STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS
“The Golden Age of Greenwood, Arkansas”.
“The ‘Firsts’ in Our History and the History of our Finest Days”
January 7, 2008
Mrs. Cabe, Mr. City Attorney Hamby, members of the City Council, City Department Heads, citizens of Greenwood:
One year and six days ago in this room, those facing you were sworn into office having been elected to serve and to accept my challenge to “Build a better Greenwood” and to keep a campaign promise to “Restore Greenwood” to a community of which we could all be justly proud. Work on all of that continues and the triumphs and tragedies of that year are the subject of another presentation and another printing. You will read it and, no doubt read responses to it. How we spent the first year in office is for another time. This is the state of the City today…..
I think it can truthfully be said that, when the next history of our community is written, this will be known as the “Golden Age” of life in Greenwood, Arkansas and not just because it took more gold than ever to operate it! Let me point to specifics that go beyond school recognition, the record setting State Championships and the continued economic growth.
For the first time in years, this City Council and I have given you a balanced budget wherein expenses do not exceed revenues. Finance Director Dallas Melvin has worked many hours in preparation of a document that does not require us to dip in to our cash reserves to live within our means. We vowed last year to not touch cash reserves and the only times we did was to pay off expenses of the previous years. The Department Directors and I tightened our belts at City hall to allow for funding to the Boys & Girls Club and the Senior Citizen’s Center. Even with those commitments, our finances are in better shape than they have been in since this building was constructed…that is restoring Greenwood.
For the first time in memory, our water is near perfect by state standards. Greg Cross, Director of Water and Waste Water, boasts scientific numbers that were unthinkable before he headed up the stalled completion of the new treatment plant. Experts and politicians will never agree on whether we needed that plant, but, no can disagree with Greg’s results. The Water/Waste Water Advisory Committee of concerned citizens will continue to look into the future for our next generation of water users and for the first time in the history of Greenwood, that committee and the City and the Staff are cooperating with each other and taking each other’s advice ....that builds a better Greenwood!
Waterlines are being replaced as part of a multi-million dollar project to stop leaks, identify weaknesses and increase the water pressure for homes and firefighting capability. This is all part of a plan that I cannot and will not take credit for. What I am proud of is letting Tim Posey tell me as Water Distribution Director how that money can be spread and not letting politics dictate. Tim has stopped work where lines were in good shape, not replaced them where not needed and added fire hydrants for better fire protection and using monies that he has saved to replace old tuberculated lines across the fields between here and the plant so that the excellent water being made will not be ruined and made to smell bad in old corroded lines…a safer Greenwood is a better Greenwood.
Cities grow. Good ones do. As our community grows, crime (violent and non-violent) grows with it. The expansion of our boundaries means more than just increased revenues. It means more to patrol and more residents to keep safe. Weekly, I receive calls about kindnesses and professionalism in our police force, now 22 strong. Police Chief Keith Jackson is receiving statewide recognition for his efforts. He has been named to the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police and a charter member of the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Group. He is one of three Chiefs selected for the six state region. Even unpopular moves like reduced speed limits are handled with the utmost courtesy. This year will see the construction of the stoplight at Denver and Highway 71 in response to their efforts. Our force has demonstrated that traffic controls there saves lives. Another fulltime School Resource Office has been added to help with safety at our award winning schools. Those badges will improve not just the safety of lives but the quality of life as well because this year’s budget provides for the addition of a fulltime code enforcement officer. For the first time in the history of Greenwood the police department will devote the fulltime efforts of a uniformed officer to see to it that the property values of our citizens do not suffer due to those who lack the pride to keep up their property. To build a better Greenwood, we must demonstrate our belief that appearances matter. Our schools aren’t junked up, neither are the cities we compete with for the finest citizens to move into. Greenwood will not be junked up either in this “Golden Age”. My standard response to those types of complaints is, “If I wouldn’t want to live next door to it, I don’t expect you to have to either”. That is what is meant by “restoring Greenwood”. Our Planning Commission and Planning Department has a role in that as well.
This Council has backed up the Planning Commission on the enforcement of codes and ordinances and the able City Planning and Development Director Steve Tedford is agreeing with the broadening of his duties this year. The GIS and other technologies that we have at our disposal will enable the growth of our community to be planned along the lines of the dreams of our forefathers, not the whims of economic opportunism. Steve works with every department head in mapping the future of our community. The furthering of the objectives for parks and trails and green spaces among developments for business and housing make for the type community we want to pass on to our children and theirs.
For the first time in the history of Greenwood, the City has a fulltime Parks and Recreation Director. Doug Kinslow brings many years of this type experience to the job and has been a spearhead and a unifying force with the hard working Parks Committee of volunteers to see to the implementation of the long range Parks projects. Continuation of the Trails program has started from the Green Caboose to Denver Street and beyond. The purchase and development of Ossie Louise Park is ongoing and at long last work is beginning on pavilions and other improvements in Bell Park. The sales tax dollars being collected are being invested wisely for amenities. We have received word that this year we are actually in the running for the Outdoor Recreation Matching Grant that has been pursued for so many years. If Doug’s presentation is as successful as I think it was, we will get $125,000.00 in state money for the further development of Bell Park’s promenade around the bluff of the mountain.
Working in every phase of the City’s current programs is Don Keyes and his staff at the Street Department. Don will oversee the new recycling project, set to begin any day. The Street Department decorates the Town Square for the holidays, maintains the City’s property, mows parks and rights of way and oversees construction projects for everything we do. When the low lying areas of our community flooded last this fall, the Street Department guys were chest deep in water right along beside the Police and me helping people out of their flooded homes. Don Keyes and his crews will never be forgotten by those flood victims for their help in the pre-dawn hours and the cleanup afterward. Those tragedies make for some golden moments too when helping fellow townspeople in need. It’s a good town to live in when disaster strikes. Don is working with me and the engineers on a potential traffic relief solution that we hope to unveil to the City Council in the next few months. He is also monitoring bridge replacement programs like the one to begin soon on Denver Street and the installation of the stoplight at Denver and Highway 71 upon which work has now begun. As I pointed out with the Police, a safer Greenwood is a better Greenwood for us all.
For the first time in Greenwood history, the City has a fulltime Fire Chief. Chief Stewart Bryan is putting excitement into fire safety and is seeing to it that the Greenwood Fire Department is highly visible in the community through fire prevention programs, youth awareness and firefighter training. A new Fire Department Sub-Station is under construction on the east side of town and property is being identified for a similar facility on the west side of Greenwood. With this activity, a fulltime firefighting staff is right around the corner. The fulltime Chief, sub-stations and new waterlines for increased water pressure will reduce the ISO rating in Greenwood resulting in lower insurance costs to our citizens. Increased safety and responsible spending of the sales tax dollars is a commitment from the City Council and from me.
Involvement from the Citizens of Greenwood makes a statement far greater than I can articulate about life here. The new Community Improvements Committee meets monthly to put into action ideas like lighting the businesses around the square at Christmas, the “Santa’s House” this coming Christmas, the area’s best Farmer’s Market and visual improvements to beautify our town with the help of the Greenwood Garden Club and the efforts begun on the finest Veteran’s Memorial of any town around. Public sentiment put into action.
Better, more abundant water, safer streets, increased fire protection, parks and walking trails, protection of property values through code enforcement, civic involvement in the Parks Committee, Water Committee, Community Improvements Committee, funding for youth activities, funding for senior citizens activities-all within our budget that balances without dipping into our cash reserves builds a better Greenwood than ever before. A committed City Council and talented department heads are helping me keep promises. I appreciate the almost daily calls, notes and visits telling me what a great job this Council and I are doing for the City of Greenwood and I look forward to this year in the finest of our times. Thank you and may God continue to bless Greenwood, Arkansas.