Fortenberry Becomes Third Candidate In Tuscaloosa Mayor's Race

Tuscaloosa AL

17 January, 2021

11:39 AM

Description

TUSCALOOSA, AL — University of Alabama faculty member and community activist Serena Fortenberry on Sunday formally announced her candidacy for Tuscaloosa's highest office after qualifying to run against incumbent Walt Maddox and former Alabama running back Martin Houston in the March 2 municipal election. Click here to subscribe to our daily email newsletters and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices for free. You can also support local journalism by donating as little as $5 a month to become a supporting member or by downloading our free Patch mobile app. Running on a "A Plan for Change" platform with the expressed purpose of "correcting growing problems that have been created by the current city administration," Fortenberry is also requesting three mayoral debates. These debates would be focused on discussing current city finances, the revitalization of economically depressed areas, and the internal operations of City Hall. Fortenberry moved to Tuscaloosa in 1998 to pursue a Master's Degree in English at the University of Alabama after completing a Bachelor's Degree at Mississippi University for Women. She then pursued a Ph.D. in American literature and currently serves as a faculty member in the English Department at UA. Since moving to west Tuscaloosa, Fortenberry says she has put in hours as an advocate for the community by organizing the Newtown Neighborhood Association, which covers the neighborhoods between Stillman Boulevard and the Black Warrior River. She also cited her creation of a Yard-of-the-Month program, in addition to securing enhancements for the Burrell Odom Park from PARA. She also said she previously researched and wrote a detailed budget request asking the City of Tuscaloosa to invest in sidewalk completion, pedestrian lighting, and improved landscaping in the area. "The current mayor has created a city where developers multiply their wealth, but the poor are getting poorer—more than ever now, because of the regressive sales tax that supports Elevate," Fortenberry said. "The mayor continues to let developers build student apartments all over the city, harming many of our neighborhoods. Why should so many people have to suffer as a result of his poorly planned growth that's meant to line the pockets of the people who help keep him in office?" Along with her work and community activism, Fortenberry has also served on the board of directors for the Stillman College Foundation, as Vice President for Tuscaloosa Neighbors Together, on the city's Framework Steering Committee as well as the FrameworkHousing Subcommittee, and is part of the University of Alabama Neighborhood Partnership Committee. "Over the last sixteen years, City Hall has become more and more closed off from the citizens of Tuscaloosa," she said, levying sharp criticism at the incumbent mayor. "During his tenure Walt Maddox has pulled powers away from City Council Members. He has created a city government that is now functioning largely behind closed doors. Our schools, County Courthouse, and businesses are open, yet our taxpayer-funded City Hall is not. Mayor Maddox likes to paint a pretty picture about the state of Tuscaloosa, but in reality, we facing increasing poverty, dilapidated infrastructure, struggling neighborhoods, spiraling city debt, a stagnant economy, rising crime rates, and a disregard for the needs of the hardworking people of Tuscaloosa." Follow Patch here for updates or on Facebook and Twitter. You can also download the Patch mobile app, free for Apple and Android mobile devices.