Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy delivered the 2011 State of the City address Tuesday evening, reflecting on the many accomplishments of 2010 while outlining new goals for the upcoming year.
The overall theme of the event focused on the effects of the recession and how Eugene succeeded in many of its goals despite more than $17 million in budget cuts over the last two years.
“There is no doubt that in 2010, the economy was our number one issue,” Piercy said. “City finances remained tight, and regular services were more difficult to provide. But we recognized that with crisis comes opportunity and accomplished an amazing amount given the times.”
Piercy cited a long list of achievements, referencing new jobs and facilities in the public safety sector, an improved infrastructure through numerous road repairs and a continued interest in sustainability. Piercy also emphasized five renovation projects currently under way in downtown Eugene, which together stand for $100 million in new investment in the area.
This success pleased many in the audience, including Eugene Water and Electric Board employee Tom Williams.
“I really like the momentum they’ve started in the downtown, and I hope they can continue to deliver on that,” Williams said. “It’s been a long time coming.”
In addition to these projects, Piercy listed a number of new objectives the city hopes to achieve during 2011. Among them include new projects for the homeless, more investment in the visual arts and programs aimed at assisting public schools during the state’s forecasted education cuts. However, Piercy said the most important initiative will continue to be job creation and the reduction of the unemployment rate.
“People must have jobs,” Piercy said. “They need jobs that pay well and keep this community unique, healthy, clean and strong. We have a lot to build on, and we will continue to make adjustments as we move forward.”
In addition to laying out new goals, the evening also featured the swearing in of the 2011 city council. The council brought on two new officials and said goodbye to two-term member Jennifer Solomon. Solomon received ample praise from Piercy and other colleagues for the time she served. Solomon expressed her gratitude for having served, but she insisted the main contributors to a vibrant city are the residents themselves.
“As leaders, we have put out a compelling vision, but it is the businesses and citizens that must finance that vision,” Solomon said. “A truly high quality of life is one where people choose to live at a better standard, not where they are forced to.”
Besides Solomon, a number of other employees and community groups received recognition during the event. Organizations like Envision Eugene, the Courthouse Community Garden and the Summer in the City team were given awards for their work. Piercy reserved extra praise for the Climate and Energy Action Plan team, which along with the city has helped reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 10 percent.
As Eugene begins to implement its plans for 2011, Piercy remains hopeful that successes like these can continue, despite a slowly recovering economy. She looks forward to the next year with the continued optimism, and an undying appreciation for the city.
“Eugene is a great place, full of talented people and resources,” Piercy said, “and we recognize that while we strain to deal with the lasting effects of the recession, we must also plan for a better and more prosperous future.”
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Piercy gives praise for accomplishments in the State of the City address
Daily Emerald
January 4, 2011
Aaron Marineau
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