THANK YOU --- FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO SERVE YOU --THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND SUPPORT THROUGH THE YEARS --- AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TO CELEBRATE WITH US.
AS MOST KNOW, I BECAME MAYOR BY A VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL IN 1993.
LAST SEPTEMBER WAS THE 7TH TIME YOU --- THE REST OF THE CITIZENS OF GLENDALE --- HAVE VOTED TO KEEP ME SERVING YOU AS MAYOR OF GLENDALE.
THE HONOR AND THE PRIVILEGE AND THE JOY THAT YOUR CONFIDENCE AND SUPPORT HAVE GIVEN ME IS IMMEASURABLE.
IN PREPARING FOR THIS EVENING’S EVENT, I READ SOME OF MY PREVIOUS ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES. THE VERY FIRST ONE – THE ONE FROM FEBRUARY 23, 1993 – HAD SOME THOUGHTS THAT GAVE ME PAUSE.
GLENDALE HAD JUST CELEBRATED THE CENTENNIAL OF ITS FOUNDING IN 1992. TAKING OFFICE THE NEXT YEAR ON FEBRUARY 23, 1993 I SAID --- SO HERE WE ARE IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE SECOND CENTURY OF THE LIFE OF GLENDALE, ARIZONA. WHAT SHALL WE MAKE OF IT? I HOPE WE SHALL MAKE A CITY WHICH EXEMPLIFIES THE VERY BEST OF THE DREAMS AND VISIONS ALL 158,620 OF US HAVE FOR THIS PLACE WE CALL HOME.
WELL, THERE ARE ABOUT 100,000 MORE OF US NOW CALLING GLENDALE HOME. AND I SINCERELY HOPE THE MAJORITY OF YOU FEEL WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY TO MAKING OUR CITY THE BEST IT CAN POSSIBLY BE.
WE SURE HAVE BEEN TRYING HARD TO DO JUST THAT.
AND YOU --- OUR GLENDALE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS ---HAVE BEEN OUR PARTNERS AND OUR STRENGTH THROUGH IT ALL --- YOU HAVE MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO SURPASS EXPECTATIONS --- TO SUCCEED BEYOND IMAGINATIONS. TONIGHT I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE AND ARE DOING TO MAKE GLENDALE AS GREAT AS IT CAN BE.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING PART IN OUR MANY CIVIC PROGRAMS, LEARNING AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT HOW OUR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT WORKS AND THEN PUTTING THAT NEW KNOWLEDGE TO WORK BY BECOMING NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS, VOLUNTEERS, AND ACTIVISTS, AND CITY COUNCILMEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR BECOMING ENGAGED THROUGH OUR MANY CIVIC PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITIES --- ATTENDING MEETINGS, WATCHING CHANNEL 11, READING INFORMATION IN OUR MONTHLY CONNECTION NEWSLETTER, AND BEING AMONG THE MORE THAN ONE-QUARTER MILLION VISITORS WHO LOG ONTO OUR GLENDALEAZ.COM WEBSITE EVERY MONTH.
THANK YOU FOR WORKING ALONGSIDE US TO BUILD STRONG AND DYNAMIC NEIGHBORHOODS. OUR PARTNERSHIPS AFFIRM OUR MOTTO THAT, “YOU DON’T HAVE TO MOVE TO LIVE IN A BETTER NEIGHBORHOOD”.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DECISIONS TO APPROVE BOND ELECTIONS SO THAT NEW INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC FACILITIES CAN BE BUILT AND OLDER ONES RENOVATED AND EXPANDED.
OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS COMPLETED DURING THE PAST 16 YEARS HAVE BEEN AWESOME IN QUANTITY, QUALITY, AND PACE OF CONSTRUCTION. AND WE HAVE BEEN PAYING OFF THE BONDS SOLD FOR THESE PROJECTS AT AN ACCELERATED RATE.
THE BEST NEWS IS THAT WE HAVE LOWERED YOUR GLENDALE CITY PROPERTY TAX RATE 8 TIMES FOR A TOTAL REDUCTION OF 20% DURING THAT SAME TIME.
AND THANK YOU FOR DECIDING THAT IT IS WORTH IT TO YOU TO PAY AN EXTRA 9 CENTS ON EVERY DOLLAR SPENT IN GLENDALE IN ORDER TO HAVE THE ASSURANCE THAT OUR CITY’S PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRANSPORTATION NEEDS WILL KEEP PACE WITH NOT ONLY OUR POPULATION, BUT ALSO OUR EMERGENCE AS A DESTINATION CITY FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VISITORS EACH YEAR.
YOUR CHOICE TO PROVIDE NEW FUNDS EARMARKED SPECIFICALLY FOR POLICE, FIRE, HOMELAND SECURITY, STREETS, AND TRANSIT SERVICES --- INCLUDING LIGHT RAIL IN THE FUTURE --- ARE ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT HAVE KEPT GLENDALE FROM HAVING TO MAKE THE KINDS OF DRASTIC CUTBACKS THAT OTHER CITIES HAVE BEEN MAKING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
AND, FINALLY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR OVERWHELMING SUPPORT AND ENTHUSIASM FOR DECISIONS THE COUNCILMEMBERS AND I MADE STARTING BACK IN 2001. THOSE DECISIONS PUT GLENDALE ON THE PATH TO CREATING WHAT WE NOW CALL OUR “SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT”.
WHILE RESIDENTS IN OTHER CITIES WERE DOING EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO THREATEN THEIR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, YOU OPENED YOUR ARMS TO OPPORTUNITY.
WE, YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, KNEW THAT THE PHOENIX COYOTES AND THE ARIZONA CARDINALS AND THE WESTGATE DEVELOPMENT,AND THE FIESTA BOWL, AND THE PROSPECT OF NUMEROUS MEGA-EVENTS WOULD BE A FOUNDATION FOR GLENDALE TO EXPAND OUR IDENTITY AS A TOURIST DESTINATION --- AND WOULD ALSO LEAD TO FUTURE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES. YOU BELIEVED THAT TOO. AND YOUR OPTIMISM AND YOUR FAITH WERE WELL PLACED.
HERE ARE A FEW FACTS THAT I PRESENTED AT THE GLENDALE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE’S ANNUAL LUNCHEON LAST WEEK. IN NOVEMBER, THE RENAISSANCE GLENDALE HOTEL AND SPA MARKED ITS ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH REPORTS OF $20 MILLION IN REVENUE; 100 SOLD OUT NIGHTS; AND 600 PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES AND CONVENTIONS IN THEIR VERY FIRST YEAR --- ALL EXCEEDING INITIAL PROJECTIONS.
WESTGATE CITY CENTER NOW HAS MORE THAN 2.5 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED AND OCCUPIED.
ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27 OUR CITY-OWNED ARENA CELEBRATED ITS FIVE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY AND MEMORIES OF WHAT SEEMED TO BE A HUGE BUILDING STANDING ALONE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FARM FIELD ARE NOW VERY HARD TO VISUALIZE.
ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28 THE ARIZONA CARDINALS COMPLETED THEIR THIRD REGULAR SEASON OF SOLD-OUT GAMES IN GLENDALE --- AND ALL OF ARIZONA IS THRILLED TO HONOR THEM AS THE NFC WEST DIVISION CHAMPIONS.
ON MONDAY, JANUARY 5 THE FIESTA BOWL CAME BACK TO GLENDALE FOR THE THIRD YEAR AND BROUGHT ANOTHER EXCITING GAME AND MORE TOURISTS AND OTHER VISITORS TO GLENDALE.
AND --- ON SUNDAY THE CARDINALS WILL BE PLAYING FOR THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP --- RIGHT HERE IN GLENDALE ARIZONA --- AND THERE WILL BE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE STAYING IN HOTELS, EATING IN RESTAURANTS AND SHOPPING IN GLENDALE BECAUSE OF THAT ONE GAME.
THE ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT IS GLENDALE’S SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT PRODUCED $10.1 MILLION IN REVENUE FOR OUR CITY DURING THE PAST FISCAL YEAR --- A GOOD BEGINNING FOR THE AREA’S NEWEST AND BEST VENUES.
AND THE REVENUE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AS GLENDALE’S VENUES CONTINUE TO GROW.
OUR ACTIONS --- WHICH THANKFULLY HAD YOUR SUPPORT --- ARE ANOTHER REASON WHY GLENDALE HAS BEEN ABLE TO STAVE OFF MORE SEVERE COST CUTTING MEASURES SO FAR IN OUR CITY. OUR ACTIONS CREATED NEW WAYS FOR OUR CITY TO EARN THE REVENUES NEEDED TO PROVIDE THE TYPES AND QUALITY OF SERVICES THAT YOU WANT, NEED, AND DESERVE.
I DON’T NEED TO TALK TONIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG WITH THE NATIONAL, STATE, AND LOCAL ECONOMIES. WE ARE ALL LIVING THIS NIGHTMARE.
TONIGHT IS A TIME FOR NEW BEGINNINGS AND, I FEEL, A TIME FOR US TO LOOK FORWARD. JUST AS WE CREATED NEW VIBRANCY AND NEW DIRECTIONS IN 2001 AND 2002, WE MUST NOW WORK TO STRENGTHEN OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICIES AND PROGRAMS AND EXPAND OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN WAYS THAT WILL RESULT IN SUSTAINED GROWTH.
YOUR CITY COUNCIL HAS GIVEN DIRECTION TO OUR CITY MANAGER TO IMPLEMENT TWO SPECIFIC ACTIONS. ONE YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH AND THE OTHER YOU WILL PROBABLY BE HEARING FOR THE FIRST TIME.
THE ONE YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH IS OUR GLENDALE CENTERLINE PROJECT. THIS IS OUR ALMOST-YEAR-OLD EFFORT TO DEVELOP SPECIFIC, FEASIBLE, AND PRODUCTIVE PLANS FOR THE REVITALIZATION OF PROPERTIES ALONG GLENDALE AVENUE FROM 43RD TO 67TH AVENUES.
THE GLENDALE CENTERLINE PROJECT CAME OUT OF OUR 2007 CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC GOAL SETTING MEETING. WE ARE UNANIMOUSLY DEDICATED TO ITS SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION.
THE GLENDALE CITY COURT COMPLEX BEING BUILT ON GLENDALE AVENUE IS THE FIRST OF WHAT WILL BE MANY, MANY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT WILL BRING NEW ECONOMIC LIFE TO OUR NAMESAKE STREET.
I KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT ARE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATING IN THE CREATION OF A NEW PLAN FOR GLENDALE’S CENTERLINE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR THE TRUE CARING INTEREST YOU HAVE IN OUR CITY --- THAT IS WHAT BRINGS YOU TO VOLUNTEER TIME AND AGAIN IN SO MANY WAYS. YOUR SERVICE IS INVALUABLE.
AT OUR COUNCIL’S 2008 STRATEGIC GOAL SETTING SESSION, THE SEVEN OF US CALLED FOR A HALF-DAY MEETING WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF TO DISCUSS OUR IDEAS AND OUR DESIRE TO ASSIST IN EFFORTS TO BUILD GLENDALE’S ECONOMY.
AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, THERE ARE DIVERSE PRIORITIES.
BUT ALL IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS ARE FOCUSED ON THE SAME RESULT ---- A STRONGER GLENDALE ECONOMY.
MY INTERESTS ARE THE SAME AS I HAVE EXPRESSED FOR MORE THAN A DECADE. HOW CAN WE BRING MORE WELL-PAYING JOBS INTO GLENDALE? MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS AGREED THAT IS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY. IF WE DIDN’T WANT TO BE ATTRACTING JOBS, PARTICULARLY OFFICE JOBS, WHY ELSE WOULD WE HAVE APPROVED SEVERAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS UP AND DOWN THE 101 FREEWAY IN OUR WESTERN AREA --- WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SQUARE FEET OF ZONING FOR OFFICE USES?
WHILE GLENDALE SURPASSES OUR PEER CITIES IN SO MANY MEASURES, WE LAG FAR BEHIND IN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
IT WAS REPORTED AT LAST WEEK’S CHAMBER LUNCHEON THAT IN SCOTTSDALE AND TEMPE, THERE IS ONE OFFICE JOB FOR EVERY THREE RESIDENTS. IN PHOENIX, THERE IS ONE JOB FOR EVERY SIX RESIDENTS.
HOWEVER, IN GLENDALE THERE IS ONLY ONE OFFICE JOB FOR EVERY 50 GLENDALE RESIDENTS. WE MUST CHANGE THAT RATIO.
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE COUNCILMEMBERS AND I WENT FORWARD WITH SPORTS-ORIENTED PROJECTS WAS TO PROVIDE THE AMENITIES THAT BUSINESSES WANT FOR AND ALSO TO DRAW ATTENTION TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I AM SURE YOU WILL AGREE THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED ---AND ARE CONTINUING TO RECEIVE --- TREMENDOUS NATIONAL ATTENTION --- THE KIND THAT CAN BE TURNED INTO SOLID ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WINS --- NOW IS THE TIME TO CONCENTRATE ON REAPING THE REWARDS THAT SHOULD BE COMING FROM BEING IN THE NATIONAL BUSINESS LIMELIGHT.
THE COUNCILMEMBERS AND I ARE ANXIOUS TO GET TO WORK AND LOOK FORWARD TO OUR UPCOMING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY SESSION DURING THIS FIRST QUARTER OF 2009.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOMETHING GOOD OF THE TERRIBLE ECONOMIC SITUATION WE ARE ALL IN. WE MUST NOT WAIT.
IN JUST A YEAR FROM NOW, IN 2010, GLENDALE WILL CELEBRATE THE CENTENNIAL OF ITS INCORPORATION AS A CITY. SO HERE WE ARE --- JUST A YEAR AWAY FROM THE SECOND CENTURY OF THE LIFE OF THE CITY OF GLENDALE, ARIZONA. WHAT SHALL WE MAKE OF IT? I HOPE WE SHALL MAKE A CITY WHICH EXEMPLIFIES THE VERY BEST OF THE DREAMS AND VISIONS ALL OF US HAVE FOR THIS PLACE WE CALL HOME.
IN CLOSING, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK YOU FOR THE CARDS AND NOTES AND FLOWERS AND PRAYERS SO MANY OF YOU SENT TO MY HUSBAND LARRY AND I DURING OUR VERY SAD 2008. YOUR SUPPORT HAS MEANT SO VERY MUCH.
NOW, LET’S KEEP WORKING TOGETHER AND GROWING GLENDALE GREAT.
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