Editor’s note: The News Courier will publish candidate announcements as we receive them and as space allows ahead of the Aug. 25 municipal election. Announcements should be no longer than 700 words and emailed to lora@athensnews-courier.com. They may be edited for length, grammar, style and content.

Dana Henry has announced her intention to enter the Athens City Council District 4 race.

The seat is currently vacant after Joseph Cannon transitioned to his new post as Limestone County License Commissioner in October 2019. The election is slated to take place Aug. 25.

Henry was one of several who placed their names in contention for an appointment to take Cannon’s place. The sitting council members chose not to make an appointment.

“I asked to be considered for the vacancy last summer. At the time, the question was posed to me if I would be willing to run or was only interested in completing the term. I answered I was willing to run, so this is the next step in that process,” she said.

Henry, 52, is a lifelong resident of Athens and of District 4. The former Dana Sims is married to Scott Henry; they are the parents of one son, Mitchell. She is a graduate of Athens High School and the University of Alabama. She is a second-generation small business owner, operating Hyatt & Sims Inc., a custom-framing business on The Square. She and her husband also recently purchased a Cruise Planners franchise and offer full-service travel planning from the same location. Scott Henry is an accountant with a Huntsville-based defense contractor and their son Mitchell is completing his sophomore year at Auburn University. Her parents are the late Doug and Martha Sims.

“I love Athens. I think we are at a great place of promise to enhance our city given the growth we are experiencing and the economic opportunities in our region,” Dana Henry said. “We need to be realistic about these things as well as about the challenges we already have and those we anticipate.”

Henry believes that as a small business owner and someone with ties to the youth, young families and great traditions of Athens, she can offer a unique perspective to the City Council as its District 4 representative.

“I want us to be the absolute best Athens we can envision,” Henry said. “We have such a wonderful town and can make it even greater with vision, focus and intent. I never thought to seek office and only considered it after it was suggested to me by friends.”

Henry said she doesn’t anticipate seeking higher office, but she would “relish the opportunity to fill this one, and I covet people’s support and prayers for this new venture.”

“I cannot say I am the perfect candidate, but I can say I am deeply committed and invested in the city of Athens and will devote myself to the job if I am honored with people’s trust and votes in the election,” Henry said.

She lists among her goals a desire to get more people involved in the various boards of the city and to increase education and awareness of what local government does. She has launched a Facebook page in conjunction with this announcement – “Dana Henry Athens City Council District 4 Candidate.”

Henry is an active volunteer in the Athens community. She is a Cub Scout Pack 24 Den Leader and volunteers with Boy Scout Troop 240 and the Arrowhead District. Henry is also a member of the boards of directors of the Athens-Limestone Public Library Foundation and the Limestone Area Community Foundation, a member of the Athens Lions Club and a member of the John Wade Keyes Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She volunteers at Kiddie Carnival and is a longtime sponsor of the Sub Deb Club of Athens, and she teaches a class for fifth graders at Athens First United Methodist Church, where the family attends and also volunteers.

She was a volunteer during the years her son was a student of Athens City Schools. Past volunteering involvements include the Kids Dugout Volunteer Construction, the Athens Jaycees, Hospice Chili Challenge, Poke Sallet wait staff and other concerns. Her husband is also a member of the Athens City Schools Board of Education.

Henry indicated her original plan was to announce her candidacy along with an invitation to a kick-off event. The current situation makes this impossible.

“We have no idea how the COVID-19 situation might influence campaigning this summer,” Henry said. “It’s been common knowledge I planned to run, and I had intended to announce around the first of April with a ‘kick-off event.’ That being inappropriate, I decided to wait to be more public with my plan.”

Qualifying for the municipal elections begins July 7.