Let me start by welcoming you all to the new year and the promise of better things to come for our great city. 2020 certainly presented its challenges but with hard work and a commitment to making tough decisions, the City of Kirtland stands at the ready for a brighter and more prosperous year ahead. In order to create more opportunity, we still have a lot of work to do and cannot lose focus on what the end goal should always be: to cultivate the most efficient and deliberate government for our taxpayers without wavering on safety and services.
As our 2020 financials are closing out, I am proud to report that our city government spent $300,000 less than originally budgeted (excluding CARES Act funding). We should all be proud of the hard work and tough decisions that spurred these savings. It is our commitment to the residents to approach 2021 with the same principles that led to the fiscal success of this past year.
The new year also holds the promise of City Council working together to develop and recommend a true road funding solution. Recently, Council President Lowery appointed a special committee of City Council to develop and ultimately recommend a funding strategy for our city’s failing roads. Chaired by Councilman Schulz, this group will work with three committed residents to suggest the best way to finance the comprehensive road plan developed by our Service Director and City Engineer. The groups will consider funding mechanisms as prepared by the city’s Finance Director, as well as any alternatives developed along the way. I am confident these newly appointed teams will collaborate to deliver a well-reasoned funding solution.
Later this month (date and time to be announced) the City of Kirtland will host a community Zoom forum for our Old Town residents regarding the upcoming sanitary sewer project. This meeting will be hosted by myself, Councilwoman Wolfe, Engineer Courtney, Service Director Fornaro and representatives from the Lake County Utilities Department. The purpose of the meeting will be to answer questions from our residents related to the scope, timeline, cost and financing of the project. For those residents unable to participate in Zoom, we will make representatives of our city government available for phone calls, in person, or small group meetings.
In closing, thank you for your support of each other and our community throughout the challenges of 2020. May we continue to work together in the spirit of a better Kirtland.
Mayor Potter