The past four years have been a remarkable journey for Bowling Green. We have faced and overcome significant challenges, including the COVID pandemic, devastating tornadoes, multiple windstorms, 24 police officer vacancies, and a major oil fire. Yet, through steadfast leadership and resilience, we have emerged stronger than ever.
I distinctly remember a pivotal moment shortly after the disaster on December 11, 2021, just one year into my term as mayor. During a meeting with our Chamber of Commerce, we were urged to double down on our investment in our Transpark. At that time, we were still under mask mandates and in our storm recovery mode. It was a critical juncture – whether to forge ahead or retreat. We chose to move forward with determination.
Since that decision, our city has experienced a whirlwind of major announcements and developments. We have celebrated numerous ribbon cuttings and witnessed Bowling Green’s growth and prosperity. Notably, we were recognized as having the #1 economy in the nation for cities with populations under 200,000. We are also opening three new firefighter stations and constructing a new joint police and firefighter academy. In addition, we are developing new roads, miles of sidewalks, greenways, and roundabouts.
Our commitment to public safety has been unwavering. We have filled our 24 police vacancies, added 16 new police officers and added 20 new firefighters, and adjusted salaries to retain our valued city employees, effectively reversing our previous vacancies. Our Fire Chief, Justin Brooks, was honored as Fire Chief of the Year for the Kentucky Association of Chiefs, and our Police Chief, Michael Delaney, was elected by his peers as President of Kentucky’s Police Chiefs. Our city management team has continued to receive numerous accolades and awards, from accounting, audits, and personal achievements.
We have actively engaged with our community to gather input for two new parks. Guided by our new mission statement – Community Led, Service Driven, Powered by Growth – we are set to break ground on a new Riverfront park in 2025, shaped by the vision and contributions of our citizens.
I am proud to be part of a city government and team that values collaboration. Working alongside local leaders from colleges, schools, utilities, county governments, state and federal agencies, non-profits, businesses, and healthcare providers has been an honor. Bowling Green’s bright future is not only due to our exceptional leaders but also because these leaders prioritize the community over personal accolades.
May God continue to bless our community.
Sincerely,
Mayor Todd Alcott