Northport City Council Candidate Zach Stone Opposes Status Quo

Zach Stone, a candidate for a seat on the Northport City Council in the upcoming August elections, said he never expected to enter politics but decided to run because he's not satisfied with the status quo in City Hall.

A longtime employee and manager at the BF Goodrich plant in Tuscaloosa, Stone is running in District 2, where incumbent council president pro tempore Woodrow Washington is seeking re-election.

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He sat down with the Thread last week to outline his path to the race.

(submitted photo)

Stone said he was a teenage enlistee in the US Army, and after a three-year stint serving, he briefly worked for Coca-Cola locally before joining BF Goodrich. He and his wife decided to move to Northport in 2016, and until recently, they had no interest in municipal politics.

"I really didn't pay attention to city governance at all," Stone said. "I just didn't really have an interest in it."

But things changed as the political temperature rose, with topics such as the proposed sale of the Northport Community Center and the development of the University Beach lagoon resort igniting controversy after controversy.

Stone said he saw elected officials mistreat people in public meetings and on social media platforms and consistently vote against the wishes of constituents.

"I just didn't think that elected officials should treat people the way they were being treated," Stone said. "When the community center issue came up, it really heightened everything because I saw even more of that type of treatment, and it just got me on fire."

The ongoing drama with University Beach only further convinced Stone that he should run for office.

"I don't agree with the way they lead they're leading our city. I feel like there needs to be more people in those positions who have some moral backbone and have the city of Northport in mind, not just their personal agendas, whatever those may be," Stone said. "I'm not accusing anybody of any wrongdoing, because I don't have any proof of it, but man, it just seems like we just need people who want progress but responsible progress."

Stone said he would also like to see the city government do more to support local businesses, especially through the procurement of office supplies, lawn equipment and other goods that could really make a difference for a Northport business owner.

"I can promise the people of Northport and District 2 that when I'm behind closed doors, you don't have to worry about me making decisions that would go against the will of the people," Stone said. "I believe my integrity and my character would speak for themselves, and that's basically all I'm running on. I don't have a political science degree and I don't have any agendas, but this is the place I want to live. I want to ensure it's still a great place to raise a family."

He also said he wants to expand partnerships with nonprofits like Habitat for Humanity, and committed to hosting regular meetings with constituents to take questions and hear ideas from the people who live in District 2.

Stone and his wife Stacy share four adult children, Taylor, Mason, Tristan and Kameron.

Northport's municipal elections will be held on August 26, 2025. All five city council seats and the mayor's office are up for vote. Check out our just-launched coverage hub for those races here.

Any incumbent or challenging candidate seeking coverage on the Thread can reach the editor at stephen.dethrage@townsquaremedia.com.

For updates on those races and more, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.