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2012StateoftheCityAddressDeliveredJanuary17,2012byMayorAnnM.Thane

Goodeveningandwelcome.Toeachandeveryoneofyouinthisroomandtothoseofyouwatchingathomeoronline,thankyouforcaringaboutourCity.ItisaprivilegetoserveasMayoroftheCityofAmsterdam,andtoonceagaindeliverthisannualmessage.Thisexercisemakesmerealizethewisdomofthosethatputthepracticeoftheannualspeechintoplace.Whilemyexperiencemaybeoneofstudyingcityoperationsthroughamicroscope,Irememberthatmostconstituentsaregazingdownfromthewindowofanairplane.Theannualspeechisanecessarydisciplineandanhonor,butImustadmitthatitisadauntingtask,asitscontentissovast.Whileponderingthisundertaking,I'vebeendrawntoonethemethatresonateswithrecenteventsandoursharedfortunes.Thephrase"toughtimes"comestomindinrelationtothedifficulteconomy,crazyweather,infrastructureproblemsandat‐riskneighborhoods.Yes,timesarecertainlytough.Butjustbecausetimesaretough,wedonotgiveup.Adversityissomethingwearefamiliarwithanddespitethedifficultieswefaceasacommunity,wemeetourchallengeswithforcefuldetermination.WearefightingthroughoneofourmostchallengingperiodsinourCity'shistoryandareholdingourown.Wearesmall,butwearetough.2011wasayearthattestedourresolveandspirit,andourcommunityhasrisentotheoccasion.Wehavereasontobeproudonsomanylevels.Despitethefinancialstressfeltbymunicipalbudgetsonalllevels,wehaveweatheredeconomicturmoilbetterthansurroundingmunicipalities.UnliketheCountyandtheSchoolDistrict,wehaveheldtoaself‐imposed3%taxcap.Wemanagedthisfeatthroughcreativemeasuresthathaveaddedhundredsofthousandsofdollarstoourannualbudgetandcutspendingtoabareminimum.Inthispastyear:

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We'vesecurednearly$500,000inadditionalsalestaxrevenuefromthecounty.

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We'venegotiatedanewrevenuesharingagreementwithGAVACthatbringsin$200,000ayear.

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We'vetakenrecyclingin‐house,savingover$100,000ayearinexpense.

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WearecontrollingdiscretionaryovertimeinalldepartmentsandhaverealizedsignificantovertimesavingswiththeadditionofthreepatrolofficerstotheAmsterdamPoliceDepartment.Theseinitiativeshavehelpedtoshelterusfrommajortaxincreasesordeepercutstoessentialservices.Ourdrivetosucceedintoughtimeshasresultedinthecompletionofkeycapitalprojectsinourcitythatservetoenhancethequalityoflifeofourresidents.Thecompletedprojectsareasdiverseastheyarenumerous,roundingoutoneofourbusiestconstructionperiodsever.Theyinclude:

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ReconstructionoftheBridgeStreetcorridor.

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Upgradestoinfrastructure,includingwater,sewerandroadsystemsontheSouth‐side.

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AsbestosremovalfromCityHall,rewrappingofpipes,andnewwindowinsertshaveresultedintens‐of‐thousandsofdollarsinenergysavings.

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$13milliondollarsworthofimprovementsatthewastewatertreatmentandwaterfiltrationplants,paidforinpartthroughstimulusfundingandouragreementswithHeroBeechnut.

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Removalofthefire‐damagedEddyBrushCompanybuildingandsiteremediationofbrown‐fieldissues.

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Demolitionof45dilapidatedanddangerousstructureswithsomeparticipationfromMontgomeryCounty.

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RepairstoAmsterdam’sTransportationfacilityincludinganewfurnace,flooring,portablelifts,energyefficientlighting,aswellasnewbuses,alsofundedthroughthefederalstimulusprogram.

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Resurfacingofstreetsineachwardinthe2011RoadProgram.

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Remediationandreplacementofasbestos‐coveredwaterlinesbeneathGriemeAvenueBridge.

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ConstructionofRiverlinkParkPhaseIIincludesnewwalkways,lightingandthenewsculptureentitled,ThePaintedRocksofAmsterdambyworld‐renownartistAliceManzi.

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Additionalimprovementstotheparkincludeanewbandshell,cafédeckandlandscaping.Wehavemanagedtocompletethesephenomenalprojectsinayearthatwewerechallengedbyafloodofdramaticproportionsnotseeninrecentmemory.IntheaftermathofHurricaneIreneandTropicalStormLee,wetriumphedoveratumultuoussetofcircumstanceswhichenabledustoseecityoperationsattheirfinest.Staffmobilizedtoappropriatelyandeffectivelyrespondtothesafetyofthepublic,coordinatingacomprehensiveevacuationstrategy,rescueefforts,temporaryshelter,andtrafficmanagementprotocols,allinamatterofhours.Throughouttheemergency,wewereabletodisseminateinformationinreal‐timethroughourfacebookpageandinpartnershipwithWCSSandtheRecorder.Becauseofthisachievement,wenowunderstandsocialnetworkingtobemorethanapastime.Itisanessentialtoolofeffectivecommunication.Volunteersdisplayedincrediblecompassionandselflessness,showingupindrovestoassisttheirneighborsinrecoveryfromtragedyintheweeksafterthestorms.Wewitnessedcommunitypartnerscleaninghomesandbusinesses,organizingdonationdrop‐offsitesanddistributingsupplies,allofwhichlentsupportinatimeofgreatstrife.Wearetough.Wepulltogether.OurstrengthisinnumbersandourcommitmenttooneanotherdemonstratesthetruecharacterofthepeopleofAmsterdam.2011wasabanneryearforvolunteerisminourcity.NotonlydidwehostseveralsuccessfuleventsincludingNationalNightOutandtheMainStreetWinterMixer,butwealsogearedoureffortstowardscommunitybeautificationwithlitterclean‐ups,graffitipaint‐outs,murals,plantingsandgardens,allofwhichhavehadapositiveeffectinreshapingourimage.WeofferedfreeconcertsoverthesummeratRiverlinkParkandHero‐Beechnutsponsoredswimminglessonsfor125youngchildrenatVeteran’sFieldswimmingpool.Additionally,SpringFlingsoughttohighlighttheProfessionalWrestlingHallofFame’sInductionceremonieswhilepromotingcommercialspaceinourDowntownarea.Thismuch‐celebratedoccasionbrought3000peopletoMainStreet.Alloftheseinitiativeswereprovidedatnocosttoourtaxpayers.Whilecommunity‐initiatedeffortshavebeguntotransformourimage,wehavealsotakenamoredirectandprofessionalapproachtomarketingourcommunity.Thisyear,thoseeffortswererecognizedbyEmpireStateDevelopmentas“

bestinclass

”forwebsitedesignandcollateralprintedmaterials.WewereabletoaugmentourpresencewithvideosproducedbyAmsterdamHighSchoolstudentsthatarebroadcastovertheInternetandcontinuetogarnerattention.