Clanton City Council Member Bobby Cook believes the new civic center here will be a big plus for the community when operational.

“My goal,” Cook said, “is to help the civic center become a reality as soon as practical. With a seating capacity in the main meeting room of 1,800, the facility can bring statewide meetings to our city, especially when you consider Clanton is located in the center of Alabama.”

Cook said people coming to attend meetings, both public and commercial, will spend money in the area which will help bolster the economy of the city. “And I see Jefferson State Community College, where the civic center is located, as a big plus for Clanton.

Cook, a retired bank administrator, said he thought about running for a seat on the city council for some time before tossing his hat in the political ring in 2008. “I thought about running for several years,” he said, “but I did not want to run as long as Ann Baker held the Ward 2 seat. When Ann decided to run for mayor, I made my decision to run.” Cook defeated two opponents and took office in November 2008.

A Clanton resident for 63 years, Cook said he sees much potential for Clanton and the entire Clanton area. “We have the recreational resources of area lakes that are bringing more people into the area and have the geographic location that should continue to attract business and industry, “ he said. “Those of us who have been elected to serve need to work together to help the area grow,” he said, adding, “We have to plan and get ready for growth. We can’t just build around what we have now.”

Cook and his wife, Betty, are the parents of a daughter, Melinda McCullough, and the grandparents of Pate and Parker McCullough.