PRICEVILLE – Priceville might feel like a small town, but the numbers tell a different story and Mayor Sam Heflin is preparing for what comes next.
Heflin was re-elected last week without opposition, along with four of the town’s five city council members. It’s his second full term as mayor, and he sees the unopposed qualification as a vote of confidence.
“If nobody runs against you, then that’s either a really good vote of confidence from the people or they really don’t care,” Heflin said. “And I’m going to take it as they really think we did a good job.”
Known as the “Crossroads of North Alabama” due to the intersection of I-65 and Alabama Highway 67, Priceville is about 30 minutes from downtown Huntsville.
Heflin, who has served as mayor for five years, was re-elected by default last week after no challengers qualified to run. He wasn’t the only one on the ballot who didn’t have opposition: Four of five sitting city council members were also re-elected unopposed.
Council members are elected to represent the city as a whole rather than districts in Priceville. The only contested seat is Place 4 after the current councilman declined to seek reelection after more than 30 years of service. Three candidates qualified to run for that position.
Residents may feel that experienced leadership is necessary as Priceville prepares for rapid transformation. The Morgan County town has about 3,800 residents. But by the next census, that number is expected to double.
“We’ve got about 918 homes that have already been approved,” Heflin said. “Between now and 2030, we’ll go from 3,800 to about 7,500 people.”
That kind of growth brings big opportunities, but also serious challenges.
“We have to make sure we stay ahead on infrastructure. That includes roads, our wastewater treatment plant, and quality of life issues,” Heflin said. “We also have to make sure our schools can handle the number of kids coming in.”
Some of that school planning is already in motion.
A junior high school is expected to open this fall. The high school, which is just two years old, and the elementary school, which is about 10 years old, were both built with expansion in mind. Each can add two wings to accommodate another 150 students.
In addition to new neighborhoods, Priceville is working on its first true downtown district. Heflin said it will be a mixed-use development with housing, retail, dining, and a hotel.
“This is going to be a walkable community where people can go get something to eat, buy their groceries, do some shopping, and live in an area where they can just get out and walk,” he said.
The city is also negotiating to acquire 40 acres for a city park. Heflin said with Priceville’s population growth, locking in green space now is critical.
“We have a partner park right now, but it’s small,” he said. “We need something more centrally located as the city continues to grow.”
Even as the town expands, Heflin says he’s focused on preserving what makes Priceville feel like home.
“The best thing about Priceville is how close everybody is to each other,” he said. “We tell everybody, come here, we’ll love on you, you can love on us.
“It’s a small town atmosphere and we want to keep that.”
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