Saraland Mayor Dr. Howard Rubenstein has chosen not to seek re-election this August after 24 years in office as the longest-serving mayor in the city’s history.
Rubenstein, a Chicago native who moved to Pensacola for his residency training in the early 1980s and eventually settled in Saraland, was first elected to the city council in 1996 and re-elected in 2000, 2004, and 2008, becoming the first council president along the way.
Rubenstein became the mayor upon the death of Ken Williams in 2011 and was elected in his own right in 2012, 2016, and 2020.
Saraland experienced tremendous growth under his watch, including the establishment of a city school system that is one of the best in the state. Infirmary Health established a 24-hour emergency service and diagnostic center, and a $72 million Sportsplex is being built, and hotels, retail shopping, restaurants, and businesses are continuously breaking ground.
“I want to emphasize this has been a team effort,” Rubenstein said. “It is hard to accomplish anything political by working alone. It requires working as a team. … I am excited about the future of our city. There are so many good things going on now and new things to come. Our school system, residential areas, and businesses will continue growing. I think Saraland will continue to become a very special place.”
Saraland’s population increased by 23% over the 10 years between 2010 and 2020, according to the U.S. Census, making it one of Alabama’s 25 fastest-growing cities. Its population was estimated at 16,435 in 2023.
Rubenstein’s last day in office is Nov. 3. Councilmembers Wayne Biggs and Joe McDonald have announced they are running for mayor.
“As I look upon Doc’s last term in office, I can say that I will truly miss his organizational skills and the way he managed his time,” Saraland City Councilmember Newton Cromer said. “Doc has worked tirelessly for the City of Saraland, sometimes giving his personal and family time to do things for the city. People learned to respect Doc’s desire to make good decisions for the city. His volunteer life in community activities is well above and beyond a normal person’s schedule.”
Rubenstein offered this advice to his predecessor:
- “Listen and respect the viewpoints of others. Be willing to change your opinion if you receive enough evidence to make it worthwhile to change your opinion.”
- “You need to be a teacher and you need to be a student.”
- “You need to build a consensus among peers and those you represent. Be flexible.”
- “Never forget that serving as a municipal official is a special privilege. You have been given a great responsibility.”
- “Be responsive and be fast doing it. If you aren’t promptly responsive, the problem only becomes worse.”
- “There will be times when you must tell the people what they do not want to hear, but be honest with them. Let them know what the situation is.”
Rubenstein was a 24-year-old medical student when the infamous Blizzard of 1980 seized Chicago and changed his life and location.
“Bad winters are part of Chicago’s culture,” he said. “You grow up with it. But this was the winter to end all winters.”
The nonstop blizzard blasted Chicago for three days and was accompanied by temperatures of 24 below zero.
“For three weeks, I got up at 3 a.m. and walked a mile to work by following other people’s snow footprints,” Rubenstein remembered. “The temperature never rose above zero. It was as if the cold wind whispered to me, ‘There’s got to be a better way.’”
After earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois and his medical degree from the University of Illinois and College of Medicine in Chicago, he wanted to go to a warmer locale and completed his residency training in family medicine in Pensacola.
“I loved it here,” he recalled. “It was warm.”
In 1982, he met a nurse, Tamara Johnson. They moved to Saraland in 1984 and have been married for more than 40 years.
In the 1980s, Rubenstein was recruited by the North Mobile Community Hospital in Satsuma, and in 1987, he established his medical practice by building the Saraland Medical Arts Complex.
Rubenstein recalled advice from his Pensacola residency director, Rae Froelich.
“It’s not enough to just go somewhere and hang up a shingle,” Froelich said. “If you are going to be a family physician, you need to be part of the community.”
Rubenstein heeded those words and has been involved in the Saraland Lions Club, the Saraland Area Chamber of Commerce, the Saraland Civic Forum, and the Delta School Association. He also served as the volunteer team physician for Saraland High School athletic squads.
Rubenstein has served as president of the Alabama League of Municipalities, the only elected official from Mobile County chosen to serve in that post since 1979.
Courtesy of Call News
