Mayor Dean Jessup delivered his State of the City address recently at the Garrison Conference Center. You can watch it here. Also, here is a summary of key points mentioned by the mayor.
Highlights from the 2014 State of the City Address
1. Announced balancing of the 2014 city budget.
2. Provided a three percent raise in 2013 for police officers and firefighters.
3. City financial rating upgraded by Standard & Poor’s to “A” with a stable outlook.
4. Contracted with Republic Services for trash-collection services, making it easier for residents to recycle.
5. Economic development projects including Blue Ribbon Transport, and Little Raymond’s Print Shop locating in Lawrence; the expected groundbreaking in May on an incubator-type office building at 56th Street and Lawrence Village Parkway, a $5.5 million, 36,000 sq. ft. building including a Jockamo’s Pizza.
6. Announced work started on a new water plant on Richardt Street and the dismantling of the obsolete water tower.
7. Announced remediation of wetlands next to Monarch Beverage Company for a new park.
8. Discussed Franklin Road upgrades. Three burned-out houses to be torn down then preliminary engineering work for the repaving of Franklin Road from Pendleton Pike to 56th Street.
9. Groundbreaking in August on first leg of the Oaklandon Trail, which eventually will complete a north-south route that traverses the city.
10. Announced reconstruction of the intersection at 59th Street and Sunnyside Road to improve traffic, and stop dangerous U-turns, and expectation that the old Village Pantry will be torn down.
11. Pursuing federal money to reconstruct 56th Street from Interstate 465 to the bridge at Lee Road.
12. Announced that Lawrence has been chosen as the site for the Hoosier Veterans’ Hall of Fame.
13. Announced that Lawrence named in the Marion County Public Library’s master plan as a logical location for a new library branch.
14. Filed paperwork to create the Community Foundation of Lawrence, Indiana.
15. Working to schedule “Fridays at the Fort” – a summer concert series – that could start in just a few weeks.
The complete speech is available for reading here: State of City 2014
