'I love Northport': Meet new John Hinton, the city's new mayor

Jasmine Hollie, The Tuscaloosa News
·4 min read

Former Northport City Councilman John Hinton took the oath of office Tuesday, becoming the city's new mayor.

Hinton was sworn in by Northport Municipal Court Judge Paul Patterson during a ceremony at City Hall.

Hinton replaces Bobby Herndon who abruptly resigned from the mayor's office on Nov. 7, roughly two years into his term. Herndon's resignation was effective Dec. 31 and Hinton assumed the mayor's office at midnight on Jan. 1 with the support of his fellow Northport City Council members.

"I'm just excited to be selected as the mayor. It brings with it many opportunities and also brings with it many challenges. And so I'm just looking forward to be a part of seeing Northport continue to grow and develop," said Hinton, who was in his first full term as District 3's council representative.

Jan 03, 2023; Northport, AL, USA; Judge Paul Patterson administers the oath of office to John Hinton as his wife Emalyn holds the Bible. Hinton was sworn in as mayor of Northport.
Jan 03, 2023; Northport, AL, USA; Judge Paul Patterson administers the oath of office to John Hinton as his wife Emalyn holds the Bible. Hinton was sworn in as mayor of Northport.

Hinton is a retired assistant superintendent of personnel and general services for the Tuscaloosa County Schools System. He now serves as minister of music at Northport Baptist Church, a role Hinton said he's held for almost 58 years.

Hinton said he has several goals that he hopes to accomplish as mayor, including beefing up Northport's recreational offerings.

One upcoming development along those lines that Hinton looks forward to is a new water park, sports complex and adventure park  off U.S. Highway 82 West.

"I love Northport. I've been living here for 40-plus years, I know so many people ... Northport is really home and I want to see what's best and do what's best for Northport," Hinton said.

Hinton was appointed to the Northport City Council in January 2019 after Rodney Sullivan vacated the District 3 seat to run for the District 61 seat in the Alabama Legislature.

In August 2020, Hinton was elected to a full term as Northport's District 3 council member.

Jan 03, 2023; Northport, AL, USA; John Hinton speaks in the city council chamber in Northport moments after being sworn in as mayor.
Jan 03, 2023; Northport, AL, USA; John Hinton speaks in the city council chamber in Northport moments after being sworn in as mayor.

Herndon was elected mayor in October 2020. He had previously served as Northport's mayor from 2008-2016, before losing a close race to Donna Aaron, who chose not to run for re-election and died in 2022.

He resigned midway through his third term after the council defeated his petition to have a portion of 28th Street renamed as Benevolent Way, in recognition of Northport citizens who have contributed in helping cities that face natural disasters.

"I said when I first got sworn in, in 2008, that if I ever felt like I wasn't doing my job, that I would resign," Herndon said at the Nov. 7 council meeting.

After Herndon's resignation, the City Council took the next steps to decide who would fill out the rest of Herndon's term.

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Northport City Attorney Ron Davis said that Alabama law covering situations like these states that the person holding the Northport City Council president position would assume the mayor's position the day after the mayor's resignation.

Jeff Hogg, the council's District 5 representative, declined to accept the mayor's position and stepped down from his role as council president in early December. With Hogg's resignation, Hinton, who was council president pro tem, became council president and then mayor on Jan. 1.

A special called meeting was held after the Tuesday swearing-in ceremony during which Hogg was re-elected council president. District 1 council member Christy Bobo was elected as council president pro-tem to fill the role vacated by Hinton.

Davis said the council will have 60 days to appoint a representative to fill Hinton's District 3 council seat.

According to the city of Northport's website, District 3 includes Vestavia, Archwood, Northwood Lake East and Lakeview Estates subdivisions, areas south of Alabama Highway 69 to McFarland Boulevard and over to Watermelon Road; Vestavia, Vestavia East, Lakeview Estates and other subdivisions east of Hunter Creek Road.

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox on Tuesday expressed his support for Hinton on social media, saying the new mayor will do an "outstanding job for the City of Northport".

"It was a joy to join his family, council, colleagues, friends and leaders throughout the community for his swearing-in ceremony," Maddox said.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: New Northport Mayor John Hinton takes oath of office