Melton Potter was elected mayor of the City of Scottsboro in August of 2008.

Mayor Potter, a lifelong resident of Scottsboro, is the son of the late Charlie E. “Gene” Potter and Frances Dean Potter.

Mayor Potter has a deep family history of public service. His father was a Scottsboro Police Officer from 1963 until his death in 1975, achieving the rank of Assistant Chief. His grandfather, “Met” Dean, was Chief Deputy of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and a Scottsboro Police Officer, and his great uncle, C.T. Dean, was the Jackson County Sheriff in the early sixties.

Mayor Potter is a graduate of Scottsboro High School. His career with the City of Scottsboro began in high school while he worked as a summer employee of the Recreation Department for Woodson Deerman and Ray Chapman. He worked at Caldwell Park helping maintain the park, preparing baseball and softball fields for play, and was the official scorer at baseball and softball games. During his senior year in high school he attained an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) license and worked for Word-Bradford Funeral Home as an EMT and helped in the funeral home.

After graduation from high school, he worked the summer as a police dispatcher for the Scottsboro Police Department. During his career he worked at Jackson County Hospital for the ambulance service and the Scottsboro Funeral Home.

He was employed with the Scottsboro Fire Department for 24 years. He was appointed acting chief in October of 2000 upon the retirement of Chief Lonnie Webb and was appointed fire chief in March 2001. He officially retired from the fire department after his election to the mayor’s office. He attained numerous certifications and continued education classes from Northeast Alabama Community College and Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa.

Mayor Potter is married to Kathy Johnston Potter, a registered nurse who teaches Healthcare Science at the Scottsboro High School. They have one daughter, Breanna Potter, who graduated Scottsboro High School in 2008 and is currently attending Auburn University. Mayor and Mrs. Potter are members of Centerpoint Baptist Church.