CULLMAN, Ala. – Cullman business owner and former combat military policeman Bart Crabtree recently announced his candidacy for Cullman Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees.
Crabtree and his wife own Sipsy Winery in Cullman, but he started as a combat military policeman in the Army, then was a small boat pilot in the Coast Guard Reserve and aeromedical evacuations operations and plans officer in the Air Force.
“I first came to Cullman in the mid-1980s, working on the frontlines of community care as a home health aide serving patients across Cullman and Cullman County,” Crabtree said. “While caring for local families, I earned my bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, later earning a master’s degree in Management Science.”
Following a brief tenure working for the Cullman County Commission, he joined the Alabama Department of Public Health, where his regional administration work focused on protecting vulnerable populations across Cullman, Lawrence and Limestone counties.
“When you cast your vote in this election, the choice comes down to something essential: who brings the specific background needed to navigate our power grid’s future,” Crabtree said. “Our current board is made up of dedicated community members with traditional backgrounds in agriculture, education and local business. While those perspectives are valuable, my specific skillset — 31 years in military leadership, federal disaster analysis with FEMA, and critical infrastructure protection — is not currently represented on the board.”
Crabtree shared why he believes adding this specialized technical perspective matters for the Cullman Electric Cooperative.
“This would give us smart grid growth and rate protection. Across Alabama, high-demand industrial projects like large AI data centers are scouting electric utilities for massive power capacity,” Crabtree said. “Without firm, analytical board oversight, heavy industrial loads can strain our local grid and force higher costs onto everyday ratepayers. My priority is ensuring our cooperative protects residential families, small businesses and agricultural members first.”
He also said supporting the hard-working operations workforce is key.
“A strong grid depends on the men and women who build and maintain it,” Crabtree said. “I deeply respect and appreciate our dedicated Co-op employees and linemen who head out in severe weather, day or night, to keep our lights on — a dedication I know well, as my wife recently retired from the Co-op after years of service. The Board’s job is to ensure our workforce has the tools, safety measures and competitive support they need to do their jobs effectively.”
Other aspects Crabtree wants to focus on are grid resilience and emergency preparedness and protecting the most vulnerable to issues.
“Having spent decades analyzing structural failures, evaluating disaster response frameworks and hardening public lifelines across the nation, I know how to audit utility infrastructure so we can withstand severe weather and prevent widespread outages,” Crabtree said. “Also, my entire public service career — from regional public health administration across Cullman, Lawrence and Limestone counties to emergency management — has been defined by one priority: protecting our elderly, fixed-income families and vulnerable neighbors during crises. Utility rates and service reliability directly impact the health and safety of our community. I enter this race as a true outsider, running to complement the board with fresh eyes, deep technical infrastructure knowledge and an uncompromised commitment to member-first accountability.”
Crabtree said Co-op members should watch their mailboxes for ballots.
