Curtis Maglinger spent several years alongside his father Larry Maglinger serving Owensboro in a plethora of positions. Now, he, said it’s time for him to make an impact in his own right, as he’s filed to run in the the City Commission race in 2024.
“It really made me want to serve Owensboro as well,” Curtis said of his experience working with Larry, who died in April 2023 while serving his third term as a Commissioner. “I’ve got a lot of the same views as Larry, but I am my own person. I just want to continue keeping Owensboro the best place to live, raise a family, and work.”
Maglinger, 49, said that one of the areas he aims to focus on is the foundation for and support of small businesses. As the CEO of Custom Audio-Video — a local company founded in 1976 by Larry — Curtis said the current resources for small businesses are good, but more can be done.
He said many people do not realize that small businesses are “the foundation lifeline of all communities.” So one of the biggest areas for improvement, in his opinion, is not just supporting existing small businesses but also helping new ones find their footing.
He said part of that comes starts talent retention.
“We [need to retain] employees with good education by helping with any of the colleges around here for our workforce development,” Maglinger said.
Aside from small business development efforts, he said he hopes to continue the efforts to “build Owensboro’s success,” pointing at filling empty buildings downtown along with developing the Northwest Neighborhood and south end of Frederica Street.
Maglinger said he knows he can be a strong leader for the City should he get elected to the Commission. He noted that he will make a consistent effort to ensure his decisions align with constituents’ wishes when changes are on the horizon.
Maglinger said, “I know I’ll be a strong leader for the city of Owensboro by listening to others and writing down things and trying to be a voice [for them].”
