In 1988, Dick Phelan, Ward 6 city councilman, and his wife were given the decision between building a life in Nashville or Auburn. The Phelans pulled off exit 51 for a visit, drove straight through what seemed like a ghost town and never set eyes on a single person or car.
"It was a Sunday morning in the middle of June and I looked at her and said, 'We're stuck here for three years,'" Phelan said.
Thanks to the close proximity of their two daughters in Athens, Georgia, the Phelans chose Auburn and have seen it grow and prosper for the last 28 years.
Phelan's family life consists of his wife, four children and a whopping 10 grandchildren, all between the ages of seven and 15 years.
All four of his children graduated from the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. Phelan said after graduation none of his children got married for eight to ten years.
"When they all got married they said, 'We don't have any children, if we want to have children we've got to have them quick,' and then it was wham, wham, wham. We've got four boys that are nine years old."
Despite his children's alma mater, Phelan said 'by-in-large' he roots for Auburn, but on occasion he will cheer for Georgia.
Phelan grew up in a fairly different environment, although some would refer to Auburn as a farm college, Iowa, Phelan's home state, wins the claim for rural land.
Phelan spent his younger years in Davenport, Iowa, on the edge of the Mississippi River. He said he left and never went back. While growing up, Phelan hadn't been west of Des Moine, Iowa or east of Chicago. After high school, Phelan joined the United States Navy thinking that the work would grant him the opportunity to see a beach.
Phelan attended the Naval Academy before joining and while on active duty received three separate master's degrees in management, operations analysis and security affairs.
31 years of service brought him to Alabama where he worked as head of the ROTC unit at Auburn University in the late '80s and early '90s for around three years.
As his time in that position came to an end, he picked up his current profession with Wilson Investment Group. In 1991, Phelan and Ted Wilson started Wilson Investment Group and today the company continues to grow and assist investors.
While Phelan occasional misses his time as a pilot, he said coming to Auburn has been enjoyable and he's happy to call the city home. Phelan hasn't lost touch with his military background and utilizes the skills he acquired during his time in his current work.
"I think the primary thing you learn in the Navy in leadership," Phelan said. "I got a master's degree in operations analysis and you learn to analyze things by looking at various quantifiable accounts and determining what is best."
Phelan uses this leader mindset in his personal work, as well as his city involvement. Running for city council began as something Phelan wanted to try for a term. Now in his fourth term, Phelan said he greatly enjoys the work and feels that he brings much to the board.
In terms of next steps and thoughts on policy, Phelan said he believes there are too many rules and regulations put in place for the city and it's citizens to abide by. "In the long run," Phelan said time should be dedicated to finding ways to reduce taxes over time.
"Our taxes are not huge and we certainly do a good job at spending taxes, but I think overall we ought to look at what we can do to reducing taxes over the long run," Phelan said.
Phelan said raising or cutting depends on the time and the purpose. Overall, he believes that the city handles taxes legitimately.
Phelan said the main element to consider when discussing and making decisions concerning taxes is the people. One can not forget that the money is coming from hard working citizens, Phelan said.
"I've gotten to know more people from being on city council than I would have if I wasn't," Phelan said. "That helps when making decisions for the ward."
Terms continue to pass and Phelan continues to run and serve his ward to the best of his ability. What began as an opportunity and a chance has become a crucial part of his life.
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