Mayor Jones' 2012 State of the City Address
Jun 22nd, 2012
MAYOR SAMUEL JONESSTATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS
JUNE 21, 2012
GOOD AFTERNOON! PLEASE ALLOW ME TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK MICHAEL PIERCE, CHAIRMAN OF THE MOBILE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS; WIN HALLETT, PRESIDENT/CEO OF THE CHAMBER; ITS BOARD AND STAFF FOR ASSISTING THE CITY/COUNTY IN THIS ANNUAL ENDEAVOR.
I’D LIKE TO ALSO RECOGNIZE THE MEMBERS OF THE MOBILE CITY COUNCIL; THE MOBILE COUNTY COMMISSION AND OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS.
DESPITE MANEUVERING THROUGH SOME OF THE TOUGHEST ECONOMIC TIMES IN DECADES – WITH REVENUES DECLINING AT A RAPID PACE, I AM STILL OPTIMISTIC THAT MOBILE’S FUTURE IS BRIGHT. FOR WE HAVE A STRONG FOUNDATION BUILT UPON AMENITIES THAT CAN WEATHER ANY STORM.
WE ARE STILL ONE OF THE STATE’S FASTEST GROWING CITIES WHERE JOBS ARE BEING CREATED FROM A GLOBAL MARKET. OUR PORT IS STILL THE ONLY DEEP-WATER PORT IN ALABAMA, AND IS THE 9TH LARGEST BY TONNAGE IN THE NATION. THE FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES AT OUR PORT IS LIMITLESS, NOTED RECENTLY BY SECURING A $12 MILLION GRANT FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO BEGIN SITE STABLIZATION FOR THE GARROWS BEND INTERMODEL CONTAINER TRANSFER FACILITY.
WE STILL HAVE SOME OF THE NATION’S FINEST ATTRACTIONS. FROM THE GULFQUEST MARITIME MUSEUM TO THE EXPLOREUM; OUR TOURISM AND CONVENTION MARKETS. THEY ARE BUSTLING AND STAND READY TO WELCOME THE DELEGATES OF THE WORLD LEISURE ORGANIZATION IN 2014. WE ARE THE FIRST AND ONLY U.S. CITY TO HOST THIS CONVENTION WHICH IS EXPECTED TO DRAW 4,500 VISITORS INTO OUR CITY. MOBILE HAS BECOME A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET. IN TWO MONTHS, THE MARINE CORP LEAGUE NATIONAL CONVENTION WILL BE IN MOBILE.
WE ARE PROUD TO FOSTER A WELCOME ENVIRONMENT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY – THE TYPE UNFOLDING AT THE MITCHELL CANCER INSTITUTE.
WE ARE A GREAT CITY, AND BIGGER THINGS ARE ON THE HORIZON – THEREFORE, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE RISE ABOVE THE NEGATIVES DESIGNED TO DIVIDE US AS A CITY. IT IS FUNDAMENTALLY OK TO DISAGREE, BUT WE CANNOT ALLOW POLITICS AND NAYSAYERS TO CHANGE WHAT WE KNOW IS GOOD AND SOUND GOVERNMENT.
IN THE PAST SEVEN (7) MONTHS, WE HAVE SPENT A LOT OF VALUABLE TIME DISCUSSING A PROJECTED GENERAL FUND DEFICIT IN OUR 2013 BUDGET. IT MERELY REQUIRES A SHORT TERM BRIDGE TO CONTINUE OUR COMPETITIVE STATUS AS A MAJOR PLAYER IN INDUSTRIAL RECRUITMENT, RETAIL DEVELOPMENT, TOURISM, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION AND JOB CREATION.
THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF COMPETITION AMONG CITIES IN THIS NATION. WE MUST COMPETE ON A LEVEL THAT PROJECTS US AS A VIBRANT COMMUNITY THAT CAN PROVIDE QUALITY SERVICES AND A GREAT QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR CITIZENS AND PROSPECTIVE CITIZENS AND VISITORS.
A FIRST IMPRESSION IS USUALLY A LASTING IMPRESSION THAT CAN DEFINE OUR IMAGE FOR YEARS TO COME.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, IT HAS BEEN RATHER TROUBLING TO SEE THE IMAGE OF CITY EMPLOYEES – MANY OF WHOM ARE CITIZENS ALSO – TAINTED. WE HAVE MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES WORKING IN DIRE SITUATIONS, PERFORMING TWO OR THREE PEOPLE’S JOBS – WITH LITTLE RESOURCES. WE HAVE ALREADY, SEVERELY, CUT THEIR OPERATIONAL BUDGETS. AND MORE BUDGET CUTS ARE ON THE WAY. THEY ARE A PART OF THE CHARACTER THAT DEFINES MOBILE’S STRENGTH. FOR THEY REALIZE ALL EYES ARE WATCHING MOBILE AND HER OPPORTUNITY FOR FURTHER GROWTH IS IMMINENT.
MOBILE’S BUSINESS CLIMATE MUST BE EXCEPTIONAL TO COMPETE. NO ONE IS INTERESTED IN INVESTING IN A COMMUNITY THAT REFUSES TO INVEST IN ITSELF.
OUR WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY IS OPEN. OUR FINANCIAL CHALLENGE HAS A VERY SIMPLE SOLUTION. IT IS NOT ROOTED IN THE QUEST FOR A SOUND BITE OR SOME PARTISAN POLITICAL IDEOLOGY THAT HAS NOT WORKED ANY WHERE. THE CUT EVERYTHING AND WAIT FOR A CHANGE APPROACH TO GOVERNMENT HAS NO LOGIC AND PROVIDES NO LONG TERM SOLUTIONS. IT IS MERELY A PLAY ON EMOTIONS AND FEARS. WE CAN NOT AFFORD TO CAUSE DIVISION IN ANY FORM IN OUR COMMUNITY. OUR STRENGTH IS IN UNITY OF PURPOSE AND PARTNERSHIPS!
EVERY PERSON – WHETHER MALE OR FEMALE, OLD OR YOUNG, BLACK OR WHITE, RICH OR POOR, EDUCATED OR UNEDUCATED, PROFESSIONAL OR COMMON LABORER – OUGHT TO STAND FOR SOMETHING AND POSSESS SOME BASIC PRINCIPLES, BELIEFS, AND CONVICTIONS THAT HE OR SHE IS WILLING TO DIE FOR.
AT SOME POINT EACH PERSON OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK IN THE FACE OF PERSONAL AGGRANDIZEMENT OR SURVIVAL, POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY, AND THAT DECEPTIVE CREATURE KNOWN AS COMPROMISE AND DECLARE THIS FAR AND NO FARTHER. RATHER THAN COMMIT OURSELVES TO SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WILLING TO BACK WITH OUR FUTURE, OUR JOBS OR OTHER SYMBOLS OF HUMAN SECURITY, WE WOULD RATHER DRIFT ALONG ON THE MISTY FLATS OF INDECISION WHERE WE DON’T MAKE ANY CHOICES BUT ALLOW OTHERS AND CIRCUMSTANCES TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR US OR ON THE MISTY FLATS OF POPULARITY WHERE HAVING PEOPLE SPEAK WELL OF US MEANS MORE THAN THE INTEGRITY OF OUR CONVICTIONS OR ON THE MISTY FLATS OF CONVENIENCE WHERE WE ESPOUSE A CAUSE AS LONG AS OUR STAND DOES NOT COST US ANYTHING.
THE ANSWER TO OUR CHALLENGE IS TO BELIEVE IN MOBILE AND DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO SECURE OUR FUTURE AND MAINTAIN OUR COMPETITIVE POSITION. DIVIDING OUR COMMUNITY BY ZIP CODES, ECONOMIC STATUS OR ANY OTHER FACTOR IS A RECIPE FOR FAILURE. IF YOUR GOAL IS TO GO BACKWARDS – JUST STAND STILL, THAT’S ALL IT TAKES TO REACH THAT GOAL. IF WE ARE NOT CAREFUL THAT WILL BE OUR DIRECTION.
I AM CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL LAND MAJOR INDUSTRIES AND RETAIL DEVELOPMENTS. WE WILL COMPLETE OUR WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT WITH PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT. OUR DOWNTOWN WILL BECOME AN EXAMPLE OF SUCCESS. OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY WILL CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE WILL BE KNOWN FOR OUR SUCCESSES IN THE ARTS ….. AND YES, WE WILL LAND A CRUISE SHIP.
ALL OF THIS IS POSSIBLE WITH THE BUILDING OF BRIDGES ACROSS REVENUE SHORTFALL, POLITICAL POSTURING, SELF INTEREST, AND CLOSED MINDS. THESE ARE NOT EXPENSIVE BRIDGES BECAUSE THEY ARE SHORT AND TEMPORARY. LET US NOT FOOL OURSELVES, A CITY CANNOT LIMP IT’S WAY TO SUCCESS. WE HAVE WORLD CLASS POTENTIAL AND WORLD CLASS SHOULD BE OUR GOAL!
ONE OF MOBILE’S KEYS TO SUCCESS IS JOBS. OUR ABILITY TO FORGE PARTNERSHIPS – AS A COMMUNITY IS STILL PARAMOUNT.
WE MUST REMAIN OPENED-MIND ABOUT OUR FUTURE AND OPPORTUNITIES. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL TIMES IN OUR CITY AND WE MUST BE DEDICATED, HONEST AND RESOLUTE IN OUR APPROACH. WE HAVE EVERY RESOURCE WE NEED TO POSITION OUR CITY FOR ITS PROSPEROUS FUTURE.
LET EACH OF US COMMIT OURSELVES TO DOING OUR PART TO CAPTURE AND SHAPE THE FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.
MOBILE IS ENDOWED WITH GREATNESS, AND IT WILL TAKE US ALL, COLLECTIVELY, TO CHART HER FUTURE THROUGH THESE TURBULENT TIMES.
NOW IS THE TIME TO SHOW OUR STRENGTH AND UNITY AND MOVE PASS YESTERDAY – SO WE CAN FOCUS ON TOMORROW!
GOD HAS A PLAN FOR OUR CITY AND WHAT ALWAYS FASCINATES ME ABOUT GOD’S PLAN IS THAT GOD IS ABLE TO TAKE THE EVIL THAT IS DESIGNED FOR OUR CITY’S UNDOING AND DOWNFALL; AND TURN IT AROUND, SO THAT IT WORKS FOR OUR GOOD. WE ARE HEADED TO WORLD CLASS; COME AND GO WITH US.