One of Governor Kay Ivey’s greatest legacies will be her outstanding wisdom and prudence in her appointments to fill important judicial and governmental openings. She has shown amazing leadership in this capacity over her decade as governor.
She had the opportunity to make another stellar appointment in June. Ivey appointed State Representative Cynthia Lee Almond to be the new president of the Alabama Public Service Commission. The vacancy occurred when veteran PSC Commissioner Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh left to take the Trump administration appointment as Alabama’s director for rural development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She will work closely with President Trump’s secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins.
Twinkle has been one of the most successful political figures in Alabama for several decades. She has served as president of the Public Service Commission since 2012 and was first elected associate commissioner in 2010. In 2020, she received the most votes in Alabama history for a non-presidential candidate. Twinkle served a stint as chairman of the State Republican Party at a young age.
In making the appointment of Cynthia Almond to the important rate setting PSC presidency, Ivey stated, “Cynthia has proven to be an extremely effective public servant, and I am confident the people of Alabama will be even better served when she takes the helm at the Public Service Commission.”
Governor Ivey’s public comments were exuberant, but privately, she was even more excited to get someone of Cynthia Almond’s character, integrity, and experience to take the post. Cynthia is a successful attorney and legislator.
Cynthia was born and raised in Tuscaloosa. Her daddy was a lawyer and state legislator in Tuscaloosa. She followed in his footsteps. She has had a prominent career in law and governmental service. She began the practice of law in her hometown after graduating from the University of Alabama Law School. Her legal work has been focused on estate planning, business law, and real estate.
Ms. Almond served four, four-year terms on the Tuscaloosa City Council prior to being elected to her Republican State House seat. Her legislative House seat is within the confines of Tuscaloosa. She has been one of the state’s most outstanding legislators during her two-terms in the House.
In the State House, Almond served as chair of the Tuscaloosa County Legislative Delegation and as a member of the Ways and Means Education Committee, Judiciary Committee, and Rules Committee. She has worked closely with Governor Ivey on several of her legislative priorities.
This House seat has become a prominent steppingstone position. It encompasses the upscale Tuscaloosa enclaves. Prior to Cynthia Almond taking the seat, Representative Bill Poole was in the seat for 10 years. Bill was probably the most important House member of the 105-member body for a decade while he wrote the State Education Budget as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Poole became Governor Ivey’s state finance director at the beginning of the quadrennium, where he still serves. State finance director is generally considered the most important post in the Cabinet.
Prior to Poole being in this House Seat 63, Dr. Robert Bentley, who was probably the most prominent dermatologist in Tuscaloosa, was in the seat. Dr. Bentley moved from this Druid City Seat to the Governor’s mansion.
Before Governor Bentley, prominent Tuscaloosa Businessman Tim Parker Jr. served in this prized seat. His father, the original Tim Parker, served in this House from Tuscaloosa, also. Tim Parker Jr. was recently named to the Alabama Business Hall of Fame.
In the upcoming special election, Tuscaloosa City Councilman Norman Crow is expected to fill this illustrious House seat. He will be tracking Cynthia Almond. He is in the City Council seat she left to become state representative. He will do a great job.
There have been several other new legislative seat departures and arrivals this year. State Representative Matt Woods, R-Jasper, has moved to the Senate taking the seat left by Senator Greg Reed, who became head of the new Department of Workforce Development. There are two open seats in Cullman County. Heath Allbright is set to take the seat left by veteran Representative Randall Shedd. Cindy Myrex won a very impressive victory for a hotly contested Cullman County House district this August. She took the seat of retiring Representative Corey Harbison. Debbie Wood left her Chambers County House seat, unexpectedly. She will probably be followed by Kristin Nelson, who is currently the chairman of the Chambers County Republican Party. Her husband, Jeff Nelson, is the popular sheriff of Chambers County.
See you next week.
