Total Fanboy post coming here but when you have sat in a chair eating $20 dry chicken next to a banker for 10 years hoping a plan showed up, today was an absolute delight. It is like the pinnacle of a highly anticipated leadership change and launching point for residents and investors to expect big things over the next years. Wow we heard so much from leading a big hard working staff to specific plans on downtown parcels and everything was right on point. So I will share a couple of items that stood out and we will begin to see come to fruition in a stalled out ready to go town. If “Let’s Go!” ever had a place, this is it.
Downtown – Mayor Willis understands how important it is to only identify a city center but also create a place that will drive density and commerce. We heard about mixed use developments that he intends to work with developers on to make really cool and uniques spaces to live and work. He pegged our 4 quadrants that need long overdue attention and will be targeted for redevelopment. He is planning and designing versus hoping and praying. Lets Go!
Grand Park – Ya its all we have heard for 8 years and it was nice to get a little break from it and the confusing math that seems to come along with it. Lets Go!
Teamwork – Mayor Willis has been a leader and as a professional recruiter he refuses to let good and loyal city people continue to be picked off by neighboring communities and the private sector. We need to hang on to the good ones through work environment and pay. It is time to compete on every level and starting with staffing is cool to hear. I have had the pleasure of working with many great people in city government and hope they stick around to see this through. Let’s Go!
Money and Greed – Mayor Willis has plans for the hard earned money the city collects from us residents and taxpayers beyond a silly rainy day fund. He talked about rewarding us with a better infrastructure and investing in our amenities and responsible use of what they recieve from us. This is important because sitting on 10’s of millions of dollars in case the world falls in, does nothing for a community that is blowing up and acts poor. TIme to put that cash to work in the best way possible. One thing he did point out that I have faced professionally head on lately is the money grab by land owners. He is going to go toe to toe with investors holding up progress and ripping off the city. Lets Go!
I had the pleasure of sitting with My sweet daughter Mac today at the event and she even recognized the importance of this strategy and that it sounds like all the stuff we have been talking about for the last decade is now on the books. I really think our best years are ahead and we will be #bestfield. Stay tuned and be sure to pay attention as a resident, an investor or a business owner as this is what you have been waiting and hoping for. We may be on to something.