CEDAR BLUFF, Ala.– Cherokee County Animal Control Officer Duston Dutton was appointed Thursday to the Cedar Bluff Town Council following the death of Councilman Tom Wall.

Dutton was nominated and voted into the District 4 seat during Thursday’s meeting. Following his appointment, he shared a heartfelt message on his Facebook account about stepping into the role and what the opportunity means to him and his family.

“What an honor it is to not only be nominated, but also voted in for the District 4 seat on the Cedar Bluff Town Council,” Dutton wrote.

He said he felt blessed to have both family and close friends there to witness the moment, joking they were there “to make sure I didn’t mess it up.”

While he avoided making sweeping political promises, Dutton said his priorities are simple.

“I’ll always put the town’s best interest first. I didn’t do this for me… I did this for the citizens of Cedar Bluff and especially for my daughter,” he wrote. “Our children deserve a safe, clean town — they are the next generation and the future of this community.”

Dutton added that he doesn’t see himself as a politician, but as a regular person who loves his hometown and wants to see it thrive while learning along the way.

“When I got home, I noticed the sky was pink,” he wrote. “Karen and Georgia-Rose pointed it out and said it looked like my mother was smiling down on us. I truly believe she was.”

He closed by asking residents for their continued support and prayers as he begins serving the community.

“If we always put God first and the town first, I believe we’ll always be led in the right direction. Thank y’all from the bottom of my heart.”