Change often leads to reflection. I am blessed. I am grateful for my wife and daughter, my extended family, my church family, and our employees at Jasper Auto Sales. In their own ways, each of them has shaped my life and helped make me who I am today. It’s not every day though, that an unexpected person enters your life and forever alters your path. But that is exactly what Senator Greg Reed did for me.

When he called me in 2017, he asked me to consider giving back by joining the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees, which I agreed to pursue. Little did I know that this would eventually lead me to enter public service. In 2022, I left the Community College Board after being elected to represent Walker County in the Alabama House of Representatives. Over the last two years, my relationship with Senator Reed, and my appreciation for his leadership, have grown. We have worked together on legislation, budget items, and state grants to help the communities we both represent. We have worked to solve problems for constituents and through it all, he has been a steady hand and statesman.

This week, Senator Reed announced that he would soon step away from his role in the Alabama Senate. As surprised as I was, I am happy for my friend who also happens to be my senator. Throughout his 14-year career in the Alabama Senate, Senator Reed has been a highly effective voice for District 5 and was selected by his peers to leadership roles as the Majority Leader and later as the Pro-Tempore of the Senate, where he leads the full Senate. He is also the highest-ranking state senator in Walker County’s history and that has been a great thing for our region. When I reflect on what it means to be a public servant, a leader, and a Godly influence, Senator Reed checks all the boxes. As I’ve looked back this week on my time serving with him, I am reminded of some significant accomplishments that I have had the privilege of working on with him.

We have been blessed to secure record funding for several major projects in our area over the last few years. Together, we secured over $44 million for Bevill State Community College to address facilities needs and upgrades at every campus and over $6 million to renovate the Glen Clem Gymnasium, which should be ready this January on the Jasper Campus. We have been able to return and expand a plethora of career tech training opportunities at the Sumiton campus as well. We have a shared vision to see Walker County fully connected by broadband internet. While there is still work to do, we have already obtained over $10 million in broadband expansion grants which will bring new service to over 2,500 homes and businesses once fully implemented. Last Winter, when record low temperature affected the water supply in South Walker County, hundreds of families were without water for weeks. This was a major problem for people across Northern Fayette County as well. Senator Reed and I worked with local water board authorities to find grants totaling $6.7 million to improve the water delivery capabilities in Oakman and Parrish to avoid similar situations in the future.

Senator Reed has been a strong advocate for job-growth and economic incentives to bring new jobs to Alabama. We have been a beneficiary of those efforts in Walker County. I was glad to join him in supporting the SEEDS Act which allowed the Walker County Commission to purchase 200 acres of future industrial property south of exit 78 on I-22. We also renewed the Growing Alabama Tax Credit program which secured an additional $4.7 million in funds to get this site ready to build. Realizing a vision for the future is often a long process, but these are the types of projects that allow an area to thrive and position us for future growth.

Strong schools have also been a priority for Senator Reed. His knowledge of the public education system is vast, and it has been a privilege to work with him on grants that have provided funding for school safety, athletics, and career pathways across the county. In 2023, Alabama was fortunate, thanks to conservative budgeting, to institute a program to support public schools with building needs. I am proud to say that Walker County saw $4.9 million in funding to help build a new Cordova Elementary School and to help Jasper City with renovations of their growing Jr. High School. One of my favorite educations bills that I have carried is one that I worked on directly with Senator Reed. The “Parents Right to Know Act,” was passed this year and requires every school in the state to publish class curriculum and materials for review on a school website. This law ensures that parents and guardians have a way to know what their children are being taught and gives parents more opportunities to engage in with their child. We want our children to have the best possible education and the best opportunities for success. The Parent’s Right to Know law helps parents and teachers be in lockstep with their student’s education.

I could list many more grants, infrastructure projects, and local programs that would not have happened without Senator Reed. We all know that he is an accomplished statesman, businessman, and leader. But what I really want people to know is that he is the same person in Montgomery that he is at home: always polite, always professional, the kind of person you’re proud to call a friend. Of all the titles that he has achieved, I can say with confidence that the titles of husband and father are what he is most proud of. He loves his family, and I am thankful that they have shared Senator Reed with us these past 14 years.

Greg, thank you for your friendship and our working relationship. Each of us in Walker County and Senate District 5 are better off because of your service and because you have been our senator. I hope the Lord blesses you and Misty in whatever comes next.

Representative Matt Woods represents Alabama State House District 13, which covers parts of Walker County. You can contact him at [email protected].