03/02/11 Monday evening Mayor Mark Senter presented the “State of the City” address to members of the Common Council and members of the public. The theme of this year’s speech was “Plymouth’s Progress.”
Senter began by thanking everyone for the opportunity to present the address on the status of “this wonderful city in which we live and work.” He said, “The last 38 months have gone by quickly, but maybe because things are going so well and the citizens of Plymouth have been patient in these difficult economic times.”
Mayor Senter thanked the City’s employees, department heads, and the financial leadership of the Clerk Treasurer Toni Hutchings.
A revival has been taking place in downtown are. Mark said, “Visitors tell me all the time how beautiful our downtown looks.” He mentioned the Downtown Revitalization Committee, the Redevelopment Commission and the Park Board and their cooperative efforts to create a new downtown park that will be officially named during the Yellow River Festival the first Saturday in June.
The Mayor said, “I have never felt better about economic development in our area that I do right now.” His optimistic views come from a good working relationship with the Marshall County Economic Development Commission. Executive Director Jennifer Laurent and the Mayor have toured a number of industrial plants in Plymouth helping them to get a better understanding of the needs and wants of the present workforces and administrations.
Other exciting ventures that have come to fruition are the development of the TechFarm, major changes at the Plymouth Airport, the Oak Drive road improvement project, Community Resource Center and steady progress on the South Gateway Project that will include the purchase and demolition of the old Cook Brothers Furniture Store.
Senter plans to keep the pressure on those individuals making and selling Meth in our community and noted that with the development of the Multi-Agency Drug (MAD) Unit Marshall County has gone from 2nd in the state to 8th.
Plymouth’s Progress continues and the Mayor indicated that with the completion of the Oak Drive widening and improvement project the Common Council should seriously consider the future of TIF 1 as a funding source.
Mayor Senter closed by saying, “As your mayor, I am confident we can meet the many challenges that lie ahead with the ingenuity and adaptability that characterizes us a Hoosiers. Thank you for caring as much as I do about this great city of ours, and let’s move forward together towards Plymouth’s Progress.”
