Photo by Erin Nelson.
Shelby County Commissioners, from left, Lindsey Allison, Rick Shepherd, Mike Vest and Robbie Hayes pose together before a Sept. 13 commission meeting.
The nine members of the Shelby County Commission are responsible for keeping the county running smoothly.
When the county was nearing bankruptcy in 1992, it was the commission that voted on a 1-cent sales tax that was put in place for the following seven years and helped the county recover financially.
Four of the nine commissioners live and represent residents on and around the U.S. 280 corridor. Here’s a look at your local representatives and a bit more about each of them.
LINDSEY ALLISON
Lindsey Allison
► District 7; 29 years on the commission
► Allison is the longest serving member of the current commission. She has been elected for eight four-year terms, beginning in November 1992. Her territory in District 7 covers all of Indian Springs Village, some of Pelham, Hoover and Birmingham, Oak Mountain State Park and Interstate 65 to U.S. 280 (except for east of U.S. 280 across from the Inverness area).
Q: What do you enjoy most about serving as a county commissioner?
A: I enjoy serving at the local government level. Local government has more impact on the daily life of a citizen than any higher-level governing.
A citizen’s daily life is greatly affected by the decisions and management of local government. Shelby County has elected many very qualified leaders, and in turn, highly qualified management staff has been hired to run many local operations. Maintaining this service for the citizens is really important to me, as a public servant and a citizen.
Q: What are some of the successes you’ve had or positive changes you’ve seen over your tenure?
A: In my 29 years on the commission and with the exceptional growth Shelby County has experienced, I have watched the county develop from a very rural area to now a very sophisticated governing system.
It did not happen overnight. A lot of thought and planning went into our current county operations. The county comprehensive plan established in 1996 developed our current park system throughout the county, and the county Planning Department outlined an approach to reasonable land use. Over the last 28 years, a lot of planning and outlining on how this county should function and develop took place. An updated plan requesting citizens participation is underway, and all Shelby County citizens should weigh in in order to have a voice in how their county is developed in the future.
Q: What are the most important issues to you?
A: Providing the necessary services that the citizens desire with reasonable taxes.
Q: What other committees, organizations or community service organizations are you involved with?
A: I’m a board member of Central Alabama Wellness (the mental health and substance abuse provider for the county), a board member for Shelby County Community Corrections, board member and president of Leadership Shelby County and a member of the Shelby County Indigent Defense Board.
Q: What do you do for your day job?
A: I’ve spent 35 years practicing law.
Q: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
A: Besides spending time with my family and friends, I enjoy biking, hiking, all types of skiing and just about anything I can to learn something new.
Q: Tell us about your family.
A: I’ve been married to Russ Allison for 38 years. We met in law school and have two daughters, two wonderful sons-in-law and two amazing granddaughters.
ROBBIE HAYES
Robbie Hayes
► District 9; 18 years on the commission
► Hayes was appointed by former Gov. Bob Riley to finish the term of Commissioner Don Armstrong when he was appointed property tax commissioner in 2003. He has since won five subsequent elections from 2004 to 2020. He also serves as the vice chairman of the commission. His territory for District 9 covers from I-65 in Pelham on the south edge of Oak Mountain State Park down Shelby County 11 east of U.S. 280 along Shelby County 43 and includes all of Chelsea, most of Westover, the northern edge of Columbiana and the northeast corner of Alabaster.
Q: What do you enjoy most about serving as a county commissioner?
A: I like being a part of the team that keeps moving Shelby County in positive directions. These include infrastructure development, parks and trails, and facilities that benefit the residents of Shelby County and the surrounding area.
Q: What are some of the successes you’ve had or positive changes you’ve seen over your tenure?
A: I am particularly proud at how our commission works together on all aspects of Shelby County, on both county projects and in cooperation with the state and cities and communities across the county. The commission has been very strong in the development of all types of recreational areas, from senior centers to athletic facilities to nature trails.
Current projects that I see as very positive are the P25 radio system to benefit all law enforcement and other first responders in all 800-plus square miles of the county and the soon-to-open County Services Building on U.S. 280. The new round-about intersection by the Shelby County Airport and Shelby West Parkway at I-65 has been a major road improvement. Also, the multiple events of the Shelby County Arts Council at the Old Mill Square in Columbiana have been very successful.
Q: What are the most important issues to you?
A: As a commission, I hope to continue improving services, infrastructure/roads and bridges, recreational amenities and opportunities for growth in Shelby County. Most importantly, we will do this with a conservative, within-the-budget approach that has been so successful during my tenure.
Q: What other committees, organizations or community service organizations are you involved with?
A: At any one time over the last 18 years, I have served with as many as eight boards or community service organizations at once. Currently, I am a member of the Regional Planning Committee of Greater Birmingham, the Chelsea Business Alliance and the Kiwanis Club of Chelsea. I have many years of involvement with the Regions Tradition golf tournament and Chelsea sports programs, including 32 years as a sideline volunteer for Chelsea High School football.
Q: What do you do for your day job?
A: I got my doctorate from UAB School of Optometry in 1988 and have practiced in Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama. I opened Hayes Eye Center in Chelsea in 1991.
Q: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
A: Rare free time is spent mostly doing things with family, like attending Alabama football and softball games and the occasional trip to the beach.
Q: Tell us about your family.
A: My wife, Kim, is a medical technologist at Shelby Baptist. We have two daughters, P.J. and Tiffany. P.J. is a cardiac intensive care nurse, and Tiffany is a kindergarten teacher in Shelby County. Our son, Will, is a senior at the University of Alabama and a manager for the Alabama softball team. He hopes to get his doctorate in physical therapy.
RICK SHEPHERD
Mike Vest
► District 8; 13 years on the commission
► Shepherd is in his fourth term serving on the commission after being elected in 2008. His territory for District 8 covers the Brook Highland, Greystone, Highland Lakes, Mt Laurel, Shoal Creek, Dunnavant, Vandiver and Sterrett areas.
Q: What do you like most about serving as a county commissioner?
A: There’s always something new. Shelby County is a great place to live. With the small amount of industry in the county, we are more focused on the quality of life for our residents. We’ve seen enormous growth and challenges come with that growth.
It’s an exciting time to be a county commissioner in Shelby County. I love helping our community experience this positive change.
Q: What are some of the successes you’ve had or positive changes you’ve seen over your tenure?
A: We’ve been able to create a trail system in Shelby County. We’ve added more recreational parks and senior centers. Other services include recycling services and more local sporting and recreational events. We’re constantly chosen as the No. 1 county to live in in Alabama. We have a great staff and great people in our county. With this, good things tend to happen.
Q: What are the most important issues to you?
A: The people in Shelby County. I became a county commissioner so I could make a positive difference. I strive everyday to see how I can help with roads, bridges, law enforcement, airport, recreation, trails, etc., I want to make sure our resources are the best in Alabama.
Q: What other committees, organizations or community service organizations are you involved with?
A: I’m on the Finance Committee for the commission, president of Shelby 911, on the Republican Party steering committee, director on the Alabama Supercomputer Authority Board, as well as a member of several other organizations in the metro area.
Q: What do you do for your day job?
A: I am a regional sales manager for a large cybersecurity company.
Q: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
A: I love spending time with my family, hiking, camping and SEC sports.
Q: Tell us about your family
A: I have been married for 31 years to my wife, Shannon. We have two children: Anna is a teacher at Oak Mountain Elementary, and Will works for Dell in Nashville as a technical sales representative. Both graduated from Auburn, and Anna recently married Andrew Beatty.
MIKE VEST
Mike Vest
Mike Vest
► District 6; nine years on the commission
► Vest has served on the commission since 2012. His territory in District 6 covers the northside of Valleydale Road from Riverchase to U.S. 280 and where Jefferson and Shelby County meet.
Q: What do you enjoy most about serving as a county commissioner?
A: I really enjoy helping folks who aren’t really sure on how to go about finding the right answers to the questions they have. It’s always a good feeling knowing that their answers to their concerns were completed in a timely manner. This is thanks to our awesome administration and their commitment to assist them very quickly.
Q: What are some of the successes you’ve had or positive changes you’ve seen over your tenure?
A: I don’t consider anything that’s accomplished a success that I had, but we as a whole have done some amazing things. I’m very proud of us going through certain funding crunching times, and we were good stewards of our constituents’ funding yet continuing to maintain the same quality.
Q: What are some things the commission has done that you are most proud?
A: School resource officers/public safety; our quick response to get our constituents vaccinated; current road work improvement on Valleydale Road and Riverchase; Big Brothers Big Sisters’ success and other much-needed and fantastic nonprofits that make Shelby County a great county; the greenway walking path in Inverness; and partnering with cities to take Shelby County to next levels.
Q: What are the most important issues to you?
A: Being good stewards of our constituents’ funding, public safety, student safety, helping our residents who are less fortunate and building relationships.
Q: What other committees, organizations or community service organizations are you involved with?
A: Worthwhile nonprofits have always been near and dear to me, and so I do whatever I can to promote them. Throughout my tenure, I’ve been a deacon in my church; a youth group leader for seven straight years until last year; an Oak Mountain youth football, baseball and YMCA basketball coach; served on many nonprofit boards such as The Day Program and BBBS; and am a proud member of Leadership Shelby County.
Q: What do you do for your day job?
A: I am a sales rep for a distributing company. Prior to this, I was an executive director of the nonprofit Addiction Prevention Coalition.
Q: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
A: I enjoy going to Oak Mountain State Park and hiking, going to Veterans Park on Valleydale Road and walking. My wife, Diana, and I have just become empty-nesters, so there’s no telling what is in store. Our three children — Billy, Kayce and Griffin — all went through the Oak Mountain school system. We also have two dogs: our harlequin Great Dane (Deacon) and our pomsky (Piper).
Other members of the Shelby County Commission include Kevin Morris (District 1), Tommy Edwards (District 2), Jon Parker (District 3), Ward Williams (District 4) and Chairman Elwyn Bearden (District 5).
The Shelby County Commission meets on the second (8:30 a.m.) and fourth (6 p.m.)Monday of each month at the Shelby County Administration Building in Columbiana.
