City of Madison Mayor Paul Finley delivered a comprehensive State of the City address at the Von Braun Center’s Saturn Ballroom on Wednesday, June 5th.

In his speech, he provided an update on the city’s growth, achievements, and future plans, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, transparency, and responsible governance.

Mayor Finley began his address by expressing gratitude for the opportunity to represent Madison and its citizens.

“I love being the mayor of our city. I’m so proud of what we accomplish,” Mayor Finley said.

He highlighted the city’s significance within the broader Tennessee Valley community and promised exciting developments ahead.

“Our goal is to give excellent services by taking the revenues and money that you give us stretching as far as we can to make the biggest positive impact on quality of life,” Mayor Finley stated, outlining the city’s mission to prioritize residents’ well-being and enhance their overall living standards.

Acknowledging the upcoming city council elections, Finley explained that elections will take place in August 2025 instead of 2024 as was originally expected.

“There’s a reason for that, the state legislators moved the majority of the municipalities off of the presidential cycle, and Madison was given another year,” Mayor Finley explained.

He underscored the importance of collaborative governance between the city council and the mayor’s office in managing the city’s rapid population growth and expanding budget.

Reflecting on Madison’s evolution as a suburb of Huntsville, Mayor Finley shared personal anecdotes and emphasized the importance of truth and transparency in leadership.

“Madison is a suburb of Huntsville. I know that’s sometimes hard to say and I know it was when we ran back in 2008. When we ran, we told the truth that Madison’s a suburb and we want to work with the community to regain a community atmosphere,” reflected Mayor Finley.

Turning his attention to education, Mayor Finley praised Madison City Schools as the city’s “number one asset” and highlighted collaborative efforts between the city and the school board to manage growth responsibly.

“We put together a growth impacts committee in 2017. It looked at the growth of the city, the needs of the schools… One of the things that we needed is managed growth in the city of Madison,” he explained.

In discussing economic development initiatives, Mayor Finley celebrated successes like the Rocket City Trash Pandas and Toyota Field, emphasizing the city’s commitment to public-private partnerships.

Towards the end of his speech, Finley presented a video presentation that highlighted various developments including Town Madison, the ongoing interchange of I-565, Sunshine Oaks and the new Madison Community Center. The Madison Community Center, updating the former Three Springs Facility, is a 30,000 square foot facility which will include meeting rooms, arts and craft spaces, a multi-use gym and more than 30 acres of outdoor space.

Mayor Finley concluded his address by expressing gratitude to his family, city employees, regional partners, and community members for their support and dedication.