Alan Keck celebrates first-term accomplishments and shares plans for building an even better Somerset
Somerset Mayor Alan Keck announced today he will seek re-election in 2022, continuing to build upon the historic growth he and his team have achieved in his hometown during his first term.
“I’m proud of accomplishing what we set out to do four years ago and that we went beyond what we dreamed to make Somerset a place for all generations,” Keck said. “But so much work remains. It’s not time to rest on our laurels. We have to look to the future as we keep building a Somerset that will thrive for decades to come.”
After running a campaign to unify Somerset and light it up through tourism, economic development, and community spirit, Keck and his team have led a period of exceptional change to reignite the community’s economy. Keck campaigned to improve the culture at city hall, invest in first responders and reimagine economic development through downtown revitalization and promoting Somerset to recruit new industry. On all of these pillars, Keck and his team have been successful by leading in the following ways:
- Saving $1 million in payroll and benefits while also giving employee raises.
- Building a positive environment where employees feel empowered to lead and make decisions.
- Making record investment in the city’s police force when the rest of the country was pushing to defund these agencies by giving raises, adding new officers and providing much-needed equipment.
- Investing in downtown revitalization by commissioning outdoor murals, improving streetscapes, building a downtown farmers’ market and taking the lead in the renovation of the Virginia Theater. In his first term, eight new businesses opened downtown and four more are on the way, many of them female-led.
- Promoting the community’s artists and musicians and investing in tourism by hosting four free festivals downtown annually.
- Recruiting more than $200 million in new business, including the community’s first bourbon distillery and indoor ag-tech facility.
- Improving the city’s overall financial health through proper fiscal management.
As he looks to the future, Keck said his focus is on executing infrastructure projects that are currently in the pipeline — more than $19 million has been approved to make Somerset safer and more connected — as well as exploring opportunities for sports tourism, enhancing parks and recreation facilities, recruiting new housing developments and engaging in programs that elevate workforce development.
“We have some important projects underway to improve stormwater drainage, utility access, wastewater treatment and walkability, and I want to see these through,” Keck said. “But we also need to look at ways we can fill a record number of existing jobs, recruit new jobs and build housing options for people of all walks of life. Providing these opportunities can also have a significant impact on drug use and homelessness in Somerset, issues that need our immediate attention.”
Finding new ways to attract visitors is also important, Keck said, as tourism is the No. 1 industry in Somerset as the capital of Lake Cumberland. He believes the community can capitalize on a nationwide increase in sports tourism spending by providing more facilities for indoor and outdoor sports.
At the heart of all of this work is Keck’s desire for continuous improvement in his community, and he is once again asking for residents’ support to keep building a better Somerset.
“It’s been the honor of my lifetime to serve and lead my hometown of Somerset as mayor,” Keck said. “We’ve done what we said we would do, and more. I want to keep going. I am excited to begin the next campaign and humbly ask for voters’ support so that we can continue lighting up this community and celebrating it for the gem that it is.”
For more information about Keck’s platform, visit keckforsomerset.com.
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