St. Joseph Mayor Bill McMurray gave his first State of the City address Friday morning at the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Public Affairs Coffee event.
The Mayor started out by saying the State of the City is worthwhile.
“The city worthwhile, is worth your while and here’s what I’d like you to do to make it worth your while. Borrowing some phrases from Imagine St. Joseph, I’d like you to invest in people, create a better place and I’d like you to grow prosperity,” McMurray said. “That’s what we’re going to be about in the next 20 years and I think the council, the staff, the city and the community, we’ve all started already on these things.”
The mayor went on to expand on the three ideas, saying one of the things the city council did to invest in people was to raise public safety salaries. He said the economy in St. Joseph is doing well, which is a way of investing in people, as the unemployment rate in St. Joseph is 2.5 percent and St. Joseph has the third highest average wage in the state.
In speaking on creating a better place, McMurray commended the St. Joseph Police Department for being one of about eight police departments in the state that is a state certified department. He said crime in several areas, including Part One crimes and motor vehicle theft, was down in 2018 compared to 2017.
“Crime prevention is not just a police problem, crime prevention is a community problem and our community has started, has always actually, but has started to do even more in that area,” McMurray said.
He mentioned the Blue Ribbon Crime Commission bringing law enforcement and community members together and the growth of the police department’s community policing initiatives in neighborhoods.
The mayor mentioned community appearance as part of creating a better place. He said the council approved $100,000 more for vacant structure stabilization and there has been discussion about a rental inspection program and plans for developing the riverfront.
On the topic of growing prosperity, McMurray mentioned the construction of Corporate Drive connecting to the Highway 36 interchange that will spur economic development. He also commended the 139th Airlift Wing and its plans for expansion over the next ten years.
Mayor McMurray ended the State of the City address by reiterating the three points and challenging St. Joseph to be bold in plans for the future.