Orange Beach City Councilwoman Annette Mitchell is running for a fourth term.
Mitchell was appointed to the council in 2014, following the death of Councilman Al Bradley, and subsequently ran two successful campaigns.
As a businesswoman who started a successful Chevrolet and Toyota dealership with her late husband, Henry, Mitchell said her experience in finance has helped the business owners in the city through challenges.
"When I speak to local businesses, I always let them that they are not alone here," said Mitchell. "I know exactly what it's like to go to bed at night and not know if I can make payroll the next day. I know what that's like. I know how to approach it, I know how to overcome it and I love business. I just love business; I'm very good at selling; I'm very good at managing; I'm very good with finance. I just can't fix cars."
After retiring, the couple moved to Orange Beach in 2000. Mitchell said she quickly realized she had to get involved in the community.
"I couldn't sit on the beach another day, and I couldn't shop anymore," Mitchell said. "I couldn't clean any more closets, and so I started volunteering."
Mitchell began with a volunteer position as a reading coach at Orange Beach Elementary. She then joined the advisory board for finance, where she now serves as the finance committee chairman.
"Every morning, I say prayers of gratitude before my feet hit the ground," Mitchell said. "God planted me here, and I get a voice and a vote on how this City is run. I sit and drink coffee in bed and watch the local news, and I hear extreme violence in Mobile, extreme violence in Pensacola, and I get to work to keep this bubble in between safe and secure."
During her time on the council, Orange Beach created its own school district. Mitchell weighed in on the recent controversy over a portion of a Baldwin County School tax that is not shared with municipal school systems.
"It's money that was taken away from us," she said. "It's as simple as that. It should be coming to us. We're going to work really hard to try to get it."
Mitchell has also served as the council liaison for the building of the Coastal Arts Center and the Performing Arts Center. The self-proclaimed "cheerleader for the arts" served on the committee to develop the after-school program Expect Excellence.
"The amount of building that I have had a voice and a vote for is incredible, and we have everything designed for families," Mitchell added. "The arts program is beyond beyond, and athletics is very strong."
After a dove shoot for children, Mitchell said she was inspired to bring a shooting team to Orange Beach City Schools. That team has grown and currently holds state championship titles. The City's shooting range will soon be open to the public.
Mitchell said the day-to-day challenge for a council member is managing a City of 8,000 residents and 8 million visitors each year. The City has an annual operating budget of $150 million, and she said it is essential to manage it with local families in mind.
"So, the biggest challenge for me is always to keep this hometown that you know and love and accommodate all the people that come and spend money," Mitchell said. "So, tourists are money spenders and we need them to do everything."
Another challenge the City has faced is growth. Mitchell said developers have approached the council to annex property into the City. However, she said those decisions must be made carefully.
"I want everybody who wants to build here to be able to build, just like I did," she said. "And I also don't want my school overrun, and my services not overrun. So, it is a good idea to take a deep breath and analyze everything before we make a bad decision."
Mitchell has also served on the Planning Commission, the Gulf Coast Healthcare Authority, the Business Advisory Board, the Orange Beach Garden Club and is a member of Sirens of the Sea Mardi Gras Krewe.
Currently, Mitchell said she wants to see the Alabama Department of Transportation to reverse the decision to make the former toll bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway a northbound bridge. The City is also working on a multimodal path from Bear Point to The Wharf.
In the future, Mitchell wants to see an assisted living development built in Orange Beach. She also wants to do a deep dive into commercial property insurance and HOA insurance costs, which she said are adding extra expenses to owners.
Mitchell is being challenged by Jack Robertson, also known as Alabama Big Earl. She said she wants to defend her position to protect family values and keep Orange Beach conservative.
"Our family values are second to none, and that's what I love most about Orange Beach," she said.
Mitchell is a member of St. Thomas by the Sea Catholic Church. She is also the captain of her tennis team.
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