"2022 was a great year! Economic Development continued to get big boosts. We nudged the housing needle a little bit, but most importantly, we defined what we need and what we’re willing to do about it. Infrastructure remained high on our list – serving current needs and providing for our future ones. Our budget and financial policies started being proactive for the future not just reactive to the present. In a city wide forum in 2022, Salina demonstrated it’s cultural maturation by focusing on Homelessness as a process, rather than just the individual person on the sidewalk.
Before I yield, I must thank the people who make this easy:
- My fellow City Commissioners: We have shown that we CAN disagree without being disagreeable.
- Salina City Manager Mike Schrage and his staff and professional liaisons. The Commission takes the credit for the work he does.
- Holly McGinnis, the City Manager’s Executive Assistant, who does the coordinating work that we ALL get credit for!
- My office nurse, Rhonda Haggard, who along with the gracious Salina Regional Health Center family allows me to be available to represent Salina.
- My Faithful Five, who I can count on coming up to the podium during Citizens Forum to keep us honest and on our toes, whether they really had something to say or not! But we need you – the loneliest feeling in the world is a quiet meeting, all 5-0 votes, and no audience.
- My trainer at Genesis, Alison Hager, who keeps my back from hurting while sitting through five hour meetings.
- My personal confidant, speech editor, sounding board, morale booster, and fan club booster, my wife, Pamela.
I am happy to turn the reins over to our incoming Mayor and Vice Mayor. The fun thing about this year is that we will hit the ground running with the momentum from 2022. Our new Mayor is keenly aware of our challenges in 2023 and I am sure will address them!
Let me close with two quotes:
- "It has been said, Small minds discuss people. Average minds discuss events. Great minds discuss ideas." (Paraphrased - Eleanor Roosevelt)
- "Let the light in you shine brighter than the light upon you." (Dabo Sweeney, football coach, Clemson, talking with Pastor Joel Osteen)
Thank you for allowing me the privilege to serve."
Trent W. Davis, M.D.