The Next Mayor of Florence? Part I

Current Florence mayor Bobby Irons has chosen not to seek re-election. Three candidates are vying to succeed him. Below is a short bio of candidate Rick Singleton:

Why I Want to be Mayor of Florence 

Biography: 

I was raised in Florence, and have lived my life in the Shoals area. I graduated in 1969 from Coffee High School, and went on to UNA to pursue my degree in Law Enforcement/Business Administration. I graduated from UNA in 1976 and soon enrolled in the University of Alabama to pursue a Masters in Criminal Justice, which I achieved in 1982. 

About Me:

Florence is one of the most beautiful cities in the country and I have called it home for the last 52 years. Those years are filled with a lifetime of memories from my days in elementary school to my future retirement from the Police Department in the next few months, and while I cherish those memories, they are in the past. What excites me now is thinking about the future and the new opportunities that await this great City!

After nearly forty years in the law enforcement profession I am ready and eager for new challenges. I have a vision of what Florence can look like 10, 20, or even 50 years from now. I see a vibrant city with job opportunities like we've never seen before. I see considerable growth in the business sector that will clearly define us as a tri-state retail center. Our public schools and University will be ranked among the best in the nation, and our medical facilities will be second to none. I see a city that will be a leader in the areas of recycle and energy conservation, a city that others will emulate and look to as an example of what can be done when a government and its citizens work together toward a common goal.

Immanuel Kant once said, "The best way to predict the future is to invent it." I want to be a part of inventing that future! I want to see that vision become a reality, and, knowing this city and its people, I know WE can make it happen! That's why I want to be Mayor of Florence. 

Grad School:

• Alabama '82
• Master of Science, Criminal Justice

College:

• University of North Alabama '76
• Bachelor of Science, Law Enforcement, Business Administration

High School:

• Coffee High School '69 

Activities:

Chief of Police, Shoals Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Owner of Singleton's Barbeque, Anti-Terrorism Task Force: U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Alabama, Law Enforcement Executive Development Association, Attorney General's Law Enforcement Advisory Council, International Association of Chiefs of Police, Alabama Association of Chiefs of Police, F.B.I. National Academy Associates, Alabama Peace Officers Association, and the Fraternal Order of Police.

*****

Later in the week we'll look at mayoral candidates Mickey Haddock and Billy Ray Simpson

Shoalanda