By Melanie Patterson

The North Jefferson News



While three Warrior council members are running for office unopposed this month, there are still two races to be fought.

The Warrior City Council voted on July 21 to install Jerry Bailey, Theodore Hines and Johnny Ragland into office.

In the meantime, Joel Washington is challenging incumbent Brad Fuller for Council District 1, Place 2, and Cecil W. Bailey is running against James Jett in Council District 2, Place 1.



Council District 1, Place 2

Brad Fuller

Fuller said he is running for re-election because he wants to continue the progress that has been started in his city.

“There’s a lot going on in Warrior,” said Fuller. “Everything we’ve done has been positive. There are so many things in the works.”

Fuller has served four years on the Warrior City Council as chairman of the street department.

“One of my goals was that I wanted them to have new equipment,” Fuller said.

In the past four years, the department has received a $65,000 Massey Ferguson tractor with a rear and side cutter, a commercial riding lawn mower, and most recently a new brush truck that cost more than $100,000.

“We’ve upgraded all the equipment,” he said.

Fuller said there are many things in Warrior to be excited about, including the city’s crackdown on abandoned buildings; new development in Warrior; new sidewalks in the works; a new regional library; and six new police cars for the Warrior Police Department.

In addition, the police station’s dispatch office has been moved to a new location and the city has built two additional bays for the Warrior Police Department to accommodate two new fire trucks the city has purchased.

“Everybody’s on the same page. We’re working to better Warrior,” Fuller said.

Fuller, 41, owns Brad’s Pools and Supply, Inc., in Warrior and is a fireman with the city of Hoover. He is a member of Gardendale First Baptist Church.

Fuller has lived his entire life in Warrior. His wife of 18 years, Connie, is a teacher at Warrior Elementary School. They have a daughter who is 13.



Joel Washington

Washington did not return telephone calls to The North Jefferson News.



Council District 2, Place 1

James Jett

Jett, 67, has served 40 consecutive years on the city council, but he said there is still plenty to be done in Warrior.

While Jett was growing up and in school, he worked for the city in several capacities. He worked for the street department, the water works and collected garbage.

“The city has been real good to me. You feel like you’re giving something back (by serving on the council),” Jett said.

If he is re-elected, Jett has several goals in mind.

“What I want to be working toward is making the old armory into a state-of-the-art library,” he said.

He is also working to re-start Warrior’s park and recreation program for youth, and he wants to see at least one paid paramedic working at all times at the Warrior Fire Department.

Jett said he likes the progress that the city has made in cleaning up abandoned buildings, but wants to see it continue.

“We want to enhance the beauty and charm of the city,” he said, adding that the city has formed a committee to implement a downtown revitalization program.

Jett said the city is also working on finding a new building for the city street department.

Jett is a retired educator and coach, having served 31 years with the Jefferson County Board of Education. He worked for a year at Hewitt-Trussville, three years at Mortimer Jordan High School, and 27 years at Warrior High School. At Warrior, he served as teacher, coach, bus driver and principal.

He has lived in Warrior all of his life and is of the Baptist denomination.

Jett and Nadine, his wife of 42 years, have three children and a granddaughter.



Cecil W. Bailey

Bailey is running for office because he wants to see something for children to do in Warrior.

Having three children of his own – ages 15, 12 and 11 – Bailey would like to see a movie theater, game room, recreation center or youth association started in Warrior.

“I would work hard for that,” said Bailey. “I want to see something here for our children. They need something.”

Bailey also wants to see Warrior have a larger library, a larger street department and more businesses in town.

“Our town needs to prosper and grow. It has just sat still for the last 10 or 15 years,” Bailey said.

Bailey said he also believes council members should have term limits.

“I have respect for my opponent, Coach Jett,” said Bailey. “But we need some new blood, some new ideas for this town to grow and prosper.”

Bailey, 41, ran for city council four years ago, saying he was defeated by only 40 votes.

He works for Solid Rock Monuments in Warrior.

He and his wife Renee have been married 15 years and have three children: Anthony, Gilbert and Brent.

Bailey was raised in Kimberly and graduated from Mortimer Jordan High School. He has lived in Warrior 20 years.