Choat to give update on city’s development at luncheon

For the third straight October, Mayor Buddy Choat will be the featured speaker at the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon, sponsored by Trussville Gas and Water. The luncheon will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 18 at the Trussville Civic Center, located at 5381 Trussville-Clay Road. 

“I look forward to it. We always have a great turnout. I think the change in administration has brought a whole new direction and new vision for the city that’s been accepted very graciously by the community,” Choat said. “We’re coming up on the midterm of my time in office. I want to talk about some things that have happened in the first two years of the administration and where we see ourselves going. … Hopefully we’ll be able to continue to share good news as growth continues to grow in the area.”

Some of the highlights Choat mentioned are updates to public safety, the recent library addition, new roads and continued growth of the city. He said city officials are projecting the 2020 U.S. Census to show Trussville’s population around 23,000, which would be a 10 percent increase since 2016, according to census estimates, and 15 percent growth from the 2010 population.

Looking ahead, Choat plans not only to provide an update on the downtown redevelopment, which may include naming the city’s contractor, but also to discuss a new 2030 strategic plan for the city. 

“We’ll be talking about how that’s going to work and what kind of community involvement we’re going to be wanting. We’re doing different things, from education to residential growth and commercial growth — the whole nine yards.”

Choat is entering his third year as mayor of Trussville after winning election in 2016. Previously, Choat served on the Trussville City Council since 2008, including a stint as president of the council in 2013-14. 

This month’s luncheon will also include the announcement of the chamber’s annual Small Business Awards, in addition to the monthly Customer Service Awards.

There is no charge for the October luncheon, but reservations are required and available online at trussvillechamber.com through noon Oct. 16. 

Reservations can also be made by emailing June Matthews at june.mathews@trussvillechamber.com.