River Zurinsky: An Undercurrent of Change for District 2!

 

My name is River Zurinsky, and I am asking for your vote for Florence City Council District 2. I’m running for office because I want to serve the citizens of Florence and inspire our next generation of leaders. I was born at Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital (ECM) in 1999 and have spent my entire life as a citizen of District 2, where I’ve lived in the McFarland Heights neighborhood for 26 years. I attended W.C. Handy Head Start, Kilby Laboratory School, Shoals Christian School, and graduated from Faith Academy. I’m a member of the Florence Beautification Board, a SKYWARN Storm Spotter, and an advocate for people with disabilities.

As the first person with autism to run for public office in Florence, Alabama, I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to have their voice heard and express their opinions. For the past three years, I’ve regularly attended and advocated for citizens of Florence at city council meetings and I'm one of only four private citizens who submitted a redistricting proposal in 2023 to the Alabama State Legislature following the Allen vs Milligan Supreme Court decision in an effort to protect African American representation. In 2025, I was the only citizen in Florence who submitted a redistricting proposal to the Florence City Council as an alternative to NACOG's proposal which took away our only black majority district. If I'm elected to the Florence City Council on August 26th, I will seek to restore the comments section on the City Of Florence, Alabama - Government Facebook page so that the elderly, parents with small children, people with disabilities, and all citizens who are unable to attend city council meetings in person can bring their concerns to the attention of the Florence City Council prior to agenda items being voted on. 

Another top priority of mine is safety. I have a friend on Chisholm Road whose son has autism. Cars speed past his son’s school bus stop, and I believe it’s urgent to address this before children are killed while boarding or exiting the school bus. Our city could purchase 50 yellow school bus stop signs for $3,500, and I will push for this if elected. I have also made numerous presentations to the Florence City Council concerning the broken pedestrian signals downtown that particularly impact parents walking with small children, senior citizens and the disabled. If I’m elected to the Florence City Council on August 26th, I will continue to advocate for fixing the broken pedestrian signals on Court and Tennessee streets and adding additional pedestrian signals on Pine Street. I also support raising the salaries of our firefighters and police officers to increase safety on a city-wide level and I propose building a new fire station on Darby Drive in District 4, along with the new station that is currently being built at the intersection of Franklin Street and Mahogany Avenue. I've been speaking for the last three years at Florence City Council meetings regarding the need for a fire station in proximity to Deibert Park, Riverhill School, and the Children's Museum. Florence has six districts, but only five fire stations, and I want citizens of all districts to have a rapid response during emergencies.

As a Christian, I believe it’s important for us as a city to honor God and love our neighbors as ourselves. I support putting the phrase “In God We Trust” on our fire trucks and police cars and want to establish an annual Veterans Day Parade to honor and recognize the men and women of Florence who have served our country. I believe that Florence City Council members should be truthful, ethical stewards of taxpayer funds who prioritize the everyday needs of their citizens. This can be demonstrated by addressing repairs to existing infrastructure and roads, budgeting annually for ongoing maintenance, and reserving money each year for future expenses such as the estimated 115+ million-dollar federal water treatment regulations that the city must meet within a few years. Additionally, I believe it's a necessity to work with the Lauderdale County Commission to increase the annual budget for the animal shelter to maintain our no kill status.

I would also like to work with TVA to improve McFarland Park, where I propose the additions of an amphitheater, dog park, skate park, and a splash pad. A permanent venue for live music would bring about more opportunities for our local musicians to showcase their songs. A dog park would give the many dog owners that live in District 2 a place to bring their dogs and socialize. A skate park would encourage teenagers and young adults to be active outdoors and provide the opportunity for the City of Florence to host skating tournaments. Skating tournaments would provide a new source of revenue for the City of Florence and attract tourists when baseball and softball are not in season. A splash pad would provide a place for young children to play and cool off during the summer. I also support adding additional covered pavilions and improving the picnic areas. Another priority is replacing the bulbs in the McFarland Park Lighthouse to showcase the entrance to our city and make the Florence Harbor and Marina more welcoming and well-lit at night. All these improvements would benefit Florence citizens and visitors alike. 

I’m hosting a town hall at Companion Coffee Roasters (1210 N. Wood Ave in 7 Points) on Saturday, July 12th at 6:00 PM and invite everyone to attend. I hope to see you there! You can also reach out to me on Facebook or Instagram where you can find me @riverzurinskystar or by emailing me at electriverzurinsky@yahoo.com.