PADUCAH, KY - Newly-installed Paducah Mayor Gayle Kaler said the city's in great shape financially and she plans to continue cost-saving measures to save taxpayers' money while also being prepared for the future.

During a speech Thursday morning at the Paducah Chamber of Commerce Power in Partnership breakfast, Mayor Kaler said she's looking forward to the new hotel downtown, along with the continued improvements in the Lowertown and Fountain Avenue neighborhoods.

Moving forward, Kaler said she wanted to place an emphasis on job procurement, and making sure the city has the readiness and flexibility to do what it needs to attract new jobs. She asked the city's partners, including the county, to join as a team to help achieve common goals.

For his part, McCracken County Judge Executive Van Newberry pledged to work with the city to achieve those common goals. Newberry noted he believes 2013 will be a year when we'll see an increase in infrastructure needed to help the county lure expanding businesses and industries.

Newberry said the county also faces challenges in keeping the gaseous diffusion plant as viable as possible for as long as possible. Another challenge, according to Newberry, will be trying to improve services, without increasing the county's budget.