Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle Visits Rotary

Rotarian Steve Shaw and Past President Philippe Lathrop with Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle.

The Rotary Club of Birmingham recently welcomed Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. The Birmingham native shared how his guiding philosophies of collaboration and compromise over four terms of office have supported the people of Huntsville as its population has grown significantly over the past decade.

Mayor Battle highlighted priorities such as creating jobs, investments in projects that enhance citizens’ quality of life, long-range strategic planning and improvements supporting transportation. The mayor explained that widening focus from research and aerospace to encompass advanced manufacturing has brought major investments from companies like Mazda, Polaris and Aerojet and established a strong basis for middle income residents that had been absent for many years following the closing of steel mills in the area. He explained that investments in the city’s sewer system and roads have allowed it to stay ahead of population growth and meet the needs of companies seeking to establish facilities in the municipality. 

Battle drew parallels between developments and trends in Birmingham and Huntsville. He discussed his strong relationship with Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin and shared how they collaborate with the other mayors of Alabama’s largest cities. Battle they frequently borrows ideas from one another, looking for successful initiatives and adapting them to work in their own communities.

“My view is that if Birmingham thrives, Huntsville thrives; if Montgomery thrives and Mobile thrives, Birmingham and Huntsville thrive,” Battle said. And we’re all in this together. We’re all pretty much on the same team. And being on the same team, we work day to day to day to make sure we can make this journey together. And as we make this journey together, we have a state that’s prosperous.”

Battle identified workforce development as Huntsville’s biggest challenge. He emphasized the importance of training young people coming out of K-12, undergraduate and graduate programs and making sure employment opportunities meet their needs to keep them in Huntsville. He said a new minor league baseball team and $42 million amphitheater will help attract the best and brightest to move to Huntsville over other cities, with additional investments in urban development allowing members of the community to live, work and play all in one central area.  

“If we can get them to come and visit our community, we can capture them,” Battle said. “Part of our strategy and plan is quality of life, because today quality of life is more important than ever.”

The mayor outlined his priorities as he looks to Huntsville’s future, including staying on track with advanced manufacturing along with focus on hypersonic, cyber and aerospace engineering. Battle explained that the region’s success is due to entities like the chamber of commerce, city council and sister cities working together and collaborating on strategies to keep the area growing and thriving.  

“You have to work in your community day in and day out to make sure that you’re going to continue to grow. If you don’t grow, you die.”

“You have a great mayor who is sitting in place here who is putting together a strategy and a plan. I think you have every opportunity to put that strategy and plan together and do the same thing that we were able to do to see growth, to see prosperity, to see the area take off as it has never taken off before.”