BAY MINETTE — Matthew McKenzie took office as the District 2 Baldwin County commissioner Tuesday, Aug. 2, after being appointed to the position three months before the start of his elected term.

Gov. Kay Ivey appointed McKenzie to complete the term of Joe Davis, who retired from the commission at the end of July. Davis had announced earlier in 2022 that he did not intend to run for re-election.

McKenzie won the Republican nomination for the position earlier in 2022. He had no opponent listed on the ballot for the Nov. 8 general election.

"I just want to do a good job and do the best I can for the county," McKenzie said after the meeting. "There's certainly a lot going on and I just want to do what I can to be a help for the community and the county."

McKenzie said he appreciated the support of voters during the campaign and of county staff members and officials who have helped him prepare to take office.

"I'd just like to thank the citizens for coming out and the representatives that are here and what they've done for the county," McKenzie said. "My family for the last six months. It's been a hardship. Running as everybody knows who's a politician is very, very, very tough and I just want to thank everybody in Baldwin County who came out supporting me."

McKenzie, a retired state trooper corporal living in Fairhope, said he is looking forward to the new position.

"It's not a part time job, even though it's classified as a part time job in Baldwin County," McKenzie said. "So, I'm going to give it 110%. I retired last year and want to do that. So, I just want to thank the citizens again for helping me get here, especially my wife and my family."

Commissioner Billie Jo Underwood said McKenzie, who is also a veteran, has already spent much of his career in public service.

"You truly have what I see as a servant's heart for someone who has already served your country and your state and you're doing so well to want to continue that, which is honorable, and you've already hit the ground running," she said.

Commission Chairman Jeb Ball said McKenzie is joining a community that has a history of working together.

"We're a family that extends out into the community with arms that you can't even imagine, with law enforcement and the school system, everything that we touch in this county, we're all a big part of and we've got some exciting times ahead of us in Baldwin County," Ball said.

He said the new commission will include all four members who are all natives of Baldwin County.

The new commission terms begin after the November elections. The three other commissioners were either re-elected without opposition or do not face opposition in the November election.