Garlan Gudger is spending the months before the 2019 legislative session learning and preparing for what he knows will be a challenging experience.

The senator-elect for District 4 is no stranger to politics, having won four consecutive terms to the Cullman City Council and three of those as council president. Some of those years were lean for the city, followed by a long run of business growth and improvements that he feels were accomplished by the willingness of council members to work together for the residents of Cullman.

“It’s about relationships when you want to accomplish anything,” Gudger said. “You’re going to have disagreements, which is expected and healthy, but at the end of the day when you have a group of people committed to fulfilling their mission for the community good results will come.”

Weighing what has worked in Cullman, as well as his successful business at Southern Accents, Gudger is looking over the larger political landscape in Montgomery with the same approach.

“You have to be able to see another person’s view. What is an issue in north Alabama may not be the same in south Alabama, but we have to respect what they need and work for their support where we need it,” Gudger said. “Even the needs in District 4 vary from Cullman County to Lawrence, Winston and Marion.”

But again, that’s where building relationships and determining each area’s potential is an exciting prospect for Gudger. Lawrence County, like Cullman, is close to the coming Toyota/Mazda project. Examining the resources, such as industrial park space and workforce, and cooperative strategies for the region are on his radar.

Along the campaign trail, Gudger was adamant that broadband access needs to be improved to enable smaller communities to compete for economic growth. Taking advantage of some of the state’s larger successes in creating new jobs can extend deeper across Alabama if the playing field is more equitable, he added.

Rep. Randall Shedd, R-Fairview, has been a prominent member of the rural caucus, an ally Gudger looks to join and assist in helping small communities.

“I’ve already spoken to the local delegation, Randall, Corey Harbison and Scott Stadhagen, and I think we can be a strong team. With me in the Senate and them in the House, our districts go into different locations. But we can stand with each other and be there for each other when something is needed for our region,” Gudger said. “I think our home team can do a lot to bring others together in region.”

Gudger is spending some of his time traveling to Montgomery to learn the ropes and meeting with others who have legislative experience.

“I know there is a learning curve to everything and there all sorts of opinions and ideas about the budgets,” Gudger said. “It takes time to master how the budgets work and what you can do with them. I know that in the General Fund about 93 percent of if it is earmarked, and then you have legislators from all the over the state competing for what to do with the remainder. I think with so many of our services tied to that budget, there has to be some new approaches on how to make it more viable.”

But Gudger said he doesn’t come to the political table with promises. Cooperation, communication and relationships are the standards he looks to for being effective as a senator.

“I know that we will have a lot more communication with ALDOT (Alabama Department of Transportation) and what we can do to finish work on Alabama 157 and 278,” he said. “Sometimes we will find that we have to be more creative at the local level to help bring a project to priority, and we’ve done those things before in the Cullman area. That’s where we all sat down and looked at our resources and alternatives and the impact it could have on the community.”

Mental health care is another area of growing concern across Alabama, which Gudger said has seen a dramatic increase in cases and demand while the budget has remained flat.

“You can imagine in 15 years when demand or need grows without the funding the problems that creates,” he said. “This will become one of my largest priorities, to find the money that allows the professionals in this field to do more for our people.”

Leaving the City Council will come by at least early November for Gudger, a moment he admits will be emotional after so many years of service. But as a senator, he also sees an opportunity to continue contributing to the area that is home.

“I’m excited about a lot of the prospects ahead and how I can be a part of a delegation that can accomplish more for our area and the state,” Gudger said. “I’ve always been this way — to be completely enthusiastic for what you want to do and work hard at it, and alongside others who share that same vision.”