The Von Braun Center kicked off a busy holiday season this past Tuesday, November 07, while hosting the State of the County Address.

Sponsored by the Huntsville Hospital Health System and the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Madison County Commission, Mac McCutcheon, gave an address that tackled population growth, budgeting, and quality of life goals in Madison County.

Speaking to the 2024 fiscal plan, McCutcheon said the county’s top priority is to become more proactive in accommodating the growing population, especially in terms of infrastructure relating to roads and water.

In an effort to be proactive, the Madison County Commission has implemented its first 10-year infrastructure plan that includes 29 road projects and new budgeting policies for a total of $101 million.

“Over the years, Madison County has been more reactive than still being proactive due to the growth and traffic demands,” McCutcheon said. “Every subdivision and apartment complex that’s being built? It’s just adding more vehicles to the road. I drive by, and I catch myself sometimes counting doors and when I stop I go, ‘How many people are going to be living here?’ and then I start adding the number of cars that are going to be coming onto the road. Sometimes it’s mind-boggling.”

Having been raised and educated in Madison County, McCutcheon said he has personally seen significant growth.

“I remember standing in a cotton field where campus is right now, and things like that just…it’s just amazing to see all the growth through that,” reflected McCutcheon

However, Chairman McCutcheon expressed confidence that Madison County is now taking the proper measures to keep up with demand.

McCutcheon made a point to say that as Commission Chair, he does not aim to influence state or national politics.

“My role instead is to support our own quality of life in working on things like infrastructure, our roads and our water systems, public safety, clean living environments, for shopping and entertainment, employment, for opportunities, recreation, for healthy living and family growth, residential developments, educational opportunities, overall economic development: your quality of life. Your quality of life is the number one focus of your county government,” said McCutcheon during the Address.

To that end, McCutcheon said he’s spent his time in office so far visiting various Madison County departments, including all six county commissioners and waste control, which he noted collects more than 75,000 pounds of garbage per year and is meeting the challenge of accommodating population growth. According to McCutcheon, the Madison County Commission will also be addressing every recreation center in the county this year as well as hiring more personnel to manage those facilities.

McCutcheon closed his address by thanking the employees of Madison County Commission, calling them true public servants. He said each hour and day they work “actively improves quality of life throughout Madison County and makes the community a better place.”

McCutcheon was appointed to his current position of Madison County Commission Chairman by Governor Kay Ivey in 2023 and has been in this role for 10 months. Prior to being Commission Chairman, McCutcheon was the Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives from 2016 to 2022.