By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
On August 26, 2025, the people of Athens will be choosing a mayor. Ronnie Marks has served in that capacity since the late Dan Williams was elected to the Alabama State House in 2010. Marks was president of the Athens City Council when he was appointed, and then was elected to the position of mayor in 2012, 2016, and 2020. Mayor Marks had announced that he would not be seeking re-election; that is until everyone from family members, his pastors, business leaders, educators, civic leaders, and numbers of Athenians approached him and said, “Please run again. We need you.” Ultimately, it was after a “whole lot of prayer” that he announced his decision, and as a result is asking for your vote.
There are five things that are the continual concern of the mayor. They are:
· Public Safety
· Quality of Life
· Education
· Economic Development
· Improvement of Government
All of these components need to be in place in order to make a city thrive, and Ronnie’s leadership experience (which comes from the high school classroom, the jungles of Vietnam, working for DHR and being visibly involved in our community for decades) has been tested and proven for the last 15 years.
He was “boots on the ground” with several years of tornadoes, including the “killer twisters” of 2011. He dealt with Pilgrim’s Pride up and leaving Athens, and negotiated to get a good price for the land, oversaw the “deconstruction” of the plant, and the renewed property will soon open as Sunrise Park. A new high school has been built, along with a new Sportsplex, and literally millions of dollars of economic development and employment opportunities have been poured into our city and county. All of it has served to strengthen every aspect of our lives. There is careful planning in place for the future of Athens. This includes revitalizing the downtown core and beyond, as well as the 2040 Plan, which will focus on roads, highways, and excellent, safe, efficient traffic management. He smiled as he said, “Growth is wonderful, and it also has its challenges.”
When COVID hit, our mayor, as did every mayor in America, wondered what the best course of action for our city was, and sought the best medical advice available at the time to deal with a complete unknown that was affecting the whole planet. “We got through that, and there came a time when we could all say, ‘OK, let’s go.’ Athens is back. The energy is high, people are involved, and we have made progress. There is much still to be done, and we can be thankful for what our team has been able to accomplish,” he said. Then he added, “This is about us, not any individual. This is about Athens. Let’s keep things positive and keep going. In Vietnam, we called it ‘esprit de corps,’ being part of a team that gets things done.”
One of the things about which Ronnie is most proud with regard to his time in office is the creation in 2012 of the Mayor’s Youth Commission. Since that time, he and his staff have made a difference in the lives of high school students as they have learned about city government and how to be engaged citizens. “I am extremely proud of this program because we have been able to pair students with community service projects, teach them about our city departments and give them the responsibility of overseeing a community grant program,” he said. He added, “These students are learning to take ownership in our city and share their ideas and concerns. In return, they are teaching us to be open about giving youth a voice and challenging them to use their talents to make a difference.” Since that time, other mayors of cities in Alabama have asked him to help them start a similar program in their towns through the League of Municipalities, of which he has been president.
As Mayor Ronnie continued to think about his “why” as it pertains to seeking re-election, he said, “I want to make Athens better for future generations. I want the people who call Athens home, and the ones who are moving here because they understand how special it is, to experience for generations what we as a city have been privileged to accomplish together.”
And about his love for Athens, the mayor said:
“To me and my family, Athens is more than a home. It is also our heart. I love serving this city and am honored to serve as her mayor. By working together and with positive leadership, Athens will have an awesome future!”
If this is the type of leadership and the results you want to see continue in Athens for another four years, VOTE MARKS for MAYOR!
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
June 20, 2025
