Newly appointed Athens councilman recommended by predecessor

Erica Smith, The Decatur Daily, Ala.
·3 min read

Jun. 29—ATHENS — In the days before his death, former District 3 Councilman Frank Travis handpicked then-school board member James Lucas as his preferred successor, and Lucas said he felt duty-bound to agree.

On Monday evening, the Athens City Council voted unanimously to appoint Lucas to fill the vacant District 3 spot for the remaining term through 2025, effective July 15. The previous two District 3 councilmen, Jimmy Gill and then Travis, both died of cancer during their terms. The seat has been vacant since Travis' death on April 11.

"When Councilman Jimmy Gill passed, I was asked by several people, 'Why don't you apply for that position?'" Lucas said. "I thought about it and then Frank Travis was available for it, and I thought he was a good fit for it. So, I supported him all the way."

When Travis got sick, Lucas said, Travis asked him if he would be interested in filling his position. After much thought, Lucas said, he felt it was his duty to apply.

Travis also approached council members, including council President Chris Seibert, about his choice for a successor.

"Some of us spoke with Frank in his last week here, and this was his wish. We went ahead and did an objective process anyway, but we honored his wish, and the process yielded the same result," Seibert said.

Lucas said it will be a learning process for him to find out what he can and can't do for his district. He said he will have to learn just like he did when he became a school board member.

Lucas, 83, has been serving on the Athens City Board of Education since 1995. He was the longest serving board member in Alabama, city officials said. Lucas has resigned from the school board to become a councilman.

Lucas said he will need support. "I've already told the other councilmen and the mayor I'm going to need support from them. And I need support from people in the district because I'm just representing them."

Lucas said although the council members are elected by district, they still have to look at the city as a whole.

"I hope the people in the district are willing to work with me to help get things done that's needed in the district. We all have our personal things — we want to get this done, we want to get that done," he said. "Sometimes you have to give up the thing that you want for the benefit of the whole city."

Lucas grew up in Pine Ridge in Limestone County and is a graduate of Trinity High School. He has lived in District 3 all his adult life. He served in the U.S. Army and received an associate's degree in business administration from J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College.

Lucas is a former employee at Radio Corporation of America on Redstone Arsenal and Amoco Chemical in Decatur.

Lucas is married to Carolyn McWilliams Lucas and they have three children.

In three years, after the current term is expired, Lucas said he will not run for another term. "I feel like I've served the public long enough then."

—erica.smith@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2460.