The sun still shines bright over Alabama’s booming beaches, but this summer, it’s more than the sand and the Gulf waters that are heating up.

For the first time in nearly two decades, the mayors of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores are facing serious election challenges at the same time in these economically vital coastal cities.

“We’ve all been here quite a while,” said Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft, who’s seeking another four-year term after 17 years in office. “There are people not as familiar about who we are as those who have been here a long period of time.”

That unfamiliarity from newcomers moving to the area – and a growing tide of concern about infrastructure, overdevelopment, and leadership styles – is fueling the rare electoral showdown.

The two mayors were opposed during the 2020 elections, but easily won re-election.

In Orange Beach, longtime Mayor Tony Kennon is facing an unexpected challenge from his current colleague, Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Boyd, who filed his paperwork to challenge the incumbent on the final day of qualifying.

“It’s now or never,” said Boyd, 58, who acknowledged that he decided to run after hearing about the early retirement of Police Chief Steve Brown while traveling last week to Louisiana.

Boyd said he felt that Brown was forced to retire early.

“I turned my car around at Diamondhead, Mississippi, and said ‘I’m doing it,’” he said.

Kennon said that Boyd’s allegations about the police chief being forced to retire are “absolutely false.”

“If our police chief thinks he’s being mistreated in anyway, he should file a grievance or do anything he needs to do,” Kennon said. “We’re not trying to force anyone out and never have. It’s despicable that Jeff Boyd, as a candidate, would use a personnel issue for his own personal and political gain.”

Kennon said he believes Boyd’s entry into the race “was orchestrated a long time.”

“But this is my race to run on my record,” he said. “I think I’ve done a good job.”

Both men agree the city is thriving. But Boyd says Orange Beach needs “more grace” and less heat in leadership, saying that Kennon’s temper is a concern.

“I am not of the philosophy that everything needs to be a fight,” he said pointedly.

Kennon, 68, said he has a track record of being diplomatic while serving as mayor. But he also said he is unafraid to let his passions show for his city.

“At the point in time you are taking advantage of my city … I am going to fight and be very loud,” he said. “If someone isn’t going to do that, they are just a go-along to get-along politician, and not a public servant.”

Next door in Gulf Shores, Mayor Craft faces two challengers: Angie Swiger, a Realtor and former Baldwin County School Board member; and Ray Moore, a businessman who moved to the city last year and calls Gulf Shores “a slice of heaven.”

All five council seats in Gulf Shores and four of the five in Orange Beach are also contested, setting the stage for an active two months of campaigning ahead of the Aug. 26 municipal election.

Craft and Kennon, the two incumbents, are both actively seeking forums or debates ahead of the election. Kennon and Boyd could see sparks fly in their natural setting on the city council, with several regular meetings scheduled ahead of the election.

Orange Beach battle

Kennon said his track record is proven, citing development in the city that includes a new school, $50 million of property purchases paid for in cash, a performing arts center, and more. He said he is particularly proud of the K-6 “Expect Excellence” program that began when Orange Beach started its city school system in 2022.

Boyd, elected three times to the council, said he has been working behind-the-scenes on crucial city work that includes lobbying on behalf of the city, writing letters in support of the region’s red snapper season, dredging projects, and advocating for reimbursements from FEMA after Hurricane Sally in 2020.

“I’ll carry on what I’m doing behind the scenes and expand it more in a leadership role as the mayor,” Boyd said.

The biggest recent policy difference between the two involves their approach toward de-annexation. Boyd said it’s not something he supports, saying he doesn’t want to place the City of Orange Beach in a position where it’s facing multiple lawsuits.

Kennon said the issue is currently folded into a nine-month moratorium on large-scale residential projects that was approved in late March.

“You’re talking about 1,700 homes, 25 miles away,” Kennon said about the de-annexation proposal that had been under consideration, and the concerns he had about providing public services to the newer development far removed from the city’s center.

Kennon said the city will consider future de-annexation proposals as part of a ‘big picture’ approach toward growth management.

Stepping stone

Kennon said he is committed to mayoral position in a full-time capacity, and questions if Boyd will give the job similar dedication. Boyd, an infectious control specialist with STERIS Corporation, said the mayor’s position is a part-time job but that if elected, he will “give every amount of energy I can” to serve as mayor.

Boyd also said the race is not intended to be a stepping stone for a run at Congress in 2026.

“I’m not running for Congress, I’m running for mayor,” Boyd said. “I do not intend to stay there for 17 years. But I do intend to be there for eight years.”

Kennon said he also doesn’t have higher office aspirations.

“My sole purpose is being mayor,” he said. What I have learned over the years is when you have aspirations for higher office, you go back to being a go-along, get-along guy. That’s not in the best interest for the City of Orange Beach.”

Gulf Shores vision

In Gulf Shores, Craft, 73, said he is seeking another four-year term to continue working on city projects that include building new parks. He also wants to see the implementation of Vision 2035, which has been in the planning stages for the past two years and will likely be voted on by the Gulf Shores City Council later this year.

The Vision 2035 plan follows the Vision 2025 plan, enacted in 2014, and laid a 10-year framework for addressing growth concerns while enhancing the city’s quality of life. The city has implemented much of that guideline, including developing a Beach District and an evolving entertainment district along the Intracoastal Waterway.

“Vision 2025 was more project specific, this is broader,” Craft said. “There are a couple of parks that have to be built that are important to get done. But this is more conceptual in how we protect our culture and who we are and how do we remain what we are and that is as a family-friendly (destination and community). It’s really important that we keep working together to maintain Gulf Shores as is.”

Swiger, 62, who served 11 years on the Baldwin County School Board before resigning in 2017, said she is running for mayor because she feels the city is at a “critical point” where overdevelopment is a top concern.

She is pushing for a moratorium on large housing developments “until we get a better assessment on infrastructure.”

Swiger said that she wants to temporarily halt the development activity to better see where the city stands with utilities, road work and services that support local residents.

“We are on a trajectory to becoming an overcrowded and over-commercialized beach town,” Swiger said. “I think we need to take a minute to reassess that.”

Craft said he agrees with Swiger in that there needs to be a better balance between appealing toward the city’s economic engine – tourism – and its residents. He touted Vision 2025 as the framework that involved local residents to provide input on what they sought for the future of the city.

He said that moratoriums only work if there is a clear plan to address identified problems and assess a specific goal.

Craft said negotiation with property owners is the best approach as cities carefully look to limit overgrowth with legal rights for property owners.

He said the city has negotiated down property entitlements to limit the scope of development projects. The effort has led to dropping “thousands of units” from larger-scale projects.

“Reducing entitlements and density is a legal challenge,” he said. “You have to negotiate your way through it.”

Moore, who has a background in highway construction and city utilities, said he would like to see traffic construction projects sped up.

He also favors a temporary moratorium on residential development. Moore’s three core campaign pillars include: building smart, protecting residents, and enhancing connectivity.

He said the biggest thing he would like to do is connect Gulf Shores with safe biking and walking paths, and create an environment friendly for golf carts.

“That would be a big deal toward helping alleviate a lot of traffic,” Moore said.

Moore said that he believes Craft has done a good job as mayor. The city’s attractiveness, he said, “got me down here.”

“I could’ve gone anywhere I wanted to go in the country,” said Moore, 56. “This is a slice of heaven down here. He’s done a lot of things right. But I think we could do better and go in a little different of a direction.”

Swiger said that she believes it’s simply time for a change. She said that all but one of the council seats has been occupied by the same person for years.

Swiger ran for a Gulf Shores City Council seat in 2020, and fell short of defeating incumbent Jason Dyken for the Place 4 seat.

“I think people are ready for a change, something new,” Swiger said. “I don’t think they are comfortable for people to be on there for 21 years.”

Craft said that longevity is important for a city, especially at times of crisis like a hurricane. He also said that relationships take time to build, and that he’s formed crucial connections in Montgomery and in Bay Minette, the county seat.

“You just don’t get to that overnight,” Craft said. “This get-the-bums out (approach) is short-sighted, and you have to understand how to protect this city. There is no manual for preparing for a hurricane. It’s not like preparing your home, it takes experience to do that.”