The Mayor provides leadership, coordination and administration of city affairs. The Mayor serves as the Executive Officer of the City of Cullman and is responsible for the management of the city. The Mayor is the most visible of the city's elected officials and is held publicly accountable for the performance of city government. Some of the Mayor's duties include:

• Enforcing all laws and ordinances.
• Exercising administrative supervision and control over all departments.
• Preparing and submitting annual budgets to the City Council.
• Keeping the City Council fully advised of the financial conditions and needs of the City.
• Recommending actions to the City Council.
• Hiring and terminating all employees of the City, with the exception of some department heads.
• Negotiating all contracts for the City of Cullman.

Our current Mayor is Max A. Townson. Mayor Townson, a native of Cullman, Alabama, began serving his first term as Mayor of the City of Cullman in November of 2008. Mayor Townson graduated from Cullman High School and has a Bachelor of Science in Education from St. Bernard College. In 1962 Mayor Townson joined the United States Air Force where he served his country for four years. He has been a member of St. John’s Evangelical Protestant Church since 1981.

 

Mayor Townson’s background as a teacher and coach includes teaching history at West Point High School and coaching West Point’s Junior High Football team to their first County Championship in 1970. In 1973 Mayor Townson entered the business world with Meyer Laboratories as a pharmaceutical salesman. After Meyer was bought by Glaxo Pharmaceutical he continued his career in pharmaceuticals sales until he was elected to the office of Mayor of the City of Cullman in 2008. Awards and achievements received during Mayor Townson’s tenure in pharmaceuticals sales include the following:

• Excellence in Marketing Award
• Sales Achievement Award
• Xerox Professional Selling Skills III
• Five time "Representative of the Quarter"
• Three time President's Club member for outstanding sales
• Executive Sales Representative
• Sales Trainer
• Senior Representative

Mayor Townson has been an active member of our community for many years. Below is a summary of his involvement in community affairs:

• Member of St. John's Evangelical Protestant Church
• Two-term Member of St. John's Church Council
• President of St. John's Church Council, 2004-2006
• Cullman City Board of Education, 1992-1995
• Pilot House Board of Directors, 2003-2008
• Christmas Love
• Coached Youth Basketball
• Patriotic Service to his Community . . . Reciting the "Ragged Old Flag" at Various Meetings & Events

Mayor Townson is married to the former Kay Locke of Huntsville, Alabama. He and his wife have two children, daughter Kim Hall (Mark Hall) and son Matt Townson (Melanie Waters). They also have five grandchildren, Landry Hall, Hadley Hall, Lanie Townson, Max Townson, and Addie Reese Townson.