More Good News

Yesterday we looked at some of the good things that have been and are happening in the City. I want to conclude that topic today and move on to more specific issues.

Most of the positive trends I discussed yesterday were endorsed or supported by Mayor Voigts. He and I have disagreed on many issues, but no one can deny that he has been an active Mayor and one who has championed small businesses to a greater extent than any previous Mayor. He shows up at every grand opening, even though sometimes there are several in one week's time, and he has a remarkable ability to remember people’s names and make them feel welcomed.

Voigts has also been a consensus leader, trying to get the Council to agree on contentious issues, although this hasn’t always been possible. Voigts certainly deserves credit for being civil and courteous at all times and not losing his grace under pressure and the demands of leadership.  And, like a good task master, he’s kept the Council in their seats until way past normal times to end meetings, making certain everyone has been heard and everything on the agenda has been thoroughly addressed.

Voigt’s endorsement of the idea of a dog park helped get the item on the agenda for the Parks and Recreation Commission.  He did the very same with the Traffic Commission, Community Garden, revamping the City's Website, synchronization traffic lights throughout the city, modifying many corners to make them ADA compliant, modernizing the City's unpopular Sign Ordinance, examining the Village Pond, and legislating many ordinances to make our city a finer place to live and do business.

Perhaps most of all, Voigts’ championship of the Sports Park has kept this vital project on a steady course, and the timely completion in a few months from now will be, in a great part, due to his leadership.

One can easily say that under Voigts, the City Council has taken on more new challenges than ever before, yet maintaining the projects already under way. That being said, we have a long way to go, and there have been false starts, wasted opportunities, and squandered resources. We are doing better, but we can do even better going forward.

Tomorrow, we’ll turn our attention to why the City spends so little money on people and businesses in the City.