The Cullman mayor’s race saw a bit of a shake-up in the final days of qualifying, with local business owner Verna Hammons jumping into the race for the open seat.

Hammons, a California native who has lived in Cullman since the 1980s, will face incumbent Mayor Max Townson and challengers Marshall Rowe and Jerry Parker in the Aug. 28 municipal election.

Hammons owns the Aotto Repair Service and Detail Shop in Cullman, as well as two local barber shops.

“We don’t mark up parts, and just to try to help the citizens of Cullman,” she said. “At our barber shops, we just charge $5. We’re just trying to help the citizens.”

After serving as a local business owner, Hammons said she believes her experience would make her well-suited for the mayor’s seat.

“I want to hear the people’s voices, and the business owners’ voices, and do anything I can to help them,” she said. “This is my first time seeking office. I care about people, and that’s my goal in life to help people. I don’t want rewards on earth, I want them in heaven.”

One of her top priorities if elected? Recruiting a water park to Cullman, which she thinks could be a good addition for the youth of the area.

“I want to work and promote getting an indoor/outdoor water park for the kids to have something to do, so they’re not focusing on drugs and alcohol,” she said. “Something bigger than the aquatic center, to keep people from going outside the county to places like Point Mallard.”

She recommended potentially using the recently purchased Burrow Property, on County Road 222, as a site for a proposed water park.

“That’d be a perfect opportunity,” she said.

Hammons is also concerned about police potentially harassing local residents, and said if she were elected, she would encourage any resident who feels intimidated to report the incident to her.

“I want people to report it if they’re mistreated by an officer, because they’re there to help, not intimidate the citizens,” she said. “I also don’t want police roadblocks targeting plants and people’s jobs, because a lot go through temp services where they are already screened, and I don’t want them to have to worry about them losing their jobs.”

As for the city’s massive Duck River dam construction project, which officially broke ground earlier this week, Hammons said she isn’t opposed to the new lake — but would need more information to comment further.

“I don’t have a problem with it, but I’d have to learn more about it,” she said.

Hammons noted she is in favor of the ongoing downtown revitalization initiative, but believes businesses damaged by the tornado should have had their building permit fees waived.

For any residents interested in talking with her, Hammons offered her personal cell phone number for public comments: 770-369-3215.

“If anyone ever have anything they’d like to talk about, feel free to call me and we’ll discuss it,” she said.

* Trent Moore can be reached by e-mail at trentm@cullmantimes.com, or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 220.