Newsletter
Mayor Betterton's Weekly Update
August 26, 2021
Dear Friends,
One of our responsibilities as a city is to protect our employees and provide them with a safe work environment. With this responsibility in mind, the decision has been made that all visitors to city hall offices will be required to wear a mask while in the building as well as the city employee with whom they are working. Employees who are alone at their desk will not be required to wear a mask; however, while in common areas, lobbies, or hallways, a mask is required.
On Monday, August 23, 2021, signs were posted on the entrance doors to City Hall informing the public that masks are required to enter the building and while conducting business with City employees. We appreciate your support of the effort to both mitigate the spread of this illness to our community and preserve our workforce.
Mayor Andrew Betterton
Recently Completed Streetscape Receives the Excellence Award in Planning By Alabama Main Street
The project revitalized Florence's downtown from E. Tennessee St. from Poplar to Chestnut St and E. College St from Cherry to Poplar. Improvements include:
- New sidewalks, lighting, and crosswalks for safer pedestrian connections
- New green infrastructure and traffic calming through extensive landscaping
- Additional reconfigured public parking
- New traffic signals for better traffic flow
Creating a beautiful, functional, safe public space is just the beginning of the project benefits. New development and redevelopment of this area have included: Taco Mama, Fashion Exchange, Rich Broke Boutique, Farmers Insurance, and the Hidden Treasures building.
Main Street Alabama Excellence Awards!
“We are excited to have so many award-winning projects in Downtown Florence. This awards ceremony is evidence of the many great projects that Florence has to continue to enhance and embrace our beautiful Downtown! We are pleased to celebrate along with the winners in their successes in Downtown Florence,” said Executive Director, Stephanie Vess.
EXCELLENCE IN PLANNING & PUBLIC SPACE
EXCELLENCE IN PLACEMAKING
EXCELLENCE IN BUILDING DESIGN
EXCELLENCE IN PRESERVATION -
EXCELLENCE IN PROMOTION
MAIN STREET HERO AWARD
Elvis Has Left The Building!
With Two Season Tickets, Mayor Betterton Is Ready to Enjoy the Shoals Symphony!
Shoals Symphony season tickets are now available for purchase. The 2021-2022 event list is spectacular. Tickets can be purchased at https://shoalssymphony.org
Pictured: Cain Yarbrough, Director of Development & Operations, Dr. Daniel Stevens, Symphony Conductor, and Mayor Andrew Betterton
G.W. LANDRUM: A FLORENCE TREASURE
George Washington (G..W.) Landrum has been a household name in Florence for several generations. Why? Because he recorded, through his masterful photography, slices of life in Florence for a number of years. Although he might not have referred to himself as a photo-historian, that is certainly the way he is remembered today. He operated a studio on the second floor of the building at 111 East Tennessee Street in downtown Florence (an Asian grocery store is there today). It didn’t take long for word to get around that his masterful family portraits would become treasured heirlooms. To this day, untold numbers of families in Florence and beyond own these coveted portraits and display them proudly in their homes. Besides portraits, though, Mr. Landrum used his talents to record all aspects of life locally. Thanks to him, for example, there are: an excellent collection of photographs showing the construction of Wilson Dam, photographs of important buildings such as Florence’s second Courthouse (pictured), photographs that record the visits to Florence by such important people ss Franklin D. Roosevelt, Henry Ford and Thomas Edison. The list goes on and on. Mr. Landrum left a very impressive legacy; because of him, Florence has a photographic record that few towns across America possess.
--Billy Warren, City Historian
Check out the list of upcoming events...
Florence Fire & Rescue Is Hiring! Apply By August 31!
The City of Florence offers generous defined benefit plan (pension plan), BCBS insurance plan, employee & family health clinic, paid annual & sick leave, and so much more.
Apply Now: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/florenceal/
Salary $34,506.72 - $45,930.83 Annually
Location Fire Department Station #3 1301 North Wood Avenue Florence
Closing 8/31/2021 4:59 PM Central
Salary $34,506.72 - $45,930.83 Annually
Location Police Department 702 South Court Street Florence
Closing 8/31/2021 4:59 PM Central
Outside Service Worker Part Time
Part Time - $10.12 Hourly
Category: Administration / Parks and Recreation
Department: Park & Recreation (Golf)
Part Time - $10.75 Hourly
Category: Accounting and Finance / Parks and Recreation / Miscellaneous / Forensics
Department: Park & Recreation (Golf)
A little truth...
NEXT COUNCIL MEETING
The Mayor and Council members will hold the next council meeting on
Tuesday, September, 7 2021
4:00 p.m. Work Session
5:00 p.m. Council Meeting
City Auditorium
103 South Pine Street
How to Submit Your Event, News, or Announcement:
- Public and community events or announcements can be submitted by attaching an email, Word document, PDF, or JPG file suitable for viewing on the web. Include graphics in JPG or PNG if possible.
- Along with your information, include your name, phone number, event name, location, date and time, and a brief description.
- IMPORTANT: Please submit your information no later than Tuesday of each week (preferably sooner). Submissions after the deadline will be added to the next week's publication. The newsletter is posted on Thursday afternoon.
- Send your information to rmansell@florenceal.org or call Rachel Koonce with questions at 256-760-6494.
Connect with Us!
Email: abetterton@florenceal.org
Website: florenceal.org
Location: 110 West College Street, Florence, AL, USA
Phone: (256)760-6400