Madison welcomes new mayor, nearly all-new city council

MADISON — A new era of Madison leadership  was ushered in Monday as Ranae Bartlett was sworn in as mayor and joined by six of seven newly elected city council members during a ceremony at City Hall.

Bartlett, who won the August municipal election with more than 55% of the vote, takes office after serving four years on the Madison City Council and nearly a decade on the Madison Board of Education. She succeeds outgoing Mayor Paul Finley, who chose not to seek reelection.

Madison City Council

• District 1: Maura Wroblewski (returning member, serving as council president)
• District 2: David Bier
• District 3: Billie Goodson
• District 4: Michael McKay
• District 5: Alice Lessmann
• District 6: Erica White
• District 7: Kenneth Jackson

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong attended the ceremony to congratulate the mayor and council and to offer support as the city begins a new term.

District 5 Councilmember Alice Lessmann said she’s eager to get to work alongside her fellow council members and the mayor.

“I’m honored to serve the people of Madison and excited to begin this next chapter for our city,” she said. “This council is ready to roll up our sleeves and work together to move Madison forward.”

Ahead of taking office, Bartlett said her administration will focus on education, infrastructure, and responsible growth — three issues she says are central to Madison’s continued success.

“One of our goals for the city of Madison is to continue to invest in our outstanding public education system and see that it continues to flourish,” Bartlett said. “Traffic is one of the major concerns of our residents, and getting federal and state funds to help support infrastructure projects is another priority.”

Bartlett also emphasized the importance of maintaining regional partnerships with Huntsville and Madison County, noting that collaboration has been key to North Alabama’s growth.

The ceremony was standing room only, with a spill-over crowd in the City Hall lobby. 

The recent election marked one of the largest turnovers in city leadership in Madison’s recent history, ushering in a new mayor and nearly an entirely new council.