From Bill Gillespie
Prattville, AL
My first attempt for City Council was in 2000 for District 6. I was then elected in 2004 as District 1 City Councilor, where I served in that capacity until January 18, 2011, when I was sworn in as Mayor. I was elected as Mayor in 2012, re-elected in 2016 and 2020, and am currently seeking re-election in 2025.
On the 23rd of this month, I will be married to my lovely wife, Stephanie, for 45 years. We have two children: Bobby, married to Jennifer Camp, and Kendall. Bobby and Jennifer have blessed us with three beautiful grandchildren: Lucy, Grady, and Milly James. I have been blessed with many years of valuable leadership experience and problem-solving skills through owning a small family business and serving in municipal government.
Prattville has been very good to the Gillespie family and has always been my home. My father taught me several valuable lessons while serving on the City Council. He instilled in me the importance of paying back my civic rent and making Prattville better for our youth and young at heart, while ensuring and providing an environment for private enterprise to flourish. My father-in-law, Bobbie Cannady, also taught me a lot about serving. He served our country before retiring from the U.S. Air Force, and then served Prattville as a U.S. Postal Carrier for many years. These men helped lead me into public service, and I have a heart for serving our community.
As Mayor, Prattville is progressing positively as a community, and many projects are on the rise. Some of these projects have been completed, while others are progressing more slowly than I would like. We have faced many challenges during my tenure, especially during the pandemic. Still, I am proud to say that we have prevailed and our departments are operating more efficiently and effectively than ever. We continue improving and investing in our quality of life and Public Safety while directly enhancing our infrastructure sustainably.
As we have become fiscally responsible and sound, I’m proud to say that we have approximately $10 million in our General Fund Reserves. We have been awarded 10 years in a row for our Excellence in Financial Reporting. Since 2010, we’ve turned a deficit of $46,256,970 in Unrestricted Net Position into a thriving surplus of $21,385,196 by 2024—a phenomenal 146% increase, totaling $67,642,166! This transformation showcases our dedication to sound financial management, ensuring Prattville remains a vibrant, sustainable community for generations to come.
We’ve had many successful Economic Development stories under my administration, with approximately $2 billion in business investment and over 3000 jobs created, but Prattville’s municipality will always be a never-ending story. We cannot rest on our successes and must continue identifying areas to improve as we move forward. I’m tried, tested, and proven as the Mayor of Prattville, and I will continue leading our community into the future.
My priorities over the next four years include City Services, City Infrastructure, Educational Partnerships, and continued Fiscal Responsibility and Transparency. We must continue improving our city services and implementing technological advancements as they become available to ensure our citizens’ needs are met with the highest quality work product. We must stay ready, willing, and able to support further economic development and educational partnership opportunities as we continue preparing an environment for all to succeed. At the same time, we will continue investing in additional force multiplier opportunities, being fiscally responsible and transparent, and keeping our workforce whole. We are a service-oriented organization charged with serving this community of ours. I humbly request your continued support and vote on August 26th as Mayor for the City of Prattville.
