KILPATRICK, Ala. (WHNT) — Most cities and towns across Alabama date back hundreds of years. So when we learned a new town in DeKalb County was being founded in the year 2025, we needed to stop by.
Tuesday evening, the Town of Kilpatrick held its very first town meeting and swore in its first Mayor and Town Council Members. Richard Bruce is the first Mayor, and Rachel Bloodworth, Kim Hunt, Fernando Guzman, and Tina Malone are the first council members.
The Town of Kilpatrick is in DeKalb County, near Crossville and Albertville.
The community of roughly 300 people voted in March of 2025 to become an incorporated town. Mayor Bruce said this has been a process several years in the making.
“We actually started this process about six years ago,” Bruce said. “We started with petitions and going around and getting folks to sign, and saying they wanted to be a town.”
According to the Alabama League of Municipalities, Kilpatrick is now the 466th municipality in the State of Alabama.
“This is a very rare occurrence, and it’s been several years since the last new town was formed,” Alabama State Senator Andrew Jones said. “It’s just exciting to be part of something, see them actually have their founding documents formed right in front of your eyes.”
Jones was one of dozens in attendance at the first town meeting, held at Kilpatrick’s new Town Hall located at 27 County Road 179.
Community members in attendance at the meeting had several questions about the newly formed town, including where the town limits are.
Bruce told the community that they are still working on making a map that shows the town limits. However, he said they will have a map by the next Town Council Meeting.
The community includes several roads off of Highway 68.
Mayor Bruce told News 19 that the town is still in the process of putting together a website and Facebook page.
He said that while Kilpatrick does have its own fire department, it does not have a police department. Bruce said the town will continue to rely on the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement.
The new mayor said he’s excited about what’s to come for the new Town of Kilpatrick.
“It’s great to see our little town come together, and we’re looking forward to great things in Kilpatrick,” he said.
The Town of Kilpatrick’s second Town Council Meeting will be on Wednesday, Nov. 12, at 6:30 p.m. While Town Meetings will typically be on Tuesday evenings, that meeting will be on a Wednesday due to Veterans Day.
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