Jerry Abramson, already the longest serving mayor in Louisville's history with 16 years in office, has told the Louisville Rotary Club he plans to seek reelection.

Thirteen of the sixteen years were as mayor of the City of Louisville. After a break as a private citizen, Abramson returned to office as mayor of the combined Louisville city-county Metro government.

Abramson said by telling his reelection intentions he was not yet making a "formal announcement" of candidacy, but instead wanted to underscore his commitment to stay on the job to "create a quality of life that lifts Louisville to the top tier of America's cities."

Abramson delivered his speech Jan. 20, the same day U.S. President George W. Bush was sworn in for a second term.

He outlined both short-term and long-term goal for Louisville.. For the year ahead, his plans include:

•Bringing on-line the initial phase of the MetroSafe emergency communications system and renovating the former Federal Reserve Bank as its headquarters

•Detailing a long-term plan for expanding and enhancing parks and adding recreational offerings for citizens throughout the community

•Starting more than $30 million in long-needed improvements to park buildings, swimming pools, sidewalks, firehouses and community buildings

•Continuing progress on $125 million in neighborhood drainage improvements with the second phase of Project DRI, the Drainage Response Initiative.

Over the long term, he said he plans to pursue goals that will require considerable investment, among them:

•To lift up educational attainment across our community

•To improve air quality 

•To reverse decades of decline in some of our neighborhoods

   —Donald H. Harrison