State of the City Continues Very Energetic and Positive
By BOB LEWIS
Contributing Editor
One of the most anticipated events at the start of every new year is the annual State of the City presentation by City Manager Michael Spurgeon, Mayor Craig Thurmond and members of the City Council.
Recognizing that continuing COVID-19 issues would make the traditional in-person gathering of the Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce impossible, city leaders exercised considerable creativity by going online to present a fast-paced video presentation that was as informative as it was stimulating.
To set the stage for an overview of major events during the past 12 months, Sturgeon noted, “despite the challenges and hardships that we faced during 2020, we still had a very productive year, thanks to our amazing city employees, dedicated leadership team, excellent contractors and continued support from our citizens.”
Then the background music came up and the screen was filled with spectacular views of these major events:
• 37th Street ribbon cutting
• Tiger Hill Plaza groundbreaking
• Expansion of New Orleans Square
• Fire Station #7 groundbreaking
• Fire Station #3 topping out
• Armed Forces Meeting Hall construction
• Challenger Sports Complex
• Hillside Drive retaining wall rebuild
• Washington Street widening
• Washington Street/Aspen intersection rebuild
• Florence Street widening
• County Line trunk sewer install
• Brio on the Rose completion
• Recycling program launch
• Brown-Kimbrough creative arts center
Looking ahead, city officials predicted continuing growth this year. The city manager also made a personal appeal for all Broken Arrowans to follow Centers for Disease Control recommended safety measures, including washing of hands often, avoiding close contact with others and wearing a mask when around others.
For more information, Google Broken Arrow State of the City presentation and watch the program.
