By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
If there was one constant during Jim Staff’s 13 years as mayor of Atmore, it was his regular visits to the city’s Senior Activities for Independent Living (SAIL) Center.
Staff’s final SAIL Center visit as mayor came last Wednesday, May 28, when the facility’s staff and about three dozen of the seniors who make up its membership hosted a retirement party for him. It started with a standing ovation when he walked in the door.
“He helped us a lot, got a lot of things for us,” SAIL Center Director Charlotte Purvis said of the mayor, who was responsible for getting the center air-conditioned and for seeing that the quality of food served to the seniors there was improved. “He’s been in and out for years. He never came for anything serious, just to talk. He and I have had a super-fun relationship through the years, and I wanted to thank him for having fun with me for the past 23 or so years and to celebrate what he did for us during that time.”
Purvis, an Auburn University fan, and Staff, who bleeds Crimson Tide red, have a running bet that includes a pie in the face of the person whose team loses the Iron Bowl each year. Purvis was expecting such an attack during the party, but Staff decided to take it easy on her.
But, while there was no pie, the mayor was surprised with his favorite cake, a delicious lemon velvet concoction whipped up by Nancy Parker and placed in the center of a table adorned with the message: “Enjoy your freedom – happy retirement.”
Purvis also presented Staff with a card that, on its front, showed a dog chasing its tail. The outer message read, “I was running in circles…” and the inside continued with “until you stepped in and helped.” Purvis added in her own hand, “many times.”
SAIL Center members Don Smith and David Smith (no relation) each had good things to say about the mayor and his frequent drop-ins.
“I was surprised at him coming here as much as he did,” Don Smith said. “He always spoke to everybody, and he had a good sense of humor. If anybody in Atmore died, he tried his best to go to the funeral. You don’t see many mayors do that. He really cared about the people of Atmore.”
David Smith agreed, saying, “He has been great. The way he came in and associated with all the seniors, he made us feel like we had somebody in our corner.”
Staff said, mayor or not, he planned to continue his regular visits to the facility.
“I’ve been coming here a long time, since back when I was on the (city) council,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of fun over here, and I’m going to drop in when I can.”
The former mayor then reflected on his life and how different it will be to not get up and go to work each day.
“This is the first time since I was 12 years old that I haven’t had a job,” said Staff, who said his working life started when he was hired at $5 a week to wash cars at the local Chevrolet dealership.