Crowd pays tribute to 36 years as chairman
Story and photos by Carol Pappas
It was over four decades ago when Paul Manning first answered the call for public service. As a St. Clair County commissioner and then as the governing body’s chairman, he never seemed to waver in his devotion to serving the county he calls home.
On a chilly October evening, 400 fellow citizens crowded into the St. Clair County Arena to return the favor, paying tribute to Manning’s decades of service.
At least a dozen presentations from officials from around the county and state held a common theme – Manning’s love of county and his dedication to serving it.
Former Pell City Mayor Guin Robinson welcomed the crowd, sharing his first encounters with Paul and wife, Marie, when he moved to St. Clair to take a job at Avondale Mills in Pell City. He said he was fortunate to “meet some really good people early on,” and “their friendship remains today.”
Attorney Billy Church and Realtor and developer Lyman Lovejoy shared master of ceremony duties, each expressing their appreciation for Manning’s friendship and his years of work on the county’s behalf.
A special moment centered on Roy Drinkard, the oldest living U.S. Marine veteran in Alabama, who – at 100 years old – made his way to the stage to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
Making official presentations were Sonny Brasfield, executive director, Alabama County Commission Association; Wayne Johnson, retired Veteran’s Outreach director; his family; State Rep. Jim Hill; Commissioners Jeff Brown, Tommy Bowers, Ricky Parker and Bob Mize; Donna Wood, retired chief financial officer for the county; Logan Glass, Young Republicans of St. Clair County; and attorney Larry Ward.
Among the gifts presented were an Alabama flag flown over the state capitol, a U.S. flag flown over the nation’s capitol, a county flag flown over both courthouses, a resolution from the state House of Representatives, letters from U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville and Emory Cox, Tuberville’s chief financial adviser and a St. Clair native, a resolution from the county commission and a portrait of Manning that will hang in the commission chambers now named in Manning’s honor.
Manning talked of his passion for the county and why he served, noting that it was his honor to do so over the many years of progress experienced by what is now one of Alabama’s fastest-growing counties.
A standing ovation answered his comments because, as Ward put it, “You can’t stand anywhere in St. Clair County and not see something that has benefitted from his service.”
