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Tosha Gaines
Mayor Ben Short
Mayor Ben Short signs documents during the swearing-in ceremony.
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Tosha Gaines
Swearing in of Mayor Ben Short
Judge Carl Chamblee Jr. swears in Ben Short as the new mayor of Trussville on Nov. 3.
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Tosha Gaines
Mayor Ben Short and family
Short stands with his wife, Amanda, and their two children, Stella, 10, and Kristofer, 4.
At 37, Ben Short was recently sworn in as Trussville’s youngest-ever mayor. A former police officer, Jefferson County District Attorney’s office investigator and small business owner, Short leaned into his diverse background and strong community ties for a surprising outright win in a three-person race.
Supporters say Short tapped into a growing group of 30- and 40-year-olds with kids, while also connecting with longtime residents. That ability to bridge generations is part of what makes him effective.
Short said he’s ready for the job.
“I think I’m a pretty even-keel kind of guy, but when the reality hit, it was like, ‘Now there’s some pressure here. We’ve got to perform and put results out there for the community.’ But the more you think about it, it’s a lot of what I was already doing as a city employee. It’s just helping our department heads and our employees in a way that allows them to do what they do best and being that support system for them.”
After listening to residents during the campaign, Short said he’s focused on changes he believes voters want.
“I think this election made it clear that Trussville still desires to see growth — just in a different way,” he said.
He is beginning work to update subdivision regulations, improve aesthetics and green space, and implement land banks to ensure tree replanting.
“Sustainable development is what we’re going for now, and getting our subdivision regulations updated,” Short said. “1978, I believe, was the last time they were updated.”
With three candidates in the race, many expected a runoff.
“I expected a runoff, too,” Short said. “I’m just grateful we didn’t have to. It’s made the transition far easier.”
Avoiding a runoff also saved the city an estimated $40,000.
“That’s a lot of sidewalks we can build,” he said.
Instead of more campaigning, Short dove straight into attending meetings and studying city history to understand key issues.
He credits his win to voter support, 10 years working in public roles, time on the city council, and consistent community involvement.
For the campaign, Short focused on the digital space, targeted outreach and one-on-one conversations.
“But it was with folks that we knew voted in municipal elections,” Short said, and making people feel comfortable with his plan.
Sgt. Keith Rosetta of the Trussville Police Department worked with Short and saw leadership potential early. He describes him as methodical, budget-conscious and compassionate.
“His maturity level is greater than his years,” Rosetta said.
When Short was an officer, he once stopped a car carrying a mother and child without a car seat. He took the mother to Target and bought one for her.
“I think this speaks to his character,” Rosetta said.
Supporter Ian Maddox, a Trussville financial planner, said Short leads by example.
“He elevates his love for the city in what he does every day. There wasn’t an ‘aha’ moment when I knew Ben was the person for the job. It just grew over time. It’s more of an evolution over a revolution. I saw so much in him; it all added up to an easy choice.”
Though not a Trussville native, Short quickly made it home. His family moved to the area after his father retired from the U.S. Air Force. Short graduated from Hewitt-Trussville High School and became a police officer at 21.
“My parents always instilled in all of us: public service, public service, public service,” Short said. “So, volunteerism, community service — we were out there doing that from a young age and seeing that firsthand through our parents.”
He met his wife, Amanda Starr, at the University of West Florida. He holds degrees in public relations and criminal justice, and as advanced degrees in forensic psychology and victimology. He joined student government and volunteered for John McCain’s presidential campaign.
Amanda, who married Ben in 2008, describes him as an “introverted extrovert” and admires his calming presence.
“He relates to people very well, and I’m so proud of him,” she said.
The Shorts prefer reading to watching TV. Ben is currently reading The Men Who Lost America, and enjoys TV news, college football and comedies like Happy Gilmore. He’s rarely idle.
They attend Faith Community Fellowship and have two children: Stella, 10, and Kristofer, 4. A few years ago, Ben bought Trussville to Go, a local restaurant delivery service, for Amanda to run.
Being small business owners has strengthened their connection to the community.
“While I’m very blessed to have been elected as the mayor of Trussville, I don’t want that to dissuade you from coming and having a conversation with me,” Short said.
His focus isn’t just on the next few months, but on Trussville’s long-term growth.
“I hope you see the evolution of our downtown spread out to other parts of our community,” he said. “The beauty of what we’ve accomplished here, through those design standards — I really hope that as new development continues to come into our community, that you see intentional design as it relates to the beauty of what you see here.”
Despite his vision, Short said his goal is simple.
“I’m not worried about leaving a legacy,” he said. “It’s more about just leaving Trussville better than it was. And we’ve got a pretty darn good community.”
