By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
Lifelong Limestone County resident and Commission Chairman Collin Daly is running for re-election and is asking for your vote on May 19. Collin first ran successfully for the position in 2018 and was then unopposed in 2022. He is running again for reasons that will be discussed further into this advertorial. That being said, if you were to ask him if he ever saw himself as county commission chairman when he was a kid, his answer would have been a firm, “No.”
Collin’s father, the late Gary Daly served as the Limestone County Commission Chairman from 1986-2000, and two terms as District 1 Commissioner from 2006-2014. Gary also served as captain of the Ardmore Police Department, and an officer for Limestone County Sheriff’s Office and Athens Police Department. At the time, Collin had no interest in ever being involved in holding public office. He worked the family farm and also for Utilities in the City of Huntsville, as well as for Water and Sewer here. People asked him to run in 2018, people asked him to run again in 2022, and people are asking him again. Though he knows better than most from watching his father how tough public service can be, he feels that he still has a job to do for the people of Limestone County. His vision is to leave the county better than he found it, and he knows that his efforts will affect his own kids now and someday his grandkids.
Collin will tell you that running in 2018 was the hardest decision he ever made, and he still wants to serve. I asked him, “Why?” back then as well as recently, and his answer was simple. A strong sense of calling and a fierce love for Limestone County and its people were and are at the heart of his decision, then and now. He also knows that on May 20 –irrespective of the outcome of the election — he will still serve our county any way he can. Collin also understands that the role of chairman is much more of being a moderator than a manager. Alabama law lets him vote in the event there is a tie, but other than that, it is up to the chair to make sure that things are heard fully and plans to move forward are in alignment with “law and love for the county.” He also was quick to point out that his family basically told him that he “had to run” for the good of the county.
To date, here are some of things the Limestone County Commission has been able to accomplish since Collin has been at the helm.
- The Alabama Veterans Museum & Archives took over the Limestone County Event Center, and now houses both the Museum as well as the Event Center.
- Limestone County purchased and re-purposed land in Athens to make a new Recycling Center
- Solid Waste is now an “in house” service
- The County now has its own Animal Shelter
- Limestone County now has its own attorney, Mr. Drew Dill
- Limestone County Sheriff’s Office has added new officers
- Limestone County Sheriff’s Office is also bringing back the D.A.R.E. program—Drug Addiction Resistance Education
- 333 miles of roads have been re-paved in Limestone County as a result of 29 million dollars secured and invested for that purpose
- Paved the Richard Martin Walking Trail in memory of Brady Jordan
Brady Jordan was a wonderful young man who faced physical challenges and used the trail a great deal to walk with his dad and enjoy the abundant beauty of Limestone County. Brady has passed, but getting the trail upgraded so that everyone can use it—parents with kids in strollers, perhaps those who want to be out and about but needed something that provided better footing—has been one of Collin’s “passion projects.” “You have to have several ‘passion projects’ when you have this job because they keep you going, and working on them helps build relationships, which will always be the most important part of this job,” he said.
For anyone in public service, quality of life and public safety are non-negotiables. Limestone County has increased services for outlets such as senior centers as well as a new storm shelter. “I want us to be festive,” said Collin, “and make Limestone County like our own Hallmark movie.” He then added, “I don’t want to see us run over by anyone or anything.” The simplest way to put it was this: “I want us to be who we say we are.”
I asked him about some of his “dreams” for the county, and they are all orbiting around a desire to grow well. As the fastest-growing county in the State of Alabama, there are real and legitimate concerns about losing the hometown qualities that make us unique, and whenever there are those kinds of issues, the challenge becomes finding a way through to “good growth.” All of it must stay in keeping with laws, regulations and the desire of the people. “Listen, take it in, and figure out the next step,” he said.
One of the things he would like to see in order to ease traffic and help “keep Athens-Limestone County stay Athens-Limestone County” is a traffic loop beginning on Elm Street.
Another is to create something along the lines of the “One Stop Shop” in the form of a municipal building that is present at Athens City Hall, where you can have all of your services in one place. “We’ve outgrown our building,” he said, referring to the iconic and historic building on Washington that currently houses the Commission. The Courthouse Annex on Clinton is in the same boat. New facilities need to be created in order to have the county hum along while we grow. “Some things get done better when your back is against the wall,” said Chairman Daly.
In August of 2026, Chairman Daly will assume the position of president of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama, and currently he serves as vice-president. It is something he is looking forward to, and has greatly enjoyed his term as VP.
Below are some things that Chairman Daly has said in order to let people know more about what he has done, and why he is doing it:
Limestone County is home. It’s where I was raised, where I raised my family and where I’m committed to protecting our values while responsibly managing growth, supporting law enforcement, and being a good steward of every taxpayer dollar. That is why I am asking for your vote on May 19 for Chairman of the Limestone County Commission.
If you believe Collin Daly is the man for the job, then return him to the chair he currently holds, and he humbly thanks you for your choice.
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
