On Thursday, the one-year anniversary to the day he was elected Ottawa mayor, Robb Hasty delivered his State of the City address to city officials, local business people, media and other dignitaries at a luncheon hosted by the Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce at the Knight of Columbus.
And the address included a list of accomplishments.
Hasty, who opened his remarks by reminding everyone the first law his administration amended was one regarding the fencing in of chickens within the city limits, told the crowd of the more tangible accomplishments, including setting in motion plans for a new fire station and a new wastewater treatment plant, the revitalization of the downtown area, the improvements to the city’s parks and the ever-firming conceptualization of what the riverfront and amphitheater adjacent the new YMCA building can be in the near future.
“In talking with previous mayors,” Hasty said, “they told me that one of the best things about the state of the city address that it’s not so much sharing with the public how much has been done, but reminding yourself of what you’ve already done, and there’s truth in that.
“I’d have to say the first year has been exciting and at the same time humbling. Often you get little reminders here and there that let you know how much you’re carrying for people and I think that’s very humbling.”
Visitors are drawn to Ottawa as a source of family-oriented activities, unique restaurants and shops and some virtually year-round fun, he said. His remarks keyed on attractions, such as the proposed riverfront amphitheater, its surrounding park, both next to the new YMCA, along with recreation improvements like those made at Peck and Allen parks, the continued push for development of Jackson Street and the 40 festivals and special events planned downtown between the Morel Fest on May 4 and the end of the Chris Kringle Market on Dec. 22.
He talked about amenities, such as North Central Area Transit, to assist people getting around town for work and appointments.
Hasty said the city is on solid financial footing, with reasonable but not excessive surpluses and not taking on new long-term debt, outside of $1.4 million in general obligation bonds to pay for the new municipal swimming pool, a fire department tower truck and the refinancing of other debt at lower interest rates, keeping its bond rating in a “very strong” light. He said Ottawa received more than $93 million in grant money last year, led by a $90 million grant for a Superfund cleanup.
The city showed a dedication to improving and adding infrastructure, like the new wastewater plant and fire station, Hasty said within his remarks. An example would be the PetSmart Distribution Center’s 189,000-square-foot addition and Heritage Harbor’s building of 36 new units and investing $14.2 million in property development. Hasty also said the city is a proposed stop on the Chicago-to-Peoria Railway.
Other positive signs of growth are the 35 new business licenses, seven new restaurants and five major building renovations, plus 84 residential building permits, 304 general contractor registrations and 422 electrical licenses, Hasty cited in his address.
Hasty acknowledged the need for more housing for individuals and smaller families, and hopes the upper floors of existing downtown businesses may fill part of that need, as a study by PriceLabs reported 350 active listings within a 15-mile radius, with 126 of those in Ottawa’s city limits.
“We need more rooftops,” Hasty said. “We definitely need more housing in our town, both for empty nesters and for young families, so one of my projects for the coming year is to work on expanding rooftops.”
But one of the things Hasty is most proud of in his first year is the relationship he’s developed with the police and fire departments, having added three years to the contract worked out with the Ottawa Police Benevolent Labor Committee and agreed to new contracts with AFSCME Local 452 and Ottawa Firefighters Local 523.
“I’ve very appreciative of the culture of our police and fire departments,” he explained. “As I saw often, we can talk about amphitheaters, we can talk about Jackson Street, we can talk about all these other projects, but at the end of the day, having good fire, police and good people who are there to protect us in our time of need, that’s what’s important.
“Learning about those departments, getting to help make those departments better, that’s something that I didn’t expect to take that much pride in as I took office, but it’s something I definitely have pride in now.”
