Palmer: Cancer diagnosis has not affected capacity to serve
Dec. 2—TUPELO — Ward 5 Councilman Buddy Palmer said the stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis he received in August has not affected his ability to perform his duties as a city leader.
Palmer, who is serving his third term in office representing east Tupelo, said months of treatment have kept his quality of life and ability to serve stable but noted cancer had metastasized in his ribs.
With or without cancer, he said he does not plan to run for re-election in 2025.
"I don't have any intention to run again, but anything can happen," he said. "Twelve years is a good run."
According to the Mayo Clinic, stage 4 prostate cancer often cannot be cured, but multiple treatments extend one's life expectancy and slow cancer's spread, including hormone or radiation therapy and a litany of medications. Palmer said he is taking hormone therapy and other medications.
"I feel well," he said. "I've had a great life. Most people don't make it to 82, and I have some more life left to live. We are just going to have to take it day by day."
Palmer, a Republican, began his tenure on the council in 2013 when he won his seat as Ward 5 councilman. He has served multiple stints as the council president, most recently in 2021. Palmer also holds a seat on the Tombigbee Electric Power Association Board.
Ward 3 Councilman Travis Beard, who was elected during a special election in 2014, called Palmer a role model.
"He's been an encouragement to me," Beard said. "We bonded and have worked close together ever since I was elected."
He said he understood why Palmer would not to run for re-election.
During Palmer's tenure, his major focuses politically have been drainage, affordable housing and code enforcement. To that end, over the last the year, the council planned for $18.5 million in spending to repair drainage issues across the city, approved multiple affordable housing projects and oversaw the reorganization of the Development Services Department, including the addition of multiple new code enforcer positions.
Ward 2 Councilman and Council President Lynn Bryan, who is also serving his third term on the council, called Palmer an effective and flexible council member.
"We don't necessarily agree on everything, but I think he's done a great job. Tupelo is better than it was when we were elected," he said. "I hate to see him go ... A lot of stuff had not been done on the east side of town, and he got things done not just for everybody on that side of town but also for the whole of Tupelo."
Before stepping into municipal government, Palmer operated at his family-owned grocery store Palmer's Shoppers Value Foods, which his sons now operate. Palmer's father, J.K. Palmer, opened the store in 1957 under the name Palmer's Supermarket. When Palmer's sons took over the business, they gave it its current name.
