Karl Wiggins sworn in as Northport City Council District 3 member

By WVUA 23 Student Reporter Emily Benito

After months of uncertainty, Northport has its District 3 Council Member sworn in and on the job as Karl Wiggins was sworn in during Monday’s council meeting.

The search for a District 3 council member began in January after Northport Mayor John Hinton took the mayoral slot when former Mayor Bobby Herndon resigned effective Dec. 31. According to Alabama law, the city council had 60 days to find Hinton’s District 3 replacement before Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey would step in and appoint a candidate.

Hinton said Northport City Council members couldn’t reach an agreement on which candidate to hire in their allotted time frame. Instead, the council sent three names to Ivey and she picked Wiggins.

Hinton said Wiggins is a good choice.

“Mr. Wiggins is a businessman,” Hinton said. His children went through the (Tuscaloosa County) schools. He has a very intense concern and interest in our city. He wants to help and I think he’ll be a great councilman. I’m looking forward to serving with him.”

Wiggins said he is excited to take on this new role, but also a little nervous.

“It was a little bit overwhelming just all of the stuff going on at once,” Wiggins said. “We’re in a bit of a hurry to get everything done. It was great to have my family here and all of the members of the staff and administration from the city. It was just really nice. I feel really gratified to be a part of it.”

Wiggins said he is looking forward to being a part of a group of people dedicated to the growth and improvement of the city of Northport. He said there are some exciting things in the works concerning retail business in the city.