FLORENCE — Two candidates are in the running to become the next Florence mayor, a seat that hasn’t changed hands for more than 20 years.
Local optometrist Julie Metzger Aubuchon is eyeing the seat, an upgrade from her current position on city council and as vice-mayor. Meanwhile, Duane Froelicher is calling for change in Florence.
The two have overlapping qualities and goals – they both want to support public safety services, cut taxes, and support public amenities like local parks and the Florence Aquatic Center. Perhaps where they differ is their approach on their first day on the job.
“On day one, I don’t think that changing everything that we do is in the best interest of anyone, but I do think we need to look at our tax structure,” she said. “I think we need to look at every way we raise money and every way we spend money.”
Current Florence Mayor Diane Whalen has served for more than two decades, just like her father, Hop Ewing, who was mayor from 1960 until 1981.
After more than 20 years in office, Whalen’s long reign as mayor is part of the reason Froelicher is interested in the position.
“It’s time for change within the city of Florence,” Froelicher said. “I want to change the whole infrastructure within the city. You know, they talk about the deep state at the federal level. It’s worse at the local level. We’ve had one family run the city for over 50 years, and it’s time for change.”
While Aubuchon is a native of Florence, Froelicher has roots in Kenton County, but has lived in Florence for the last 40 years.
He said his great-grandfather, Adolph “Ott” Froelicher, was the first chief of the Kenton County Police Department. According to the police department’s records, he served from 1922 to 1927.
His family transplanted to Florence in 1977, “and we’ve been here ever since.”
Aubuchon has been the owner of Metzger Eye Care in Florence for 27 years, taking over for her father in 1995. She currently serves as vice mayor and has served on the Florence City Council since 1999.
Like current Mayor Diane Whalen, Aubuchon saw her father, Ferd Metzger, in public service, and it was his time on city council from 1986 to 1998 that encouraged her to run for office in the first place.
“I grew up here. My dad was on city council and he was also an optometrist, and my mom and dad both kind of instilled in us to get involved in the community,” she said.
Metzger also serves as the chair of the Planning and Zoning Committee, is a designee to Boone County Early Childhood Fund Board, and formerly served on the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments. She is also the previous chair of the Northern Kentucky Health Department.
Froelicher received a bachelor’s degree in marketing with a minor in mathematics from Northern Kentucky University. He was also a part of Northern Kentucky’s Chamber Leadership Class of 2011, and is the current president of the Florence Rotary Club. He attended Xavier University to earn an executive certificate in financial planning. Now, he is a financial planner running a firm in Florence.
Froelicher previously served on Florence City Council. He was elected to the council in 2005 and served three terms.
He said he was inspired to run for public office by his family’s history of involvement in local government, and by his experience in student government.
His desire, if elected as mayor, is to cut taxes on residents and utilize the city’s reserve funds to supplement the difference in revenue.
Froelicher said Florence can “cut taxes without cutting services.”
“Everything is going up. Inflation is at an all-time high, but we’ve got plenty of room to cut taxes to help out,” Froelicher said.
He said he also supports parks and recreation, particularly the Florence Aquatic Center, as well as continued investment in the local police department.
Aubuchon has a similar view of the city’s needs.
She said her involvement in the public sphere dates back to her participation in Junior Chamber. The organization is a leadership training course for professionals under 40. She said through Junior Chamber, she also met her husband of 16 years, Pat.
It is the combination of her experience in the Junior Chamber, her time on city council, and her 25 years as a local business owner that she believes would make her a good fit for mayor.
“I have traveled all over the country and to foreign countries representing my organization (National Junior Chamber),” Aubuchon said. “In 2005, when I was president, I traveled to 46 states in one year. So I have seen every take at a dog park, swimming pool, recreation center, partnerships with Rotary, Boys and Girls Club, boardwalks, lakes and fishing derbies, hometown festivals– every kind of thing in every kind of community that makes that community vibrant.”
Because of that “experience and exposure,” Aubuchon said she can draw on that to improve the city of Florence.
Aubuchon said she wants to “make sure our neighborhoods are vital” with access to parks and well-maintained streets and sidewalks.
Similar to her opponent, Aubuchon also supports continuing to invest in public safety, and said she was in favor of the recent approval of a fourth firehouse for the Florence Fire Department. She said the new addition will not only decrease response times, but lower insurance premiums for homeowners.
Having worked with Mayor Whalen across her tenure as mayor, Aubuchon said she would like to draw on Whalen’s experience when necessary and to create a smooth transition for the city.
She is also in favor of cutting taxes for Florence residents.
She said that combing through the Florence budget to find savings for taxpayers, and determine how the city can partner with local organizations to achieve better discounts, are some of her top priorities.
Aubuchon and Froelicher will see if Florence voters are as ready for change as he is in the General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
This story originally appeared on LINK NKY. Click here for more.
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