12/15/2009 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 12-15-2009 using grant funds that greatly reduced the cost for our taxpayers. Claque Road; SR 252 and the Great Northern overpass at I-480; the new Crocker-Stearns roadway, Dover Center Road; and the Stearns-Cook project with a new traffic signal at Dorchester. These new roadways have reshaped our City. Added to that is the first ever professional street study that removed the politics from the debate, and ensured that .the neediest streets in our City were completed first. We had streets rated 1 or 2 in a 10-point scale when this administration took office. We now leave with most streets rated 5 or better. We have reshaped the physical structure in which we live and work. I stated that apen government is good government, but our buildings were closed to some of our citizens. For the first time ever we now have ADA access at our Senior Center and City Hall, with a new modern Caucus Room that would not be there were in not fQr our vision and effort. We have ADA accessible playgrounds for the first time in our City's history, and other recreation assets that were improved every yeaz. Working with our Law Director we have formalized previous `hand-shake' agreements and improved the ability of our government to more openly and efficiently serve our people. Working with of Finance Director we have reaped the benefit of the independent financial experts at Fitch and Moody's who looked in upon the leadership and fiscal oversight within our Administration and judged us to be superior in our care for the taxpayers' dollars. The upgrade of our bond rating early in this term and the reaffirmation of that bond rating earlier this year both cited management's reorganization efforts to control cost while instituting good financial controls. We have improved the delivery of safety services within this City with the opening of new facilities and the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment that includes improved cameras and patrol rifles for our police and infra:-red scopes for out fire services. As we look back it is cleaz that we have done great things for our community, and we have much to be proud of as this Administration concludes in two weeks. But mare important than the look back is the look forwazd. My earliest inspiration in government service was my father. Thomas P. O'Grady had the courage to serve our nation during the Korean conflict, and Iwas-proud to follow in his footsteps during my career in the Mazine Corps and my retirement from the United States Army. I also followed in his footsteps in government. My father was a Councilman in this City while I was studying at Harvard. As I studied US and foreign governmental systems, my father spoke to me of local government. He spoke of the courage and dedication needed to serve the people. My father rejected the notion that his vote belonged to anyone else other than the citizens. For that reason, he was often attacked by other members of Council who were in his own party who believed that he should be part of their voting block. He told me that he called these others the `long knives.' Although it didn't occur to me at the time, I found some humor on reflecting back to my comments during our meeting of March 15 of this year when I made reference to the `Ides of March.' Whether it was the time of Caesar, or the mid-1980s or today, it seems that the `long knives' are a recurring theme in government service, and to that point, I will now address my final comments. I now join with all the citizens of this community and look to you who will continue to serve in public office, and I ask you to do just that, to serve. Remember that the office you hold and the vote you cast does not belong to you. It belpngs to our citizens. I