Gunnar Walling - Lawrence County Commissioner District 4

08/31/2026

🇺🇸 A Piece of Lawrence County History, Ready for the Next Chapter

Lawrence County is home to a lot of beautiful places, but I believe our Historic Courthouse is one of the most beautiful buildings in our entire county.

Built in 1936, this building has stood for 90 years as a part of Lawrence County’s history. Now, after its renovation, it has been given a new life and a new purpose as the home of the Lawrence County Commission.

This building represents where we’ve been, but even more importantly, it represents where we’re going. It will be a place where we come together to make decisions, solve problems, and work every single day to make Lawrence County a better place for the people we are honored to serve.

Join us for the Lawrence County Historic Courthouse Open House & America 250 Celebration! 🇺🇸

08/30/2026

It was an honor to attend today’s 90th-year celebration at the Jesse Owens Museum in Oakville.

Jesse Owens was born right here in Oakville, Alabama, in 1913. Just 23 years later, in 1936, he traveled to Berlin, Germany, to compete in the Olympics, where he went on to win four gold medals in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, long jump, and 4×100-meter relay.

It was great meeting some of Jesse’s family and celebrating the incredible legacy of one of America’s greatest athletes, right here in Lawrence County’s District 4.

Jesse Owens’ story is one that should inspire all of us. His life reminds us to push ourselves, overcome the obstacles in front of us, and strive to accomplish more than we may have ever dreamed possible.

If you’ve never been to the Jesse Owens Museum in Oakville, you will not be disappointed. Today’s celebration also included the ribbon cutting on a new display featuring replica Olympic medals and other unique historical items and artifacts that help tell Jesse Owens’ incredible story and preserve his legacy for generations to come. We have an incredible piece of history right here in our own community. Pay them a visit sometime!

08/27/2026

Roads: A Conversation We Can’t Afford to Avoid

As I prepare to assume office in November, I’m excited to begin sitting down with each department head to better understand the functions, challenges, and needs of each department.

Today, I had the opportunity to meet with the Lawrence County Road Department, including the County Engineer, Assistant County Engineer, and County Road Foreman. We spent more than two hours looking at maps, discussing concerns I have and concerns I’ve been hearing from the constituents I’m soon to represent.

We reviewed funding options and budget challenges and talked about equipment, materials, staffing, contracting, roadside maintenance, pothole repair, and much more.

One thing became very clear to me: $3.3 million in the FY2027 road department budget is simply not enough to provide the equipment, materials, and manpower needed to properly maintain more than 800 miles of county roads or make a meaningful dent in the condition of our existing roads.

Right now, our road department is working tirelessly to work through more than 500 citizen work orders while prioritizing the most serious safety concerns, along with Tier 1 major collectors and major thoroughfares.

As a paramedic, the best way I know how to describe what is happening is triage.

Instead of being able to spend the necessary time addressing one problem properly, they are overwhelmed by the number of additional problems waiting behind it. They fix one issue and three more issues arise. Meanwhile, the roads are simply deteriorating faster than they can be repaired. It’s a no win situation.

During my campaign, and since being elected, you have made it very clear that one of your biggest concerns as citizens is the current state of our roads. I assure you, I hear you, I see it, and I live it every day, too.

I have real concerns about the future of our county if we cannot find a sustainable way to properly fund our road department, hire and retain additional employees, invest in the equipment and materials they need, and begin rebuilding the roads we rely on every single day.

This is exactly why meetings like today’s are important.

I’m committed to having the hard conversations, asking the hard questions, understanding these challenges firsthand, and making sure the people of District 4 have a voice at the table.

I am proud to have been given the opportunity to serve District 4, and beginning November 11, 2026, I look forward to being your voice and working on your behalf.

There are no easy answers, but doing nothing is not an option.

Do you have ideas or suggestions? Let’s hear them in the comments.

08/03/2026

After a recent post I made regarding the facts surrounding healthcare in Lawrence County, it became clear to me that there was still more work to do to provide transparency about where we are today and where we’re headed.

Last week, I had the opportunity to sit down with local elected officials, members of the Lawrence County Health Authority, and leadership from Huntsville Hospital Health System.

After spending several hours reviewing the facts, I can honestly say I have never been more optimistic or excited about the future of healthcare for the people of Lawrence County.

We started at the beginning to truly understand how we got to where we are today. We reviewed financial statements, patient volumes, operational data, and the management agreement between the Lawrence County Health Authority and Huntsville Hospital Health System. We asked a lot of questions, and every question was answered.

Let’s start with the contract.

1. The agreement is a 40-year management contract.

The contract provides for Huntsville Hospital Health System to manage and operate Lawrence Medical Center for a 40-year term.

2. Where does the healthcare tax money go?

One of the biggest concerns I’ve heard is that local healthcare tax dollars are somehow leaving Lawrence County.

After reviewing the agreement and the financial information presented during our meeting, I can confidently say that the healthcare tax remains dedicated to Lawrence County healthcare.

Under the management agreement, healthcare tax revenues, along with revenue generated from healthcare services, are used to support healthcare operations and investments in Lawrence County.

After reviewing the financial reports presented at the meeting, I found no evidence that these funds are being diverted outside Lawrence County. In fact, Huntsville Hospital Health System has invested millions of additional dollars into Lawrence Medical Center since this partnership began to help stabilize and improve healthcare services in our community.

3. Lawrence County is not committed to Huntsville Hospital forever.

Another question I hear often is whether this agreement permanently ties Lawrence County to Huntsville Hospital Health System.

The answer is no.

At the conclusion of the 40-year agreement, the Lawrence County Health Authority will have the opportunity to evaluate the future of healthcare in our county. At that time, it may choose to negotiate a new agreement with Huntsville Hospital Health System, pursue a partnership with another healthcare organization, or, if feasible, return to independently managing our healthcare system.

Likewise, Huntsville Hospital Health System is not obligated to renew the agreement. Both parties will have the opportunity to determine what is in the best interest of the community and their respective organizations.

One important point that I believe citizens should understand is that the healthcare assets and investments remain under the oversight of the Lawrence County Health Authority. During this partnership, Huntsville Hospital purchased property from the Health Authority at a time when Lawrence Medical Center was under severe financial strain. According to the agreement, the Health Authority has the ability to repurchase that property under the terms outlined in the contract.

How is accountability maintained?

Another question I asked was how accountability for taxpayer dollars will be maintained moving forward.

Huntsville Hospital Health System officials, Lawrence Medical Center leadership, and the Lawrence County Health Authority will begin holding quarterly meetings to review operations, finances, and the use of healthcare tax revenues. I believe these regular meetings will provide an additional layer of transparency and accountability that the taxpayers of Lawrence County deserve.

Why Huntsville Hospital?

Many people have asked why Huntsville Hospital Health System was selected.

The simple answer is that the Lawrence County Health Authority explored multiple options.

Organizations including Cullman Regional Medical Center, North Alabama Medical Center (NAMC), and others were approached. Based on the information shared during our meeting, Huntsville Hospital Health System was the organization willing to step forward and partner with Lawrence County during an extremely difficult financial period, when our community was facing the very real possibility of losing local healthcare altogether.

Let’s also be honest, when you have an aging facility and finances that could no longer support day-to-day operations, Lawrence Medical Center was simply not an attractive healthcare system for another organization to assume responsibility for. That makes Huntsville Hospital Health System’s willingness to step in and invest in our community even more significant.

What does the future look like?

Our new medical plaza is planned as a two-phase project.

Phase One will include:

• An extended-hours urgent care clinic

• CT and MRI imaging

• 3D Mammography

• Phlebotomy and laboratory services

• Additional outpatient diagnostic services

• A community meeting room

• A dedicated helipad to support emergency responders and provide rapid air transport for critically ill or injured patients when needed

Groundbreaking is expected to begin within the coming weeks.

Phase Two, as currently planned, is the construction of a 24-hour freestanding emergency department. The new facility is being designed with that future expansion in mind. I also learned that the same architectural firm designing this facility designed the recently announced freestanding emergency department in the Huntsville area.

So when will we get our emergency room back?

Like many of you, that was one of my biggest questions.

The answer is that the timeline will largely depend on patient volume and the long-term success of Phase One.

That means every one of us can help.

Lawrence Medical Center already offers urgent care, CT and MRI imaging, laboratory services, diagnostic testing, and many other outpatient services. If you have the opportunity, consider asking your healthcare provider whether those services can be performed locally. Supporting Lawrence Medical Center helps strengthen the case for continued investment and future expansion while allowing you to take advantage of healthcare services funded in part by your local healthcare tax dollars.

Healthcare has been an emotional topic for many families because every one of us has been affected in some way.

My responsibility is to ask the difficult questions, seek the facts, and share what I learn with the people I’m proud to serve. Based on everything I reviewed during this meeting, I truly believe Lawrence County has a bright future ahead. Without Huntsville Hospital Health System stepping forward during one of the most difficult periods in our hospital’s history, I believe our county could have been left without local healthcare.

If you have additional questions, I would be happy to sit down with you, share what I learned, and continue having open and honest conversations about the future of healthcare in Lawrence County.

Finally, I would like to sincerely thank State Representative Ernie Yarbrough and District 2 Commissioner-Elect Brandon Kerby for joining me during this meeting. I appreciate their willingness to ask questions, seek answers, and work together as we represent the citizens we are honored to serve.

Lawrence County deserves quality healthcare close to home, and I believe we are moving in the right direction.

07/27/2026

Today, State Representative Ernie Yarbrough and I had a productive meeting with ALDOT officials to discuss the ongoing safety concerns at the intersection of Alabama Highway 157 and Alabama Highway 36 in District 4.

For far too many years, this intersection has been the site of an alarming number of crashes resulting in serious injuries and the tragic loss of lives. These aren’t just statistics, they are our friends, neighbors, and loved ones. Improving the safety of this intersection is a priority, and I am committed to working with our state and local partners until meaningful improvements are made.

As we continue working with ALDOT toward a permanent solution, you will soon begin seeing new pavement striping and updated signage designed to better alert and guide motorists through the intersection. These short-term improvements are intended to help reduce crashes while long-term options are being evaluated.

ALDOT has also committed to taking part in a public meeting to present the available facts, discuss potential solutions, and hear directly from the people who travel this intersection every day. Your input is important, and I encourage everyone to participate. We will share the date, time, and location as soon as those details are finalized.

Serving the people of District 4 is an honor, and I will continue working every day to address issues that impact the safety and quality of life of our community. Thank you to Representative Ernie Yarbrough and the ALDOT team for taking the time to meet and work toward making this intersection safer for everyone.

07/04/2026

🇺🇸 Happy 250th Birthday, America! 🇺🇸

Today marks 250 years since a group of brave men chose liberty over tyranny and laid the foundation for the greatest experiment in self-government the world has ever known.

As we celebrate Independence Day, I’m reminded that the freedoms we enjoy today were not given, they were earned through tremendous sacrifice. From the patriots who fought for our independence in 1776 to every generation of Americans who has answered the call to defend this nation, countless men and women have given their time, their comfort, and many their very lives so that we could live free.

Freedom isn’t something to take for granted. It’s a blessing that has been preserved by ordinary people willing to do extraordinary things for their country and their neighbors.

I’m proud to call the United States of America home. I believe there is still no greater place to live, raise a family, pursue your dreams, and enjoy the liberties that so many around the world still long for.

As we gather with family and friends today, enjoy the fireworks, and fly our flag, let’s also take a moment to remember those who made it all possible. May we honor their legacy by being good citizens, serving our communities, and never taking our freedom for granted.

God bless America, and Happy 250th Birthday! 🇺🇸

06/26/2026

🏥THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE IN LAWRENCE COUNTY🏥

I can assure you that bringing back a 24 hour emergency room is one of my top priorities as the newly elected District 4 Commissioner. I’ve had several conversations with Huntsville Hospital leadership about their plans for our community, and I wanted to share what I know.

A few facts:

• Huntsville Hospital System is a community-owned, non-profit healthcare system that stepped in when Lawrence Medical Center was facing serious financial challenges that were likely to lead to complete and total collapse.

• Huntsville Hospital has committed to reinvesting any profits generated here back into Lawrence County as the system grows and improves.

• After Huntsville Hospital became involved, hospital leadership and the local healthcare board determined that the financial losses from the emergency room were putting the entire healthcare system at risk. A difficult decision was made to close the ER so healthcare services in Lawrence County could be stabilized and preserved for the future.

• Huntsville Hospital provided $60,000 to Lawrence County fire departments in 2025 and 2026. Each of our 10 departments received $6,000 to help purchase medical supplies, equipment, and cover equipment calibration costs.

• Plans are moving forward for a new $14 million healthcare facility that will be funded through the existing hospital tax already in place.

The proposed facility is expected to include:

• A helipad
• Extended-hour urgent care services
• A modern laboratory for local bloodwork
• Advanced imaging services, including CT and MRI
• Room for future expansion as the needs of our community grow

From my conversations with Huntsville Hospital, their focus right now is stabilizing healthcare in Lawrence County, replacing outdated facilities, and expanding access to quality outpatient services. Their belief is that we must first build a strong and sustainable healthcare foundation before additional services can be added.

I know many citizens want to see a 24-hour emergency room return to Lawrence County. I do too. While there is still work to do, this new facility is a major step in the right direction and a significant investment in the future of healthcare for our families.

The best thing we can do as a community is support Lawrence Medical Center. The more we use local healthcare services, the stronger the case becomes for future growth and expanded services right here at home.

I will continue working with Huntsville Hospital leadership, local healthcare officials, and community stakeholders to advocate for the healthcare services that Lawrence County deserves.

Together, we can build a stronger future for healthcare in Lawrence County.

06/19/2026

It’s hard to believe that it has already been a month since the May 19th primary.

Over the past several weeks, I’ve taken time to catch up on the parts of life that were put on hold during the six-month campaign. I’ve enjoyed spending time with my family, focusing on work, and reflecting on the tremendous responsibility the citizens of District 4 have entrusted to me.

Since Election Day, I’ve received countless calls, messages, and conversations from citizens sharing concerns, ideas, and issues they hope to see addressed. I appreciate every one of those conversations, and I want you to know that I’m listening.

While the new County Commission will not officially take office until after the November 3 General Election, I am already preparing for that transition.

I am currently gathering information on the departments, services, and responsibilities that fall under the oversight of the County Commission as it is very broad. My goal is to meet with department heads and learn as much as possible about each area of county government so that on Day One I can make informed, educated decisions on behalf of the people I am honored to represent.

The trust and confidence you placed in me during this election is something I do not take lightly. I understand the responsibility that comes with serving as your County Commissioner, and I am committed to working hard every day to earn that trust.

I know there will be challenges ahead, and I know there will be difficult decisions to make. However, I am committed to asking questions, learning from those with experience, and working alongside my fellow commissioners to provide honest, transparent, and accountable leadership that keeps the citizens of Lawrence County at the forefront of every decision.

Thank you again for your support, encouragement, and continued prayers as I prepare for this new chapter of public service. I am excited about the work ahead and the opportunity to serve District 4 and all of Lawrence County.

If you haven’t already, please invite your friends, family, and neighbors throughout District 4 and Lawrence County to follow this page. It will serve as my primary source of communication and updates as I prepare to take office and throughout my term.

Thank you, and God bless.�– Gunnar Walling�District 4 Commissioner-Elect

05/22/2026

I want to personally congratulate the Lawrence County Lady Red Devils on an incredible season and for bringing home the 5A State Championship!

This achievement is a testament to the hard work, discipline, and determination shown by these young ladies and their coaching staff throughout the entire season. You represented Lawrence County with class, grit, and pride every time you stepped on the field.

As your newly elected District 4 Commissioner, I could not be more proud to see our community represented at such a high level. Thank you to the players, coaches, families, and supporters who helped make this championship run possible.

Congratulations again, Lady Red Devils, Lawrence County is proud of you!

- Gunnar Walling

05/20/2026

Thank you, District 4!

I am truly honored and humbled by the support and trust you have shown me today. I’m grateful for every prayer, every vote, every conversation, and every act of encouragement throughout this journey.

As I prepare to take office in November, I ask that you continue to pray for wisdom, guidance, and strength as I work to serve the people of Lawrence County with honesty, transparency, and accountability.

God bless each of you, and God bless Lawrence County!

With 9 of 10 precincts reporting and nearly 75% of the vote, Gunnar Walling has defeated Daniell Johnston in the Lawrence County District 4 Primary. There will be no Democratic opponent for this seat in the November general election.

Results are unofficial until certified.