By CHRISTINE BOATWRIGHT / Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – Montevallo Mayor Hollie Cost was diagnosed with breast cancer the morning after she won the election in October.

About a month later, she underwent a double mastectomy, and the doctors began reconstruction. Fortunately, no invasive cancer was found, so Cost will not have to undergo radiation or chemotherapy.

Today, Cost said she has her ups and downs, but when she’s up, she resumes her mayoral duties in person. When she’s down, she relies on the City Council and colleagues at the University of Montevallo, where she is a professor, to continue providing leadership and education in her stead.

“I’m regretful I can’t come in and serve the city as mayor, but I’m just doing my best to get strong so that at least at the beginning of the year I can step in there and hit the ground running,” Cost said in a phone interview Dec. 4.

Cost said she hopes to lead the Dec. 17 City Council meeting.

“I feel the council, and especially the mayor pro-tem (Dee Woodham), are stepping up and covering everything beautifully,” Cost said. “I don’t have any worries about their abilities.”

Cost said even after former Police Chief Steve Holt was not reappointed, she felt the situation was handled professionally by the police department personnel.

“We’re heading in a very positive direction in our police department,” she said.

Cost, who has a fourth grader at Montevallo Elementary, met with Shelby County Schools Superintendent Randy Fuller and other school system representatives Nov. 30 to discuss the mold issues at the school.

“I’m pleased the lines of communications are now open between the city and school board. I’m looking forward to working together. There are still a lot of unanswered questions,” Cost said. “I feel like it’s very important for us to have a comprehensive report on the conditions of the school to make everyone feel safe, myself included.”