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LaFayette ––  Kenneth Vines was elected mayor of the city of LaFayette in 2020. Running on a platform focused on public safety, health and wellness, infrastructure and job production, Vines believes that every goal he sought to achieve during that time has been met. 

Vines, the incumbent candidate in this year’s election, believes that he has more to offer the LaFayette community in the coming years. 

A LaFayette native, he has lived his entire life in the area, except for brief periods when he left to further his education at Alabama State University. He returned after graduation to begin serving as a police officer for LaFayette, rising through the ranks to become chief of police. 

This path also led Vines to become the public safety director for LaFayette. The added responsibility was a welcomed challenge for him. 

Vines’ overall goal as mayor is to lead with transparency and accountability. Working with the city council to improve the LaFayette community is a high priority for him, and he promotes collaboration within the council. 

“When you work together, things move forward. When you divide, things fall,” Vines explained when discussing how to move forward as a community.

Vines, if elected this term, will keep his focus on maintaining the city of LaFayette’s low crime rates. According to Business Insider, LaFayette remains one of the safest cities in Alabama to live and raise a family. 

Other plans for LaFayette include prioritizing youth programs, equitable neighborhood development, job creation and business recruitment. 

Vines loves the city of LaFayette, attributing qualities such as “most caring, loving, and giving” to the community. A sentiment that has brought him home time and again. Vines also claims that LaFayette is a “little city with a big heart,” commenting on the caring nature of its residents.

When Vines isn’t working as mayor, he spends his time working for Allied Universal, a security company contracted by Auburn University. Work, he claims, is flexible enough to allow him to carry out his duties and responsibilities as mayor. 

Unwinding after a long day is an essential part of anyone’s life who has a career. Vines is no different. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time in the gym, maintaining his physical health. He also spends time traveling to visit his sons and support them in their endeavors. 

The 2020 pandemic prevented Vines from accomplishing some of his goals for the City of LaFayette. Even though the pandemic created hurdles, Vines rose to the challenge, developing solutions to a rapidly growing list of problems. 

If re-elected, Vines plans to pick up where he left off, moving LaFayette forward into progress.