GOOD HOPE — The Good Hope City Council welcomed its newest member Monday night. 

New Councilman Eric Phillips was sworn in by Cullman County Circuit Court Judge Greg Nicholas to begin his first term in office during Monday night’s council meeting. 

He was joined by Mayor Jerry Bartlett, Councilman Terry Shabel, Councilwoman Susan Eller, Councilman Greg Brown and Councilman Taft Dillashaw, who were all sworn in after running unopposed in August’s municipal election. 

Phillips said he is a political newcomer who ran for the council to make it a better place for his two children to grow up. 

“I love Good Hope, and I’m just going to work to make a better city,” he said.

After the mayor and council members were sworn in, they held a brief meeting to re-approve Eller as the council’s mayor pro tem, Rita Nicholas as City Attorney and Christie Chamblee as the City Clerk. 

Bartlett took the opportunity to recognize Chamblee and the rest of the city’s employees, and said he was happy to see that the city ran smoothly while he has been dealing with a COVID-19 infection. 

“I feel we have a good crew, I feel like we have a good office staff,” he said. “That makes all the difference in the world.”

To show their appreciation for the city’s employees, the council approved a one-time pay adjustment that will be added to the paycheck they receive before Thanksgiving. 

Chamblee said the city usually approves a pay adjustment of $200 or $250 for the holiday season, and Eller made a motion to pay employees the same amount that they received last year.