An Iowa Great Place? One of the 100 Best Communities for Youth … in the nation? A community whose locally developed and produced Kids in the Kitchen TV program was selected over nationally produced programs due to its timely content and benefit to kids and society about healthy choices?
 
Sure, these accomplishments and much, much more contribute to the State of our City about which I will speak on Monday evening (March 26) at 7 p.m. at Dubuque’s Carnegie Stout Public Library, an event co-hosted by Dubuque’s League of Women Voters and the Telegraph Herald.
 
But wait, you can also have a seat in your living room for this inaugural event, since it will be aired on Dubuque’s City Channel 8 … or tune in your radio to AM KDTH 1370 as Radio Dubuque will carry it as a live broadcast!
 
As I work with city staff to complete the finishing touches on this presentation, I have to say it is extremely difficult to take a year’s worth of important news about our community and progress and condense it into 30 minutes of talk-time.  I have come to appreciate … very much … the special broadcasts and “State of the Union” addresses aired to keep us informed about the entire nation, in an hour!
 
This new event will serve as one more annual opportunity for the City of Dubuque to enhance communication with our citizens about the business of the City.  As you may have heard me say during my campaign and throughout this first year as mayor, I do believe the next five years will define the next 50 for Dubuque.  And, as a City Council and staff, as individual neighborhoods, and as a community, we have undertaken several key initiatives to set in motion the path toward quality living for all.
 
I invite you to join me, in whatever setting you find most comfortable (library, TV, radio) for this verbal “snapshot” on March 26, defining the State of our City during the first of “the next five years!”