Florence Mayor Ervin Releases Statement On Death Of City Employee

Mayor Ervin and City Manager Osterman provided statements regarding the loss of Penny Phillips

Following the tragic events of Monday, December 21st, city employees are taking necessary steps required for healing and moving forward without a valued member of the City Team.

Mayor Ervin reflected on a recent encounter with Ms. Phillips with the following statement:

“When I met Ms. Phillips, I was greeted with an infectious smile and excitement. She expressed a desire to impact our community and had many aspirations to make change happen. In her spirit, we will strive to continue her mission, but for a moment we will pause to heal as a family and a community.”

City Manager, Randy Osterman, spoke on behalf of City of Florence employees with the following statement:

“The loss of Ms. Phillips is incomprehensible. Our employees are the most valuable part of our organization. To lose an employee is to lose a member of our family. Our organization grieves with the entire Phillips family. Those who have worked closely with Ms. Phillips are still coping with this tragic loss. This senseless act has left our staff with a tremendous amount of guilt and helplessness. Our employee base and community will be forever impacted by her loss and the events of that tragic day.”

The City of Florence mourns the loss of one of their own and extends the deepest sympathy to her family and friends.