Robert Morris got to know most people in Jemison by coaching their kids in football and baseball.

How he ended up as a city official has a lot to do with the trust and respect garnered through youth athletic programs.

“I learned a lot of people through Dixie Youth,” Morris said. “I kind of worked my way into [public service] that way.”

Of course, among those he coached were his own three sons, who are all grown.

“I got into politics after they got through playing ball,” Morris laughed.

When he and his wife, Annette, are not spending time with their five granddaughters, he enjoys gardening and farming.

“Patchwork, more or less,” he says.

Morris considers himself a very conservative person who wants to help meet the people’s needs. He has served 12 years on the council and works for a construction supply company based in Calera.

Morris graduated from Jemison High School in 1964.

He says the number one issue facing the council today is the economy.

“I think we’ve been holding our own in our little town. We’ve grown a lot,” he said.