Sen. Wendell Mitchell officially swore in Brantley Mayor Bernie Sullivan and Brantley’s council members Monday evening at the Brantley Municipal Complex in front of a large crowd of family members and residents.

Rev. George Stringer opened the ceremony with prayer, followed by Brantley Fire Chief Harry Driggers.

“I’m proud to be a Christian and an Alabamian,” Driggers said. “We just said the ‘Pledge of Allegiance,’ and we said, ‘One Nation Under God.’ May we continue to be one community under God.”

Sen. Mitchell said that he was highly honored to administer the oath of office to the Mayor and Council.

“This mayor and town council have taken upon themselves a huge responsibility to serve their community,” Mitchell said. “God gives us the ability to serve others, and that is an honor and a privilege.”

After the swearing in ceremony, which was held on the front steps of the Town Hall, Mayor Sullivan explained that the town of Brantley would be receiving a grant for downtown renovations.

“We’ll get $36,500 for the first phase of the renovations,” Sullivan explained. “This is something we’ve been wanting for a long time, and we’re very excited about it.”

Sullivan praised Town Administrator Larry Morgan and the work he had done with the grant project.

The town of Brantley had no changes in its recent elections. Mayor Sullivan returned to his post, as did council members Judy Woolley, Steve Walker, Brian Morgan, Lorey Bogen, and Darryl Elliott.