along those lines, we expect Mentone to be accepted into the 2026 Thrive Regional Partnership Resilient Communities program. Funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission, this program helps cities and towns in the 16-county Chattanooga region to, according to the program’s website, “develop local strategies to enhance their resilience to weather events like flooding and extreme heat. Through the program, community teams have access to professional guidance, facilitation, and technical assistance to assess vulnerabilities, identify local priorities, and develop nature-based strategies that leverage local expertise and natural assets to enhance community resilience.”

As you can see, 2026 is already off to a strong start. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and I hope to see you around Mentone at some of our celebrations!