Mayor Whalen Announces 2010 Re-election Bid
City of Florence Mayor, Diane Whalen, has announced she will seek re-election in 2010. Diane Whalen will be seeking her fourth term as mayor. Mayor Whalen is hosting a campaign kick-off fundraiser on Friday, November 20, 2009 from 5-7 p.m. at the Evelyn Kalb Gathering House, Florence Nature Park, Banklick Street, Florence.
Prior to holding the office of mayor, Diane Whalen served on the Florence City Council. “During these difficult economic times, we need experienced leadership more than ever,” said Diane Whalen. “I am honored to continue to serve the people of Florence and to keep the city on sound financial footing. Our community is blessed with forward thinking and responsible City Council members and employees that are dedicated to the community that they serve.”
In addition to explosive residential growth in and around Florence, Mayor Whalen has worked to increase commercial, retail and recreational opportunities for the citizens. She led the effort to develop the Florence Aquatic Center and Skate Park, the Florence Freedom professional baseball team and neighborhood parks and green space.
Under her leadership, the rebuilding of Mall Road will occur beginning in 2010 and will include aesthetic improvements as well offer safe passage for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. She worked with state and county officials to make road improvements on Turfway and Industrial Roads, and the planned improvement to Pleasant Valley Road.
With a population of over 26,000, the City of Florence is the 9th largest city in Kentucky and is located within the fastest growing county (Boone) in the commonwealth.
Diane Whalen Appointed to Governor’s Task Force on Education
Governor Steve Beshear has launched a new initiative on education that includes a statewide task force that will develop a unified vision for Kentucky’s students.
The members of the task force include education advocates, teachers, superintendents, legislators, business leaders and others who have been handpicked for their commitment to education and to Kentucky.
The group will examine efforts currently underway in the state, such as the Common Core Standards Initiative, Graduate Kentucky, the Gates Foundation/SREB college and career readiness initiative, the Race to the Top competition and the Governor’s Task Force on Early Childhood Development and Education. Against this backdrop of renewed energy and activity, the panel will recommend ways to channel all of these efforts into an integrated and comprehensive system of education in Kentucky.
To view the Governor’s press release, visit: http://governor.ky.gov/pressrelease.htm?PostingGUID=%7B76BE133B-2876-4D84-96D3-B8215B81F5C5%7D
Mall Road Project Moving Ahead
By Kevin Kelly, Kentucky Enquirer
FLORENCE – A revamped Mall Road with sidewalks, bike paths, landscaped medians and other amenities is moving closer to reality.
In a special meeting Tuesday, Florence City Council authorized Mayor Diane Whalen to sign an agreement with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet that will move the project into the design phase.
“This is really the first step that truly gets the ball rolling toward reconstruction,” Florence City Coordinator Rick Lunnemann said.
The state owns and maintains the 1.5-mile stretch of road between Ky. 18 and U.S. 42 that serves as a major artery through the city’s retail district, and earlier this year set aside about $13 million for the project. However, it will be the city that oversees the reconstruction effort, Whalen said.
“It allows us just to have a little bit more control and input into the way the design is done and the project as it moves forward,” she said.
The design money will be released when the documents are executed in Frankfort and those documents will be delivered this week, Whalen said. She hopes the design will be ready by January and the project can start in the spring.
But before settling on a design, the city plans to hold two stakeholder meetings at which Mall Road businesses and property owners will be invited to offer their thoughts, Whalen said.
To minimize impact during the holiday shopping season, the project may be carried out in two phases. Construction on the first phase – from the mall area north to Ky. 18 – would be targeted for completion before Thanksgiving 2010. The second phase – from the mall area south to U.S. 42 – would then start in the spring of 2011 and be targeted for completion before Thanksgiving of that year.
To read the full story, visit: http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20091007/NEWS0103/910080341/Mall+Road+project+moving+ahead