Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange had high praise for Andalusia city council Monday, and encouraged them to keep after all that is possible as they begin a new term of office.

Strange was the guest speaker at swearing-in ceremonies in Andalusia, when a full administration – including Mayor Earl Johnson, and Council members Will Sconiers, Hazel Griffin, Kennith Mount, Ralph Wells and Terry Powell – was returned to office.

“You have a great downtown,” Strange said. “The true definition of politics is what these six have been doing for their term in office.”

Strange talked about the importance of seeing what is possible.

“Never let perfect be the enemy of the possible,” he said. “You obviously have done a great job over the last several years. Based on the things I saw today, and what I know about Earl Johnson, you are on the right track.”

Strange said he even picked up an idea or two he’s planning to use in Montgomery.

“I saw your ambassadors today, and I wondered, ‘Why haven’t we ever thought of that?’ We have great colleges and high schools in Montgomery. We need to get some ambassadors.”

He also had high praise for the city hall facility, and said he plans to but his council members on a bus and bring them for a tour.

“Yes, you can do what these guys are asking you to do,” he said. “Working together, you can have Andalusia to be that biblical shining city on a hill that everybody wants to be a part of As we say in Montgomery, make this a place people want to call their home.”

Johnson said he appreciated the confidence voters showed him and council members in returning them to office either unopposed, or with high margins.

“I take that as a directive from the people that they somewhat approve of what we’re doing,” he said.

“The bar has been set high, and we are already working to set our new goals. Many of those goals we set in the past, we had no idea how were going to accomplish.”

Johnson also was complimentary of the council members.

“Each one is in office for the right reason,” he said. “There are no personal agendas. No political agendas.

It is an absolute pleasure to work with them, and I look forward to working with them in the future.”

The council:

• Named Powell mayor pro tempore.
• Reappointed Powell to the Utilities Board.
• Reappointed John Thompson city clerk and treasurer.
• Reappointed Mount to the Southeast Alabama Gas District board.
• Reappointed Sconiers to the Planning Commission.
• Named Mark Christiansen city attorney and Mike Jones Jr. municipal court judge.