Community Leader: Mayor Pro-Tem Jeff Boyd
Mayor Pro-Tem Jeff Boyd
-Liesel Schmidt
“The desire to be a politician should bar you for life from ever becoming one.” – Billy Connolly, Scottish actor and comedian
The lack of desire to run for political office is something that makes Jeff Boyd’s appointment as mayor pro-tem of Orange Beach an interesting one. “I had no real interest in getting involved in politics,” says Boyd. “My goal has always been to be a great citizen and to raise kids to be incredible adults. I wanted Orange Beach to remain a place where my kids would want to return and raise their kids. But I truly felt if I was going to talk about issues and give input on issues, then I should step up to the plate and run for office to do my part.”
Boyd’s political career began when he was elected to the City Council in August 2012. “We each have our set of talents in which we enjoy and thrive, and my time, energy, and heart have been focused on the lobbying and political side of being a city councilman,” he says. “As mayor pro-tem, I continue to work with many organizations at the County, State, and Federal level. I believe the more friends and the more contacts you have in various places, the better chance you have of finding and/or offering a guiding hand when needed.”
During his time in city government, Boyd has a number of goals he hopes to see realized. “I want to maintain the small town, safe, friendly, loving community attitude that we have right now and have always had,” he says. “We are 100 percent committed to our fire and police department, and we recently purchased three new ambulances to guarantee our citizens the fastest and best care. We have that same dedicated commitment to picking up refuse on the streets. Show me another city that keeps their streets as clean as ours. That attitude transcends across every department. To give our young kids a better future, our Expect Excellence program provides the best start, preparing them for middle and then high school. The goal of the entire council is to have the best school system in the Southern United States, and we’re working towards that.”
