By BETH CHAPMAN / Community Columnist

Alabaster Mayor Marty Handlon is a CPA, so she is excellent with numbers and it is a good thing she is. As mayor of Alabaster, she manages the largest city in Shelby County with a population of 30,000 and a budget of $24 million.

First elected in October 2012, Handlon has more than 20 years’ experience in accounting and financial management. She has a B.S. and master’s degree from Troy State University.

According to Handlon, the best thing about being mayor is the people. Just moving into a new City Hall last month, Handlon said it is a nice environment and feels more productive for the employees and the citizens.

She said one of her city’s greatest attributes is the people who have never been utilized as they should have been. She now considers herself as being the “ears, eyes and voice of the people.” She has invited citizens to openly discuss their concerns and they are “coming in droves,” Handlon said. “When they enter the door and I listen to their needs and concerns they say, thank you for listening to me.”

Another attribute of Alabaster besides the excellent location is the pro-business community. Handlon has reached out to small businesses providing a “Buy Alabaster First” website and an ap to see what is available in the community. Each month she features a small business and hosts business meetings with small business owners in face-to-face meetings with her city department heads.

She is a member of First United Methodist Church in Alabaster and was recently asked to help establish and chair a renovation team to consider aspects of how to implement a successful youth program.

“We need to provide the young people of our community places to go and good things to do – something productive,” Handlon said. “Teenagers are a very overlooked faction of our community and we need to provide positive things for them.”

Handlon and her husband, Steve, have three children. She is a self-confessed “empty nester,” but managing the largest city in our county is sure to keep her busy.