MADISON – Brian Goodwin has entered the race to represent District 3 on Madison City Council.

“I want to hear from you regarding your vision, hopes, concerns and experiences as residents of Madison City, and I want to share with you why I deserve to earn the job of being your representative on Madison City Council,” Goodwin said.

Goodwin’s campaign platform holds three major components:

* Smart growth – “We need growth that includes adequate funding for our roads, infrastructure and personnel and … will not overly burden our nationally -ranked school system. By building the right plan — a smart plan where city leaders collaborate with educators, developers, businesses and residents — we can meet this goal together,” he said.

* Support Madison City Schools – “… truly the heart of our city. Our schools consistently rank in the top one to two percent of America’s best schools and are the crowning jewels that draw people to live, work and shop in Madison. It’s vital that we protect and support our schools by ensuring they are well-funded and not overcrowded,” Goodwin said.

* Transparency – “Residents deserve to be kept informed about issues regarding city government and to have their voices heard and valued by their City Council,” he said. “There aren’t ‘good’ issues and ‘bad’ issues — just facts, and all ‘facts are friendly’ (if) properly shared and discussed with stakeholders.”

A native of Luverne, Goodwin attended Troy University and Auburn University for a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. In 1994, he accepted a job with ADTRAN Inc., where he continues to work. He has always lived in District 3.

“Despite the phenomenal growth and change that has occurred in Madison during those 26 years, I don’t believe there has ever been a more exciting, or challenging, time than the development Madison will face in the coming years,” Goodwin said.

In 2005, Goodwin earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Alabama. Those skills helped at his job “but also helped show the importance of oversight, planning and integrity in all pursuits,” he said. He has used those skills as a former president of his homeowner association, church deacon and school volunteer.

He and wife Kris have been married for 16 years. Their children are Madelaine, a Bob Jones High School freshman, and Sam, a Horizon Elementary School fourth-grader.