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Good morning West Palm Beach.

Thank you to the talented students of the Dreyfoos School of the Arts for uplifting our spirits today.

We are so proud that Dreyfoos and neighboring Suncoast were once again named in the top 100 high schools by US News and World Report out of 23,500 high schools nationally.

Congratulations to principals Ellen Van Arsdale and Linda Cartlidge.

Thank you Dennis Grady and Don DeWoody for your leadership.

And much appreciation to my friend Russell Greene and Grande Bank and Trust of Florida for another opportunity to bring forward my state of the city presentation.

Congratulations to the Chamber for another successful marathon weekend that brought 7000 participants and featured our first annual bike tour sponsored by Attorney Bill Bone.

I want to welcome today some special guests.

Each year at this State of City event as our country has been at war we have welcomed some of our brave servicemen and women.

We have with us today Marines from West Palm Beach’s Ft. Anglico Gunnery Sergeant Anthony Bechtel, Sergeant Javier Espinosa, and Sergeant Matthew Lucas. Thank you for your service.

We are privileged to have with us this morning one of CNN’s Top 10 Heroes of 2009 for his outreach work helping over one thousand veterans to cope with life after war, our own Mr. Roy Foster, founder of Stand Down House.

Our police and firefighters who risk their lives for us each day are our domestic heroes. Join me in recognizing our 2009 Fire Fighter of the Year Lieutenant Nate Lasseur and Police Officer of the Year Sergeant Michael Deinghan.

Sitting at the front table is my lifelong top advisor, my mother Dorothy. With her is my step dad Alex, my Take Stock in Children mentee Alliyah Burford and a young man who after 8 years in the United States Marines, including tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, returned home safely. I am blessed to welcome my favorite and only son Ben Lubin.

I want to also extend my recognition and appreciation to my City Commissioners who love our city and who have been wonderful partners in so many of the endeavors I will talk about today.

Without question, this past year has been a rough one for millions of people around the world including right here in Palm Beach County.

Unemployment, foreclosures, businesses struggling for customers and capital.

The news is sobering but I believe there are many ways that we are able to affect our own destiny without getting swept away by bad loans and pessimism.

In the words of a famous French poet, “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe." In my report to you today I come with optimism for our city because City leaders and stakeholders, including many of you here, are taking bold actions to make West Palm Beach the great livable city we know it can be.

A city for people of all ages, races, ethnicities and sexual orientations.

Using public and private dollars we are laying the ground work to attract and retain residents, business, and visitors. And that means more jobs and prosperity.

A woman much admired, Eleanor Roosevelt said that “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.“
Our private business community is blessed with innovators who, with the assistance of public partners, are creating jobs and improving lives.

Last year Dennis Grady and I visited five very distinct 21st century businesses that landed in West Palm Beach with the help of the Business Development Board and WorkForce Alliance.

Take a look at what we saw.

»The West Palm Beach location of Lockheed Martin is producing remote mine hunting vehicles for our military.

SV Microwave builds custom microwave products for the military, satellite, aerospace and communications industries.

EnerFuel, an alternative energy company, focuses on development of hybrid fuel cell power plants and fuel cell technology.

Rybovich, the world’s top service center for mega yachts and Wafer World, a company that designs and manufactures silicon wafer semi-conductors for the aerospace, automotive and medical fields.

» Thank you the BDB and Workforce Alliance for investing in a new generation of enterprise.

Just a few years ago Northwood Village was struggling.

Now home to 35 new businesses, its renaissance is underway because of the exceptional work of our Community Redevelopment Agency also known as our C.R.A.

Taking advantage of proximity to the Port of Palm Beach, Rybovich and Palm Harbor Marinas, our CRA is focused on creating a cluster of marine related businesses in the north end of our city.

In conjunction with that effort I am pleased to make an exciting announcement:

Northeast Maritime Institute, one of the largest privately held maritime education facilities in the United States, will open a branch this year in Northwood Village educating 800 students annually.

This will generate millions of dollars for our local economy and act as a catalyst to attract marine related industry.

The Institute will work closely with our Youth Empowerment Center to create a special educational training program aimed at our high-risk population.

I want to welcome Eric Dawicki, President of the Maritime institute, and his executive assistant, Elizabeth MacWhirter, who are here this morning.

Thank you for believing in our city.

Seeing the success of the public/private partnerships in downtown and old Northwood using CRA funding, we are looking to create new incentives for projects in other areas of the city.

A good illustration is the Palm Beach Mall located on 100 acres of prime real estate.

New, motivated owners see an opportunity to replace the old indoor shopping center with a vibrant combination of big box retail, office space and restaurants.

I am committed to working with County Commissioner Priscilla Taylor to facilitate this project that could potentially mean thousands of jobs for our residents.

A livable city requires good access to health care.

Our city is fortunate to have three hospitals with big dreams.

»There is no better example of an industry taking advantage of new technology and searching for an increased customer base than three of West Palm‘s major employers.

Columbia, St Mary’s, and Good Samaritan Hospitals are investing millions of dollars and expanding services that attract patients from all over the world.

Last year, Columbia Hospital opened a new state-of-the-art Breast Care Center and just last week opened a new institute that offers technologically advanced surgical procedures for disorders of the joints, neck, and back.

In 2009, Good Samaritan Medical Center added angioplasty services, received primary stroke center certification, and added the latest in robotic surgical services.

In the past year, St Mary’s recruited a world renowned Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr.

Dror Paley, who performs life changing surgeries on our youngest patients.

And, next year will launch the only pediatric cardiac catheterization/open-heart surgery program between Orlando and Hollywood.

» Join me in congratulating the C.E.O.'s of our three hospitals for their visionary leadership.

Last year the City met a formidable budget challenge, one that will continue for years to come.

Like governments throughout the country we find our revenues down and the demand for services up.

We managed to balance our budget by shrinking our workforce and holding the line on salaries resulting in 70 percent of our residents paying less city taxes than in the previous year. Our move into City Center from eight different locations enables us to consolidate and collaborate our functions and services.

Federal stimulus money is used to fill police vacancies.

We continue to excel in digital technology and for the fifth year in a row West Palm Beach was named in the top ten cities in digital advances for citizens.

Our "double A bond rating" still remains the highest in the city’s history and our emergency reserves are solid, far exceeding what is required by state law.

Even with budget challenges it is important that we sustain a quality of life that will attract and retain residents, businesses and visitors.

We are maintaining and upgrading our physical infrastructure with 129 capital projects underway throughout the city creating hundreds of jobs for private industry.

The biggest projects are in the Broadmoor neighborhood covering 13 city streets and the expanded Gaines Park Community Center.

Our city is clean, our 49 parks are beautiful and well kept.

And after making significant operational and physical improvements at the water plant our water quality is the best it’s ever been in the city’s history.

That is worth repeating: our water quality is the best it has ever been in our city’s 100 plus year history.

Please help me thank the 1700 dedicated city employees who are working harder with fewer resources and delivering first class service.

When I took office in March of 2003 I was met with anxious citizens who complained that crime in their neighborhoods was interfering with their quality of life.

Today - the crime rate is 30% less than two years ago and HALF what it was six years ago.

That doesn’t mean that we have no crime.

There are still too many tragic stories of gun violence.

But I can tell you unequivocally that every area of our city is safer and safer.

This is especially true in our downtown where numerous strategies make our entertainment district one of the safest in the nation.

And others have taken note.

In November, our Downtown Development Authority/ Public Safety guide program was recognized for outstanding performance by the nationally renowned Responsible Hospitality Institute, R.H.I.

A livable city is one where we are in harmony with our natural environment.

That philosophy influences our actions.

»WPB Golf Course This is the newly renovated WPB golf course.

Originally designed in 1947 it has undergone a complete restoration directed by PGA Tour Champion Mark McCumber.

With new grass throughout, unique elevations and landscaping that emphasizes the environment, the course challenges golfers of all skill levels.

And now the historic clubhouse cafe is managed by one of West Palm finest restaurateurs… E.R.Bradleys Our “Grand Re-Opening” took place in November with the great Arnold Palmer teeing the first ball.

Joining us for the festivities were some of the legends of the LPGA including Beth Daniel and four time winner Judy Dickinson who is the newest member of our wpb golf staff.

Roebuck road
I am now at the other end of our city on the boardwalk at grassy waters the hidden jewel of West Palm.

This 20 square mile area is part of the vast Everglades ecosystem and home to thousands of species of plants and animals and the source of our drinking water...

For over five years the city has vigorously opposed the County’s decision to extend Roebuck Road into the adjacent preserves just behind our western Okeechobee neighborhoods.

We hired lawyers and environmental consultants and fought the battle through the regulatory agencies responsible for permitting the road.

Finally it appears that the county has relented, withdrawing its application.

With the universal concern about global warming… protecting our environment has taken on a new importance.

That’s why last year, the City created a new office of sustainability and citizen task group and kicked off their efforts with a green conference attended by more than 400 participants.

And there is more good news.

The City is receiving more than one million dollars from the federal government for energy conservation projects that will include a retro fit of old city buildings and facilities.

The International Green Energy Council will open the first in the nation "Green Energy Resource Center" in downtown West Palm Beach, setting the stage to attract green businesses to our area.

The Palm Beach Zoo is first in the country to build a Leeds-certified animal hospital.

Our 2nd annual sustainability summit is April 17th at the Kravis Center.

You are all invited to attend.

Six years ago we were faced with a deteriorating Clematis Street corridor.

Road construction, bars attracting underage drinkers and competition from other destinations put our old downtown on life support.

City leaders recognized how important it is to keep our downtown vital as a regional hub.

The Urban Land Institute put together a blueprint for change that included moving our old library and activating our waterfront.

It is a plan that your Chamber and Downtown Development Authority embraced and defended.

As a result of your efforts and the widespread support of our citizens.

West Palm Beach is now poised to be the home of one of the premier downtowns in our country.

»For fifteen years the north side the 400 block of Clematis lay dark and dismal.

It was a battle to get it built… but there is no question that City Center has exceeded expectations and is a beautiful vibrant venue that has enhanced our lives and brought new economic excitement to our city.

We cut our ribbon last March.

Our new city hall and library came to life.

To quote the PB Post “the new library is drop dead gorgeous.” Four floors each one more breathtaking than the next with exquisite views of the city.

But to me the most wonderful sight is the people who visit every day.

I love to pop into the library and watch the joy of children learning to embrace reading, seniors dancing the tango, and people of all ages practicing yoga.

I see the pride on the faces of the patrons who… regardless of income… can check out just about any book, DVD, CD, video game at no cost.

And have they! Within a six month period, hundreds of thousands of visitors have checked out close to half a million items.

Library computers were logged onto more than 100,000 times, mostly by users who have no other access to the internet.

Many who never had such opportunities now feel empowered… Later last year City Center became the home to offices for Senator Bill Nelson and Congressman Ron Klein and the new home to the Palm Beach Photographic Center.

Just steps from the library is one of the premier photo schools in the world where over 300 photography and digital imaging workshops with internationally-renowned photographers are taught each year.

Along with classrooms, the Centre features a year-round museum and state of the art retail store that is the only North American Shop-in-Shop of Leica, the leading high-end camera manufacturer in the world.

We celebrated the grand opening in November with an exhibition and lecture by four official white house photographers.

The following month television personality Ann Curry opened the Empathy Exhibition featuring poignant photos from her travels to 3rd world countries.

The 5 day Fotofusion event begins soon, an annual international festival of photography and digital imaging that will bring thousands of people to downtown West Palm Beach demonstrating why the Photographic Center is considered a top economic generator.

This is the December 2009 cover of American City and County Magazine.

As you can see our new City Centre took center stage as West Palm Beach was recognized as one of 11 American City & County Crown Community Award winners for this city changing project.

Thank you to Song and Associates, Catafulmo Construction, and project manager Dorritt Miller for a job well done.

As our revitalization of downtown continues, City Center is not alone in recognition.

In 2009, our new docks won the Marine Industries of PBC Marine Project of the Year award.

And then in May we finally uncorked the bottle.

The old library which had blocked the beautiful intracoastal view for years disappeared nd, as I speak, the transformation of our waterfront is taking place under the leadership of Joan Goldberg. A beach, waterfront pavilion, exotic gardens, docks and many more distinctive amenities for residents and visitors.

Our programming will also be unique.

The project is almost complete and many predict it will be one of the top waterfront destinations in the world.

The opening celebration is Saturday, February 20th.

Mark that down, Saturday, February 20th.

Join me for the most spectacular event in Palm Beach County history.

As you can see, City Center and the Downtown Waterfront are first-class projects that are bringing a new dimension to our city.

We had a dream, a plan, action and most importantly a belief that we were doing the right thing.

And we are realizing the dividends of our perseverance with an expanding downtown population and significant new private investment.

In the last 15 months more than two thousand new residents have moved into downtown.

»50 new establishments will have come on line within the next two months.

Our first new downtown hotel in 20 years, the Hyatt Place, and a new roof top restaurant are some indications of the new synergy of the City.

After a $20 million renovation, just re-opened is the Palm Harbor Marina where that can now accommodate 180 boats and mega yachts.

That means thousands of new visitors who come in as passengers and crew.

Late last year, the City’s Community Redevelopment Agency bought the old Helen Wilkes site that I hope will become a beautiful new park in front of a new waterfront hotel built on our old city hall property.

This past year we added to our portfolio as the cultural center of PBC that features the Kravis Center, Norton Museum of Art, Armory Art Center, the Palm Beach Photographic Center, Palm Beach DramaWorks, the Palm Beach Zoo and the South Florida Science Museum.

And now the newly renovated 600 seat Improv Comedy Club, CityPlace’s BB King’s and the exquisite glass gallery Habitat.

And soon we will be adding the award winning theatre Florida Stage.

And there’s more downtown news.

Last year the state Health Department opened its 94,000 square foot building on Datura Street.

And we cut the ribbon for Palm Tran’s new Intermodal Transit Center located alongside the Tri-Rail station.

Along with County Government we have taken a bold step towards the creation of a homeless assessment center on 45th St.

It will be a welcome diversion for the drifters we sometimes find on our city benches.

There is a new buzz downtown.

Just ask Bill Watson, a downtown resident and business owner.
.....that was Clematis street...

Thank you Bill for the kind words and believing in our city with your hard earned money!

It’s not only downtown where bold steps are being taken.

West Palm Beach is blessed with many beautiful vital neighborhoods from the charming Historic homes in El Cid to the tranquility of Ibis.

But a small few are riddled with poverty and blight, conditions that foster crime and despair.

Last year I told you about our work in Pleasant City where efforts are still underway to create a more livable neighborhood.

Today I want tell you about our newest, most important revitalization project that is close to my heart and that of my fellow Commissioners.

»Coleman Park is located less than 2 miles from downtown just north of Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard.

Built in the 1920’s, it is the historic center of West Palm Beach’s African-American community and in the past has been home for many Black business, political, educational and other leaders.

In the 1960’s as desegregation took hold, middleclass residents moved out of this neighborhood, and a once vibrant area declined into an environment riddled with drug dealing, violence, and deteriorating properties.

Today more than half of Coleman Park residents live below the poverty level, less than a quarter of the homes are homesteaded, and dozens of vacant lots sit dormant.

Make no mistake: chronic poverty is a blight, not just on one neighborhood but on an entire community.

It affects our safety, our schools and our workforce.

No longer is it acceptable that the people who live in Coleman Park, many of whom are children, elderl, and people who work as nurse’s aides and hotel maids, remain in the dark shadow of our great city.

For more than one year we have been quietly planning and receiving input from more than 150 participants at community meetings.

At first Coleman Park residents were skeptical. But with the leadership of Commissioner Ike Robinson and people like native-born James Irving and neighborhood president Kathy Gardner there is now a belief that things can change for the better and Coleman Park residents are becoming engaged with this effort.

Last September our City Commission adopted the Coleman Park Improvement Plan.

One of the keys to this plan is the creation of more home ownership because it brings safety, vibrancy and stability to the neighborhood.

With a multi-million dollar allotment of federal dollars we are buying vacant and foreclosed properties and selling new and rehabbed homes at half price to income eligible police, teachers and working families who intend to make their Coleman Park home their primary residence.

Through a partnership with Workforce Alliance, the School Board and local trade organizations, area residents will have an opportunity to learn construction skills and participate in building these homes.

We have five other programs aimed at improving the hundreds of deteriorating housing units that are the fabric of the neighborhood.

Trees will be planted and bumpy roads resurfaced.

The Housing Authority’s Dunbar Village will be demolished and eventually replaced with new housing and a new road grid.

And listen to this: with a grant from the Quantum Foundation, the entire neighborhood now has free wi-fi access to the internet.

On the screen you see students at Roosevelt Middle School rehabbing old computers that are given to low income families that participate in digital literacy classes.

As you see, our efforts are extending beyond capital improvements.

Multiple strategies are being implemented including nutrition, health, early learning for our youngest children, tutoring for our teens, economic development and more.

And the rebirth of Coleman Park is much more than a City government effort.

Let me tell you one very inspiring story.

Pat Dixon is a much loved community figure, surviving paycheck to paycheck.

Last year she was living in cramped quarters rearing her three grandchildren whose mother recently passed away.

Her Coleman Park neighbors Chris and Colleen Tress decided to do something extraordinary.

Take a look.

»With the help of generous strangers, the Tresses bought this dilapidated house.

Room by room, volunteers, including our own fire fighters, transformed the home into it into a cozy haven for Pat and her grandchildren.

On January first Pat was welcomed by the neighborhood to her new home.

Her reaction says it all.

woman-- .....we're the best!!!

And as you can see on the big screens, there are many other wonderful private, public and non-profit partners who believe in our mission The Continental Group....

manager of 13 downtown condominiums will donate one full day of labor per employee, approximately 1,200 hours to paint old homes.

Chris Kennedy of Suffolk construction and his sister Susan Lemieux of the Weiss School will construct a new home for use by the Lords Place.

In lieu of the table center pieces this morning Gunster is donating the funds for the neighborhoods’ gateway signs.

Also stepping up to the plate, the greatest home-run hitter of all time, with no asterisks, my neighbor -- Hank Aaron and his wife, Billye.

Recently we took the Aarons on a tour of Coleman Park.

They were inspired by the people and the project.

The Aarons have graciously committed to be a part of this historic transition.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming Billye and Hank Aaron.

It is an honor to have you here today and to have you join us in this very important mission.

Now I am asking each and every one of you to add your name to the list and be part of an amazing dream come true.

There are so many ways to help.

Donate a computer, become a mentor, help fix up a property.

Or participate in a Workforce Alliance job program that will pay you to employ an eligible worker.

There is information on your table and a card you may leave behind to indicate your interest.

Much thanks to Katherine Waldron who is coordinating volunteer efforts.

Thank you Katherine.

And now I want to thank all of you for taking time to be with me this morning.

I hope that you agree that West Palm Beach is on track to becoming the livable city we want and deserve.

Even in challenging economic times we are getting safer, protecting our environment and improving our infrastructure.

We're cleaning up blighted neighborhoods and reinventing our downtown.

We're becoming cosmopolitan with easy access to recreation, arts, culture and information.

We have business leaders that are innovative and bold and believe in their own power and responsibility to effect change

Together we are laying the groundwork for a vibrant and prosperous future.

I said it before, and will say it again, on a beautiful day in January where would you rather believe?

Thank you and God Bless Our City.

*************

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