Karl Wiggins Selected To Fill Open District 3 Seat On Northport Council

NORTHPORT, AL — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has appointed Karl Wiggins to fill the open District 3 seat on the Northport City Council.

Wiggins was informed of the decision on Wednesday after interviewing with the governor's appointment officials over the weekend. The appointment is effective immediately.

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"I am honored to have been selected by the governor to represent the members of District 3," Wiggins told Patch on Wednesday. "I know that there will be challenges and opportunities ahead and I am excited to get started. I also want to express my appreciation for the patience and support of my wife Leslie and my family over the past two months as we’ve navigated this process."

As Patch previously reported, Wiggins was one of three candidates submitted by the City Council to the governor for consideration, along with business owner Jason Barksdale and former City of Tuscaloosa firefighter Kevin Pate.

Wiggins is a 1997 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in political science and currently serves as vice president of information technology at Randall-Reilly.

A native of Northport since July 1999, Wiggins and his wife Leslie have four children who each attended Tuscaloosa County High School.

Wiggins has worked for Randall-Reilly for almost 23 years and currently manages a team 33 IT professionals.

In terms of his plans for office, Wiggins has previously expressed a desire to focus on infrastructure in the district, along with improving the quality of life in Northport and working to keep the city on its current path of rapid growth.

The vacancy on the council was the result of the abrupt resignation by former Mayor Bobby Herndon, who stepped down at the end of the last calendar year. District 3 Councilman John Hinton ultimately ascended to the city's highest office, leaving a vacancy on the council.

Despite an interview process that included seven candidates, city officials failed to reach a consensus on who to appoint, opting instead to put the matter in the governor's hands.

Wiggins will now fill out the remainder of the unexpired term, which will be up for election in August 2025.

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