Mayor's Speech...

The road to success is always under construction.  Lily Tomlin

Local government plays a vital role in all our lives. Whether it is the provision of fire and police protection, medical and rescue services, library resources, community recreation, ensuring there’s water when we turn on the tap, wastewater services, streets and sidewalks, court and victim services, and so much more, local government provides many of the foundations on which our communities are built. Today we are building more foundation and celebrating the ground-breaking of the long awaited Willard Extension.

 

Introduce City Council Members: The Honorable Vice Mayor Karen Pfeifer, and Honorable Council Members Linda Norman, Duane Kirby and Terence Pratt are in attendance. Council Members Tim Elinski and James Chapman were unable to attend because of work responsibilities. Other guests include Yavapai County Supervisor Chip Davis; Joe Link, Shepherd Witzner; Cruz Rendon, Earthmovers; Frank Vocca, National Bank of Arizona; Richard Dehnert, Chamber of Commerce and Verde Valley Guidance Clinic; Verde Valley Cyclists Coalition (VVCC) and many great citizens including Bob Oliphant, Bob Richards, Bud Jurgensen, Bill Bowden and others! (Send me your name to add to the list!) We were also honored by having members of the Cottonwood Fire Department in attendance.

 

With this groundbreaking ceremony today, we are creating traditions, we are building community.

 

The City Council and I would like to thank our City Manager Doug Bartosh, who obviously, in his short six months on the job, takes pride in building community. He takes pride in excellent results. The past six months prove that the Mayor, City Council, City Manager, Department Heads and employees, working together, can accomplish truly great things on behalf of the very special citizens of Cottonwood. Special recognition for this project goes to Public Works Director Tim Costello and his engineer, Morgan Scott, and of course their administrative assistant, Barbara Herrick, inspector Dave Enright and Claude Lankford, Streets Supervisor.

 

The City Council especially thanks the city’s employees for their diligence and work in creating a city of excellence. Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it, and our employees give their best every day. Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” Serving our citizenry is work worth doing, and every single city employee provides something of importance to our citizens.

 

The construction of this new street will make life better, and the route a little shorter and safer, for the city’s residents, and our friends in the county, too.

 

As Director Costello stated, the street will feature Bike Lanes and pedestrian sidewalks.

 

City Council and staff completed city projects in the past year that have enhanced the livability and quality of life in Cottonwood:

 

The City completed the design and construction of Aspen Street from 11th Street to Main Street, adding a sidewalk and bicycle lanes.

 

The City of Cottonwood's 2007 rubberized chip seal project is now completed. The rubberized seal included liquid asphalt covered by a layer of small gravel that has been proven to extend the life of busy city streets. Streets sealed were Cottonwood, Cypress, Date, Elm, Seventh, Eighth, Tenth, Five Star Blvd, Marauder, Camino Real and Rio Mesa. During budget discussions, Council designated the Main and Mingus area for this year’s pavement preservation program.

 

This coming budget year the City Council and staff have an ambitious streets program. We plan to finish the Willard Extension, and we have set aside money for the Paula Street Reconstruction and the West Mingus Avenue Reconstruction. Plans are to complete the 12^th Street CDBG Reconstruction between Mingus and Birch, and Council has stepped up its intention to complete 12^th Street between 89A and Fir with NACOG assistance. Former plans called for the street to be completed in 2011, but Council and staff would like to see that advanced because of the obvious need.

 

In closing, as your mayor, I would encourage all of you to shop locally. Supporting our local merchants and businesses helps your City government build these streets, bike lanes, and sidewalks on your behalf. Shopping locally helps us fund police and fire protection. Supporting our local businesses provides quality of life services like our library, city parks, recreation programs, and the CAT transit system. You make all the difference by shopping locally.

 

I will close with an Irish Blessing: “May you have warm words on a cool evening, a full moon on a dark night and a smooth road all the way to your door.”