|
A Letter from Mayor Wescott
November 20, 2006
In a few months, I will have served twelve years as your Mayor. What does twelve years mean?
In the case of the City of Stevens Point, twelve
years has meant twelve consecutive balanced budgets, and twelve years of a stable tax rate and sound fiscal management.
We stabilized city taxes, and implemented long-range fiscal and capital planning. Our Moody Business Bond Rating
is one of the strongest in Wisconsin, and reflects how effectively we have planned for the future.
Twelve years has meant a 75% growth in the city's
assessed value, and hundreds of projects - projects important to the future of his great city.
Among them were:
- A Three Million Dollar addition to the Lincoln
Center
- Creation of the Riverfront Arts Center
- Reconstruction the Clark Street Bridge
- Renovation in the South Side Business District
- Revitalization of our beautiful downtown, including:
- The creation of the successful Association of Downtown
Businesses
- Leading the Downtown Directional Study
- Seeing Stevens Point accepted into the Wisconsin
Main Street program on its first application
- Renovation of the North Side and creation of the
Division Street TIF District
- Improvement of emergency services with the creation
of Paramedics and enhanced police programs
- The Grand Opening of the Green Circle Trail
- The addition of 284 acres of parks over the last
ten years
- Strengthening our quality of life
- Protecting our water and natural environment
- Receiving the Tree City USA award every year since
taking office, and receiving several Community Beautification awards
- Enhancing senior housing with a Three Million Dollar
remodeling project at High Rise Manor
- Investing $10.5 Million Dollars in modernization
and revitalization of our affordable housing inventory
- Successful Economic Programs, including:
- In 2005, the city issued building permits totaling
more than $44-Million Dollars, a record for the city in a calendar year
- In 2006, we will far exceed that record
- Creation of the city's second business park, comprising
462 acres, in coordination with the county
- Expansion and development of quality medical facilities
- Working aggressively to return Stevens Point as
a destination for conventions and tourism
- Securing new City Buses, expanding routes to serve
Whiting and Plover, and the successful U-Pass program with UWSP.
These projects reflect days of terrific benefit
to the taxpayers. These were important projects paid for by the taxpayers of Stevens Point with today's dollars.
I have led with a vision for the future. Our children
and grandchildren will not be encumbered by what we do today. We have planned, and we have moved forward within
our means. We have significantly reduced city debt, and have built a healthy reserve.
For our city, twelve years has been a time of planned
growth, enhanced services, improved infrastructure (no more 100 year-old pipes), and a focused effort to create
an open environment with innovative use of technology where all committee meetings and council meetings are broadcast
on Community Television, and the city Web site keeps residents informed continuously.
What is twelve years in the life of a family?
As parents know, in twelve years children move from
elementary school to adulthood. Twelve years is almost 40% of the years my wife and I have been married.
The number twelve is significant in many everyday ways: the number of months in a year, the number of eggs in a
carton, the number of cookies in a dozen. In many ways, twelve is a unit of full measure.
Twelve signifies full measure, and for twelve years, I have done my best to give this city full measure.
With an eye to the future and continuing interest in public policy, today I am announcing that I will not seek
a fourth term as your mayor.
My family and I are deeply grateful to the voters
who have overwhelmingly elected me three times. We are deeply and respectfully grateful to the elected officials
with whom I've had the honor of serving, and deeply grateful to the city employees who have worked hard to enable
this city to serve taxpayers with professionalism and efficiency.
I love this city, and will continue to give full
measure until my term of service expires in April.
I encourage all qualified candidates who have shown
commitment and have experience in municipal government to step forward and run for office.
These days, like days before us, require people
of good will and integrity.
|