Helping Graysville grow

Roy Linn Jr. has served on the Graysville City Council for 21 years. 

But, he doesn’t have political ambitions. He just wants to help Graysville grow and increase the tax base so basic services can be provided to residents. 

He keeps getting re-elected and no one ever runs against him… it’s like everyone knows better.

The city of Graysville used to consist of about 5 square miles, but due to annexation has quadrupled in size. 

25 years ago, lifelong resident Roy Linn Jr. knew this community had to grow or it would die.

Linn got polio when he was 5 years old, and was digging ditches for Republic Steel Company when he was 19. He told me he had to decide whether to be a cripple or get busy living.

“I never did know the word can’t,” Linn said. “Sombody tell me you can’t do that, I’d do it or bust a gut one or the other.“

Linn began pushing years ago for Graysville to annex parts of Jefferson County. It wasn’t just about having a bigger city.

“Corridor X, I-22, all this was in the making at the time, and I said, ‘Wayne, we may not have anything, but you’re going to have some interchanges off of Corridor X here that the city is going to need for business,’ and it’s turned out to be so.“

As we drove around Graysville, Linn pointed out the growth that will bring a tax base to Graysville. A new Lowe’s store is the next tax and job producer.  But, it’s the new I-22 with three interchanges in Graysville that Linn is most excited about.

Linn said it will “Give us a tax base that we’ve never had before to do a lot of things that we’ve been wanting to do for years…it’s going to be the best thing that’s happened to us.“

Linn, crutches and all, went door to door with petitions getting people to sign up to be annexed into Graysville. Graysville Mayor Doug Brewer says Roy’s hard work was the key factor in making all this happen.

“He’s a man that is a true public servant in this day and age,” Brewer said, “and is a devout Christian that lives his faith not only in front of his family but all of the citizens.“

Linn says the mayor and others give him too much credit, and he told me his wife Joan worked right along side him as he worked on annexation.