Retirement

Police Chief Ernie Kelty announced his retirement at the Harrodsburg City Commission meeting on Monday. Kelty has been a member of the Harrodsburg Police Department since 1984. "This is harder than I thought it was going to be to turn this in," he said. Kelty said he is looking forward to his retirement and spending more time with his family. Members of the commission shook Kelty's hand and thanked him for his years of service when he turned in his retirement letter to Mayor Lonnie Campbell at the meeting.

Members of the Winchester Municipal Utilities Commission plan to work closely with staff as the utility moves forward in the absence of its top manager, the commission chairman reported Thursday. Chairman Doug Oliver said he and WMU Commissioner Mike Anderson plan to meet with the utility's staff this morning to address concerns in light of the sudden retirement of WMU General Manger Vernon Azevedo, who completed his last day Thursday. In the meantime, the WMU Commission will need to discuss a process for filling the position, he said.

Danville Schools Board of Education meeting at Danville High School began with a bombshell, as longtime Superintendent Bob Rowland announced that he will be stepping down at the end of the year. His resignation will take effect on June 30. Rowland, 62, informed board of education members that he will retire after 12 years as superintendent during a meeting held in the cafeteria of the school where he began his work with the district as assistant principal in 1987. He cited a desire to spend time with family and his eligibility for retirement under the Kentucky State Teachers Retirement System after 33 years in education as factors that lead to the move.

Whenever you see people enjoying a comfortable retirement - traveling, volunteering, pursuing hobbies, taking up a new career - you can be pretty sure it all didn't happen by accident. In fact, success at retirement is similar to success in just about any endeavor - you have to plan for it. Of course, your planning could take many different forms. But, as you get close to retirement, you might find it easier to organize your efforts if you ask yourself these five key questions: - Where am I today?

Brenda Willoughby hit the ground running in 1991, when she started her tenure as park manager for Constitution Square State Historic Site. It was the Kentucky Bicentennial celebration year. Willoughby hasn't stopped since, and 17 years later, she's preparing to hand over the reins of Constitution Square. She says this with a smile despite moisture gathering in her eyes. "There's not going to be any change here - Constitution Square will be open for business," says Willoughby, whose retirement becomes official Dec. 31. "The only change is me. I'm going to ride off into the sunset with a smile on my face, singing 'Happy Trails to me.'" She pauses, then smiles.

Winchester city officials praised outgoing Fire-EMS Chief Danny Castle as an experienced and dedicated public servant while accepting his retirement Tuesday. Castle, who has served as chief for the past seven years, submitted his retirement to City Manager Ken Kerns on Monday. He will leave the position at the end of the month. "It's certainly been a pleasure for me to work with Chief Castle," Kerns said. "He's done an outstanding job, and we will be losing a lot of experience.

Sam Harp is retiring, but he's not through coaching football at Danville. Harp, 55, is officially retiring Wednesday after spending the last 32 years as a high school teacher and coach. However, after taking a required three-month leave, he will return as Danville's football coach and athletics director. "I am basically out for three months and then there are no big changes," said Harp, who has a 244-47 record and seven state championships since coming to Danville in 1988.

When most people ponder retirement, one of the good things they envision is ending their slavery to the alarm clock and waking up whenever they want. But that wasn't what Scott Strickland envisioned. In fact, he wanted just the opposite. "I had been an early riser for many years before I had retired, and getting up early was something I was going to keep doing afterward," said the 68-year-old Danville resident. Strickland retired in 2001 from a factory job in Harrodsburg.

HARRODSBURG - The halls of the Mercer County Courthouse were filled with hugs and good wishes Friday as longtime Sheriff Ralph Anderson hung up his badge and gun. Judging by Friday's reception, Anderson has made a lot of friends as a local kid who stuck around and dedicated his career to law enforcement, first as commonwealth's detective, then as a Mercer deputy and through three terms as sheriff, 30 years in all. That's a long time in...

Joe Gibson and Kay Berggren are now top brass. Last week, state Sen. Tom Buford of Nicholasville stopped in Danville to commission each of them a Kentucky Colonel. Berggren retired at the end of March as director of the Danville-Boyle County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Gibson retires this month as president of the Boyle County Industrial Foundation. Both jobs promoted the community. Gibson worked to attract industry and promote the industry already here. Berggren promoted the county and all its attractions as the place to visit, whether for fun or for business.