Palmer meets Millbrook business leaders at chamber luncheon briefing

At The Fieldhouse at 17 Springs, Congressman Gary Palmer sat down with Millbrook business leaders for a luncheon briefing that put a sitting member of Congress face to face with one of Alabama’s fastest-growing communities. Palmer thanked Mayor Al Kelley and chamber chief Brenda Robertson Dennis for hosting the event at 120 Champions Drive in Millbrook.

The April 7 gathering ran from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and highlighted the kind of local access the Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce says it tries to create through advocacy, connectivity, business education and workforce development. Palmer has represented Alabama’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House since 2015, and his office also promotes monthly constituent outreach through “Pastries with Palmer,” a meet-and-greet that brings residents and staff together over coffee and pastries.

The luncheon came as Millbrook and Autauga County continue to grow. The U.S. Census Bureau’s July 1, 2024 estimate put Millbrook’s population at 17,392, up from 16,564 in the 2020 Census. Autauga County reached an estimated 61,464 residents in 2024, compared with 58,805 in 2020. Those gains help explain why business owners and chamber leaders want regular contact with federal officials who can weigh in on issues that affect hiring, construction, transportation and costs.

Income figures also show why the chamber’s policy conversations matter. Autauga County’s median household income was $72,481, while Millbrook’s stood at $70,313. For local employers, that mix of growth and household income makes federal decisions on taxes, regulation, infrastructure and spending especially relevant, even when those debates begin far from central Alabama.

Brenda Dennis, who was promoted to president and CEO of the Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce in November 2023, has been credited by chamber leaders with helping expand membership, operating income and new programs. Mayor Al Kelley has said Dennis and the chamber board do a “tremendous job” and has praised the chamber’s ambassador program. That backdrop gave Palmer’s visit added weight, with the chamber positioning the luncheon as a direct line between Millbrook’s business community and Washington.