HomeMy WebLinkAboutState of the City1999 State of the City Speech
A Partnership for Tomorrow
Thank you for letting me address the chamber group today. It's always a pleasure to discuss the State
of the City of Carmel with you. I am also glad to report that the State of the City of Carmel is great.
Carmel is a unique place. The US 31 Business Corridor in Carmel has the second largest
concentration of office workers in the state, some of the highest school achievement scores in
Indiana and an unbeatable quality of life. There is such a strong sense of community here -- where
residents, businesses and city government work in partnership. I'm not always sure we all appreciate
how much we can achieve and h~ave achieved_ with the partnerships we've formed.
Recall the former Target Mall at 116th Street and Keystone just a fe~v years ago. You'll remember
that the retail area was an eye sore and a detrmaent to development. We were close to having an
abandoned mall in Carmel. But now, because of the partnerships City government formed with the
redevelopers, we have one of the most beautiful and successful retail centers in Indiana. National
chains, local retailers and restaurants have found the renovated Merchants Square to be a very
desirable business address.
The plans for our largest partnership, Carmel's City Center, have been developed during the past
two years. This project, in its dm:d year, will show a rapid increase in building activity. Our
successful bidder for the residential section of the center, AMLI, came in forty-three percent (43%)
above our bid request. They are not alone in their belief in this project. Several local developers are
in discussions about the office and retail sections of the Center. And, earlier this year, I met
representatives from the Gallery of French pre-Impressionist Art who are interested in housing their
collection in the Museum building in City Center. In addition, we're working on a plan that will get
the Perforrmng Arts Center underway in the year 2000.
The success of the tax incremental f'mancing, or TIF district, we created to build this project was
based on the tax revenue from 700,000 additional square feet of commercial construction. We
currently have more than 3 million square feet proposed. This is far more than we had envisioned
being built in the next 10 years. As a result, this growth will allow us the opportunity to use the
property tax revenue from these projects to begin construction on our Performing Arts Center and
Museum years sooner than we had orignnally anticipated.
Many other edge cities, those existing just outside larger metropolitan areas, have fallen prey to
urban sprawl. Carmel, on the other hand, has worked hard and is succeeding in bringing together
partners to develop projects that wi/1 bring a focal point to the City. It wi]l give our City a place
~vhere families can come and fred entertainment on many levels, from permanent and traveling
museum exhibits to theatrical and musical performances to shopping or exercising on the Monon
Trail, which by the way, begins construction this week.
Carmel is also a unique city because it is a place where families are a priority. The City will continue
xvorking with the school system to maintain its high quality. Carmel families also enjoy living in a city
that has the fourth lowest tax rate of 116 cities in Indiana. We have loxvered taxes each year during
this administration to achieve that goal. No other city in the state offers you more for your tax
Businesses also appreciate the economic opporttmities provided here. I just attended a news
conference ~vith state officials announcing that yet another high-tech company has chosen to stay in
Carmel. ATTUNE Inc. will continue the growth of its company on the Meridian Street Corridor
because the City and State were willing partners who helped fred a ~vay to make it profitable for this
high-tech company to stay in Carmel.
Area businesses also give a great deal back to our community. Not only do they provide successful
career opportunities for many, they partner with the City to help in various areas. More than half of
the parkland we have added in Carmel has come from corporate donations. Martin Marietta
Aggregates alone has donated more than 110 acres of land for park use. Companies know the value
of maintaining a high quality of life for current and future employees.
The favorable partnership formed between the City and the Indianapolis Water Company has also
lead to a gift of parkland, which is now River Heritage Park.
Further north, the River Trail ~vas developed in partnership with Carmel Clay and Hamilton County
Parks departments. This beautiful trail runs along White River and offers some of the best views of
the water from observation decks constructed along the trail.
Some of our partnerships may be less obvious, but benefit the community just the same. Carmel has
a large percentage of seniors. Our average age is four years older than that of the average US
population. We are lucky to be able to draw on this resource to enhance our community programs.
The Carmel Police Department partners xvith older citizens through the Senior Call program.
Volunteer seniors come to the station each day and call area residents xvho live at home alone and
don't have family close by to check on them daily. When a senior in the program doesn't ansxver the
phone at the appointed hour, a patrol officer is dispatched to check on that individual. And, less
than a month ago, this program xvas credited with saving the life of a woman who had fallen at
home and cotfldn't get to a phone for help. Because she was a member of the Senior Call Program,
she received the life-saving assistance she needed in ttme- If she had not been a member of the
program, we don't knoxv when her situation would have been discovered.
Area seniors were also involved in the beauti£~cation of Old Town. Residents of Windsor Court, a
local assisted living facility, helped plant the floxvers in 150 hanging baskets that added so much
color and charm to the Old Town area this summer.
There are many reasons to appreciate the successful partnerships the City has created during the past
few years. And, there is much to look fonvard to as well. We will continue to construct high quality
streets and parkxvays to improve traffic flow and prepare us for future growth. The comple6on of
Hazel Dell Parkway has clearly marked Cannel as a leader in infrastructure development.
We are continuing to plan for our growth and xvill continue to invest the vast majority of our
discretionary funds in bnilding the safest, most efficient and aesthetically pleasing road systems of
any city in the United States.
We have prepared ourselves for growth through a series of improvements and expansions of our
award_winning Wastewater Treatment Facility and our Water Plants. We no longer suffer through
xvater restrictions in dry months and have the capacity to handle growth and peak demands.
As the year 2000 milestone approaches the City has also looked at how prepared it is to handle an}, ' various contingency
Y2K crisis. We have upgraded eqmpment where necessary and are ready with
plans should the need arise.
The Year 2000 is also a good time to look at where we are as a community and discuss where we
want to be. America, as ~ve all know, is a country of immigrants. One of the profound changes that
Carmel is experiencing at the millennium is a substantial groxvth in our Hispanic and other
immigrant populations. Our country and Carmel have been enriched by the hundreds of cultures
that have made up our melting pot. As a matter of fact, our International Arts Fesdval recoguizes
and celebrates many of these cultures. Yet, the success of America as a haven for the down trodden
. . · , the English
from all over the world, has been that all nmmgrants, until recently, strove to adopt
language, embrace our customs, honor our heroes and, as a result, were able to fully participate in
the American Dream. Regardless of where their parents or grandparents came from, the children
and grandchildren learned Engl/sh and became leaders in businesses, the professions and the arts.
Our heritage and Judeo-Christian ethics tell us that we should embrace and welcome our newest
immigrants just as America has welcomed hundreds of immigrant groups before th~m; We must
not, however, fall into the trap of believing we are helping immigrant groups by printing
government forms, signs, service guides or other important informa6on in languages other than.
English. This practice does not help these groups ass/milate but rather encourages them to remain
separate from the mainstream. We should instead help those new to our country with English
classes and other programs in order that our newest immigrants are assimilated as our country has
assimilated hundreds of immigrant groups before them.
We must remember that one of our country~s mottoes, printed on our money, E Plu ir bus Unum_ -
Latin, meaning "from many, one" - has been our strength. We must not abandon that principle in
favor of the recent trend of encouraging multiculmra[ism, which creates divisiveness instead of
cohesiveness.
Noted author Martin Gross in his book, "T½)e End of Sahib" has stated that "absorb~g immigrants
and minorities hito the majority culture is the only route to success for the masses m any
civ/l/zation." He goes on to say that through assimilation our country has found the unity that has
made this naton strong. This is not iust a national issue, but one that is critical to Carmel today.
I challenge each of you to examine and determine what you can do to help make our community
and country stronger by encouraging assimilation and unity instead of separation and division Truly
becoming one community may be our greatest partnership challenge, to bring all groupS together
for a common goal ... to continue to make Carmel the best place an_g3~here- to live, work and raise a