MADISON – A native Pennsylvanian, Melanie Williard was introduced to Alabama after one of her very good friends moved to the state.

“Actually, (the band Alabama) is the reason I ended up living in Alabama,” Williard said. With country music as her primary interest, she believes “no other artists (exist) except … ‘Alabama.’ A friend that I would go to concerts with convinced me to come to June Jam. I ended up liking the state and decided to move here,” she said.

In Madison, she secured a job in the City Clerk’s office and moved here in October 1988. “Thank you, Betty Benson Drake, for giving me that chance,” Williard said.

Willard now works as City Clerk-Treasurer for the City of Madison. “I am very proud and humbled to be the City Clerk-Treasurer for the city. The clerk’s office handles a multitude of different services for the city … all of which are important but one of the most important is that I oversee is the coordination of municipal elections,” she said.

“It is my responsibility to make sure that those elections are carried out so that the citizens’ voices are heard regarding who they want to lead the city,” she said.

“I love Madison because, even with all the growth it has experienced over the last 20 years, it still has a small town feel. I think that Madison is a friendly and welcoming community,” she said.

Madison is the second town for which she has worked.

“Prior to moving to Madison, I worked for almost 10 years for a really small town in Pennsylvania. Actually, it’s still a really small town. The biggest difference between the two towns is the growth that Madison has experienced,” Williard said.

A good day at work for Williard is “every day, as long as I can go home feeling like I (and the department staff who are very important in this whole picture) have been helpful to those that have come to our office — residents, other city employees and elected officials,” Williard said.

Currently, she does not own any pets. “So I live vicariously through my friend’s pets,” she said.

Recently, she has started to attend meetings of Madison Station Historical Preservation Society. “I look forward to becoming more involved with that group,” Williard said.

Main Street Cafe is the top choice in Madison restaurants for Williard, a Punxsutawney, Pa. transplant. Williard also enjoys visiting Buena Vista Mexican Cantina and Fulin’s Asian Cuisine.