“It has taken and continues to take men and women of good will with a common purpose of making this community what it is today. I made a deliberate, conscious effort to live in Demopolis in particular and the Blackbelt region in general so that I could be an asset and affect change for the better.”

So said Demopolis City Councilman Thomas Moore Saturday as he officially announced his candidacy for the district 24 Senate seat being vacated by Charles Steele of Tuscaloosa.

Following Steele’s resignation earlier this month, Moore said he was asked to seek the state position.

“From that moment to this very day, I have received a large number of phone calls and personal contacts encouraging me to enter the district 24 Senate race,” he said. “I prayed about it, and consulted with my family, friends, and, of course, constituents. I decided it was the right thing to do.”

Moore noted the accomplishments he has made as a councilman and in other aspects of public service and said he wants to continue that on a great scale.

“Demopolis is a wonderful place to live. We have a good stable economy. We have a good strong educational system. We have an excellent healthcare delivery system of doctors and medical care. We have a progressive city government. We have an excellent recreational facility complete with sustainable programs for our young people. We have good, working race relations,” he told those gathered at the Demopolis Civic Center. “Having noted all of the above, I submit that I have worked tirelessly to initiate some and perpetuate others while serving in the public area of public education, economic development and city government.”

He said the open Senate seat presents the opportunity to take those issues to a broader audience.

“It gives me the opportunity to provide a greater service for a greater number of people,” he said.

The greatest issues facing the Blackbelt region, Moore said, are education, work force and economic development and health care.

“Education is a critical issue. We need to improve the educational product, especially at the primary level,” he said.

“With the number of textile industries closing we need to cross-train our labor force, particularly in the high tech field. We need to offer help with computer literacy,” he said. “It doesn’t do any good to attract new industry if we don’t have a ready work force in place to fill those jobs.”

“We need to work with existing and new industry, but first and foremost we need to take care of the folks we already have here,” he said.

Health care was another issue Moore said he feels strongly about.

“There are a number of people in this area that are under-insured or uninsured,” he said. “We need to improve the pay and benefits being offered to our residents.”

At the rally and afterwards, Moore maintained that he will be the voice of the Blackbelt.

“If you want a better educational system – send me to Montgomery. If you want safe communities with appropriate programs – send me to Montgomery. If you want better health care – send me to Montgomery. If you want a voice on the Senate floor that not only speaks for you but listens to you – send me to Montgomery,” he said.

“I am accessible and if anyone wants to talk to me they can call me at home at 289-3797 or write to me at P.O. Box 524, Demopolis, Ala., 36732.