Grit, Growth, and Gratitude Highlight Karen Vest’s First Year as Valley Head Mayor

It was supposed to be a birthday getaway.

Karen Vest and her husband, Charley, had packed the dogs into the car and headed north from Birmingham to DeSoto State Park for a quiet weekend in the mountains. They didn’t know they were about to make a turn — literally and figuratively — that would change their lives.

“We came around the curve on 117,” Vest recalls, “and there was a For Sale By Owner sign in front of a farm. I screamed at Charley to stop the car.”

They called the number on the sign, left a message, and continued to Mentone for lunch at the Wildflower Cafe. The owner, Martha Gibson, called, “and insisted we come down and see her property,” Vest says. “Within one week, we made an offer and closed in less than 30 days.”

It wasn’t part of a carefully laid plan. The couple had actually been searching for property in Tennessee. But life had other ideas.

From City Life to Small-Town Roots

Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Vest spent most of her adult life in Alabama, working as a certified paralegal in Birmingham. Her husband, who worked for Alabama Power, took a buyout in 2016 that gave them both the freedom to consider a slower pace of life — one with more porch-sitting and less commuting.

By early 2017, they were living full time on the farm in Valley Head. At first, the transition wasn’t easy.

“I had worked since I was 15 years old,” she says. “So to be sitting on that porch and doing nothing was very difficult for me the first year.”

Charley stayed busier, even picking up a part-time job. Vest, meanwhile, wrestled with the shift from a career-driven lifestyle to something quieter. Gradually, she began to find her place — and her people.

A New Chapter in Public Service

It wasn’t long before neighbors took notice of her energy and experience. In late 2019, citizens asked her to run for a seat on the Valley Head Town Council. She initially hesitated. Politics had never been on her radar.

She discussed it with Charley, who told her she would make a great council member. Whether in Virginia or Birmingham, her life had been marked by public service. “I’ve always served wherever we’ve been,” she says. “I was president of the American Heart Association, president of the Cancer Society. I was in an Arts Council group. I taught Sunday school, taught Vacation Bible School. I’ve always just wanted to serve the community.”

She won the seat and quickly found herself at the heart of the town’s operations. “I enjoyed being part of making a difference in the town,” she says. “When you sit around a table and truly make decisions that affect people’s lives, it hits you that you can help make a difference in the town’s life. And that really meant a lot to me.”

In early 2024, a surprise resignation by the sitting mayor opened another door. Her fellow council members voted unanimously to appoint her to fill the unexpired term. “I didn’t realize the difference,” she says. “The responsibilities you have as a mayor as opposed to a council person are immense. At first, it was very overwhelming. And I just told myself Rome wasn’t built in a day. Just take this day by day and work with your people.”

Suddenly, Vest found herself responsible for not just shaping policy but also managing the daily challenges of a town of 579 residents. “My clerk, Miss Lora Wooten, has been a tremendous asset to me. And my police officers, Police Chief Brad Greg and Jimmy Phillips. Our volunteer fire department. Mayor Pro Tem Adele Phillips. All of my council. You can’t do it by yourself as a mayor. You have to have a team to help you along. Every day. That is what keeps me going and helps me do my job.”

The Realities of Small-Town Leadership

While some might think the mayor of a small town would have little to do, nothing could be further from the truth. The mayor is an administrator, an advocate, a planner, and a coordinator of community services. Vest reiterates that she could not do her job without the support of a tremendous team.

Over the past year, that team has helped bring about meaningful, visible improvements in Valley Head. A long-needed handicap ramp was installed at the North DeKalb Primary Clinic. New playground equipment for toddlers was added to the park. Ditches have been cleaned out to ease flooding issues across town. Dog waste stations are now available in several public areas. A new ordinance on responsible pet ownership has been passed to help protect animals and neighbors alike. And a new “free little library” has been popular among residents.

Vest emphasizes that these accomplishments reflect the work of many people, from council members, local volunteers, and county partners to civic-minded residents who love their town.

Building Community, One Gathering at a Time

One of Vest’s favorite initiatives has been the launch of free family movie nights, held outdoors under the stars. After borrowing equipment for their first event, the town has purchased its own projector and screen to make it a regular feature.

Memories of Mayberry continues to be a popular event for the town. She has applied for a grant to build a permanent pavilion in front of town hall so Valley Head can have more events throughout the year. Citizens enjoy the annual Christmas festival, along with the faith festival held throughout town.

To keep the community informed about Valley Head news and events, Vest frequently writes articles for The Groundhog. “A lot of people in Valley Head read The Groundhog,” she says, so it’s important that we now have an article to let people know what’s happening.”

And then there are the senior meals. Every week, the town picks up frozen meals for older residents. Volunteers from the Valley Head Masonic Lodge help distribute those meals, delivering them to homebound seniors who can’t come to get them.

It’s more than just food. It’s a point of connection. And it’s how Vest and her team stay in tune with the needs of the town’s most vulnerable.

“If someone doesn’t show up for their meals, we’ll call them or send a police officer to do a wellness check,” Vest says. “We do that quite often to make sure that they’re okay. That’s just small-town life.”

Looking Ahead

There’s momentum in Valley Head. A vacant building that formerly housed The Rib Shak is under contract and expected to be restored for commercial use. A new deli — Side Street Deli — is set to open soon. Another historic building downtown, currently used for storage, could be a prime candidate for redevelopment. Vest is hopeful.

She’s working with the DeKalb County Economic Development Authority to attract interest in retail and light industry for the town. “Working with other agencies and getting help where I can is very important to me,” Vest says. “I try to attend all the meetings I can, to make all the contacts I can, because I can’t do it alone and my council can’t do it alone. So with all the help, I would love to see our little town grow.”

Affordable housing remains a concern — not just in Valley Head, but across the region. Vest would also like to see interest in the Shaw property from potential manufacturers.

Valley Head has applied for additional grants to pave streets and add infrastructure. The entire grant process is time-consuming, Vest says, from application to implementation and project management. This is part of what makes her time as mayor seem like it has barely begun.

A Heart for Her Town

As her first year as mayor comes to a close, Vest isn’t slowing down. She plans to seek re-election in August, though she hasn’t formally announced. “I feel like we’re on a good path,” she says. “I’ve got things going, and I want to continue. I’ve barely started. I mean, a year is nothing when trying to get things going, especially with government.”

She’s proud of what’s been accomplished during her term, and realistic about the challenges ahead.

“I love our little town,” she says, “and I’m looking forward to, hopefully, four more years of helping it grow.”

And when things get stressful, she knows she can always count on her police chief, Brad Greg, who keeps a stash of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in her desk drawer. Just in case.

“When I tell him I need Reese’s, he knows we’ve got problems,” she laughs.

That kind of humor — and humanity — goes a long way in a town where every neighbor, every building, and every story matters.