SPANISH FORT, Ala. — For six years, Bobby Fortenberry has been as permanent a fixture at Spanish Fort’s government meetings as the gavel banged to get things moving.

For the past month, however, the retired educator and 12-year resident of Westminster Village has enjoyed a new perspective as District 3 councilman, elected unanimously by the City Council in late April to complete the term of longtime Councilman Joe Thomas, who passed away in February.

Fortenberry lives in the retirement community with his wife of 59 years, Bobbie, and also serves as chairman of the board of directors for Presbyterian Retirement Corp. that owns and operates Westminster.

That position, he said, prompted his avid participation in the local political process, but he never imagined he’d one day sit on the opposite side of the podium, actively weighing in on Spanish Fort’s growth, development and daily operations.

Fortenberry, who grew up in Jackson, Miss., retired from the U.S. Navy in 1981, and settled in Pensacola, where he spent 15 years teaching at Escambia County’s George Stone Vocational Center. When the couple decided in 1998 it was time to downsize and decide exactly how they intended to spend their retirement years, Fortneberry said they actually stumbled upon Spanish Fort by accident and never would have known it existed had Westminster Village not caught their eye.

BaldwinCountyNow.com took a few minutes to chat with Fortenberry about his background, his new role and what he hopes to accomplish during his interim year-and-a-half tenure with the city.

What role does the Presbyterian Retirement Corp.’s board of directors play at Westminster?

We set the policy for the executive director hired to run our daily operations.

This is your first foray into politics. Why now?

Joe Thomas lived here, and I told them I would be willing to serve in his stead.

As a founding city leader, Mr. Thomas left unquestionably large shoes to fill. How confident are you in taking over for such a visible and beloved public servant?

I knew Joe personally. We were friends. I know a lot of his likes and dislikes, and that’s going to help a lot. He was a good friend, and it’s an honor to serve out his term.

What’s your plan for getting started?

We’re going to get in the car and drive around all the roads in this district, and see exactly what we’re dealing with. And if I see somebody working in their yard, they really shouldn’t be surprised if I just walk up and ask them what’s on their mind. Nobody ever accused me of being a shy man.

I know I’ve got a lot to learn, but we’re part of this community and have been for some time, so we have a vested interest in not only what goes on at Westminster but what happens in the rest of the city and affects us as active and involved residents.

What do you see as the most pressing issues facing the city at the moment?

Finances are always going to be a priority. At the moment it’s very apparent that we need to be sure we have the money we need in place to build the community center that’s been in the works for so long. There’s also the money we’ll need for the widening of the (U.S. Highway) 31 corridor and just for regular infrastructure improvements as the city continues to grow and attract more residents and opportunities.

If we have the money, we can fix what needs fixing, and from everything I’ve seen the city’s (finances) certainly seem to be in good shape.

To what do you attribute the city’s financial stability?

(Mayor) Joe Bonner and the councils to this point have been very conservative, and it works. (Bonner’s) philosophy is to live within his means, and he’s very frugal and has been very vocal about not wanting to saddle future administrations with debt that could have been avoided. I’m proud to work under him and be tutored by him.

Are there any job sectors you’d like to see Spanish Fort develop?

I think technology jobs could start a real employment boom in this area, and that sector usually attracts very highly skilled workers, which is always a good thing.

Is there anything you’d like your constituents to know?

I’m serious when I say I want to know what issues and concerns they have for the city, so we can all work together and help create the best Spanish Fort we can. I feel like there’s something really big on the horizon for this area — like we’re  on the verge of something happening — and I really want to do what I can to help take the city in that direction.

Do you have any intentions of running for the District 3 seat outright in 2012?

I have no idea. I’ve never campaigned before, so that’s one part of it, but mainly I’ve got to see how this fits first.