DECATUR – In a move that surprised many, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling said Monday he would not be seeking reelection. He made the announcement at the City Council work session.
Well into his second term since being elected in 2016, Bowling was the first mayor to win reelection in Decatur in 28 years.
“I’ve been praying that if there’s someone that has the ability and the heart to serve our city from the office of the mayor that they would come forward,” said Bowling. “And just the one perfect candidate did that.”
Speaking to 256 Today, Bowling declined to identify the upcoming candidate but did say he is a friend and he did not want to run against his friend.
The work session was attended by protesters demanding action in the police shooting death of Steve Perkins on Sept. 29. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is handling the investigation into the shooting that took place as a tow truck driver attempted to repossess Perkins’s vehicle.
Addressing the timing of his statement, the mayor of Alabama’s 10th largest city said there are more important matters to focus on in the city right now.
“With all that we have going on right now in Decatur, we need to remove politics and the campaign and things like that and just focus strictly on serving the city,” he said. “And so that’s why I made the announcement about it.”
Bowling, who is 63, also said age was a factor in his decision. The next mayoral election is 2025.
“It’s just time to go on and do something else. I’ll be 65 come the next campaign,” he said. “I had someone stop me that had done it one time and he said, ‘Hey, this is the hardest work you’ll ever do’ and I agree with him.”
Bowling said he is grateful for the opportunity to serve the city of Decatur.
“After nine years of service, I think this has been the greatest opportunity that I’ve had in my life professionally to serve as mayor of our city.”
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