By Melanie Patterson

The North Jefferson News



For the first time in 24 years, Sammie Maze will not be running for mayor of Kimberly. Instead, voters on Aug. 26 will be choosing from among two fresh candidates for the job: Ralph Lindsey and Brian Pharris.

Ralph Lindsey

“I want to see us stop the reactive government and be a proactive government,” said Ralph Lindsey. “I want to see us think through situations and problems. We need to be progressive and lend to the quality of life here.”

Originally from Lynchburg, Va., Lindsey moved to Kimberly two years ago from Tennessee. He had previously lived in Birmingham for 18 years.

Since he moved to Kimberly, Lindsey has become heavily involved in the community through his efforts to help fight strip mining in the town.

He has organized local meetings, testified at Jefferson County public hearings and has spoken out at Kimberly Town Council meetings and Kimberly public hearings against proposals to open a strip mine in the town.

“We must guard against … ever letting the special interests of a few seize the initiative from the desires of the families of Kimberly,” said Lindsey.

He also served a year and a half on the Kimberly Planning Commission.

If elected mayor, Lindsey said he wants to foster a cooperative effort between the communities of Kimberly, Morris, Warrior and Trafford.

Lindsey has been retired for three and a half years from Dean Foods, Inc., where he served as vice president for training and sales development, southeast region.

With a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Lynchburg College in Virginia, Lindsey also served for more than 14 years as vice president for sales and marketing at Barber Dairies in Birmingham.

Lindsey attends Liberty Baptist Church in Kimberly, where he helps oversee youth activities, serves as a groundskeeper for much of the property and helps raise funds to promote the church’s missions activities.

Lindsey has also served as vice chair for the Public Building Administration in Johnson City, Tenn.; as board member and chair-elect for Mountain States Health Alliance in eastern Tennessee; and as a board member for the University of Alabama at Birmingham Liver Foundation.

He and his wife of almost 45 years, Sally Lindsey, have lived in Kimberly for two years. They have two children and five grandchildren.

Brian Pharris

Brian Pharris wants to see his hometown get cleaned up and he would like for the town’s departments to grow.

“I want to continue to remove abandoned houses and clean up the community,” he said.

Pharris said that if elected, he would like to increase the town’s police, fire, and park and recreation departments by providing more equipment and personnel.

“We need to improve the police presence for the safety of the community because it’s growing,” Pharris said, adding that Kimberly also needs some paid firefighters working during the day.

Kimberly currently has an all-volunteer fire department.

“I have a lot invested in the town. I care about the people in the community,” said Pharris. “I want to see it move forward.”

Another of Pharris’ goals is to see Kimberly grow economically.

“I want to increase the tax base by bringing in some economic growth,” he said, “but I want to be realistic about it too.”

Pharris said that he would also have Kimberly host more community events for the citizens to enjoy.

Pharris, 33, was born and raised in Kimberly.

He has been a member of the Kimberly Fire Department for 14 years, serving as a captain on the department for three years.

He also became a member of the Kimberly Planning and Zoning Board several months ago.

“I donate a lot of free time to the community,” he said.

As for the mining issue, Pharris said it is no longer in the town of Kimberly’s hands so he wants to put his focus elsewhere.

Pharris works for Trussville City Schools in the maintenance department.

He and his wife Sarah have two children: Madalyn, 3, and Makayla, 8.