News
Grissom announces bid for fourth consecutive term at Russellville Mayor
Posted on December 16, 2024
Originally published in the Franklin Free Press.
Russellville Mayor David Reed Grissom has announced that he will seek an unprecedented fourth consecutive term to the city’s highest office this summer.
Grissom, a businessman, was first elected mayor in 2012. The 1990 Russellville High School graduate represented District 5 on the Russellville City Council from 2008-2012.
Grissom cited past success and several ongoing projects that he wants to see finished as the driving forces behind a re-election campaign.
“There are many positive things taking place in and around Russellville,” Grissom said. “We continue to add new jobs, continue to improve our infrastructure, continue to improve our city services, and we continue to redevelop our downtown district.”
The city is currently involved in the largest paving and infrastructure improvement program in Russellville history. The $4 Million project includes the improvement of various streets throughout the city.
During his terms as mayor, Grissom has seen the addition of over 1,400 new jobs with over $56 Million in capital investments in the city. He quickly praises local and state officials and their willingness to work together in enabling the city to land additional jobs in Russellville.
“Our existing industries in Russellville continue to add jobs each year and this has led to record employment for the city. We are thankful for all of our existing commercial and industrial partners and are thankful for their continued success”, Grissom said.
“One of the main things I campaigned on twelve years ago, and it continues to be just as important today, is that we all work together as a team to accomplish what we want for the city. I think we have built relationships with people across the state and country that will help us moving forward,” he added.
The city just received approval of a $3,892,000 earmark appropriation from Congressman Robert Aderholt for a new multi-purpose, media, broadband internet library and has just received a $500,000 earmark appropriation from Senator Tommy Tuberville for new police vehicles. Grissom said he and the Russellville City Council actively pursued grant funding that has helped the city obtain more than $18 million in grant projects, most paid through state and federal funds since elected mayor in 2012. That figure also included more than $2 million in TAP Sidewalk Projects in the Downtown District.
The city has also been able to upgrade equipment in every city department. Since 2012, the city has seen improvements in infrastructure and equipment upgrades of over $34 million.
“It is important to have safe and stable transportation and infrastructure in place,” Grissom said. “Our work with the city council and the state and federal government has been a tremendous asset that has helped us do many much needed projects throughout Russellville.”
The Russellville Commercial Historic District was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior on January 19, 2019. Russellville was declared a Main Street Alabama Designated Community in 2023.
Grissom is the son of Judy Keeton Grissom and the late Bob Grissom. He is married to Melissa Fuller Grissom, who is an art teacher at Russellville High School. They have one daughter, Kate Reed Grissom, who is 19 years old, a 2023 Russellville High School graduate and a sophomore at the University of North Alabama.
Grissom received a B.S. degree in Marketing and graduated magna cum laude from the University of North Alabama in 1994. Since that time, he has been involved in numerous business endeavors in northwest Alabama.
He is a lifetime member of Russellville Masonic Lodge #371, member of Scottish Rite 32nd Degree Valley of Birmingham, member of Cahaba Shrine, Huntsville, and member of the Franklin County Shrine Club. He and his family are members of Mountain View Baptist Church.