Last night (Thursday 01/09/2014), Springfield Mayor Christine Lundberg gave her fourth State of the City address. As KLCC’s Tiffany Eckert reports, her speech included accolades and accomplishments--and the assurance that a little attitude can go a long way.
Mayor Lundberg: “In 2014, my hopes and plans are that the city of Springfield continues to build on our new attitude. I hope that those still clinging to inaccurate and uninformed stereotypes take another look at Springfield and at themselves and leave the stereotypes at the door.”
One misconception Mayor Lundberg pointed out: safety. She said a U of O foreign exchange student recently told her they wouldn’t live in Springfield because they heard it isn’t safe. Yet, Lundberg said taxpayers have made public safety a top priority by consistently voting in measures to fund police, courts and the jail.
The mayor encouraged all in attendance to write down their aspirations for the city on the Neighborhood Connect Board. Lundberg said citizen input has already made priorities of topics like pet waste disposal, downtown revitalization and water quality. She awarded Springfield real estate broker John Brown with the Spirit of Springfield Award for decades of volunteering to clean the banks of the Willamette River.
Lundberg says this year Springfield will see improvements like new downtown lighting and redevelopment of Gateway Mall. She credited the City Council and citizen budget committee for accepting modest revenue increases and savings from PERs (Public Employee Retirement) reforms to balance the budget.
Lundberg: “In 2014, the state of Springfield is strong and proud and diverse and united.”
To read the mayor's full speech or view videos of Springfield and the Spirit of Springfield Award recipient, click link below.
