In case you want to read it, here is the transcript of Mayor Henry's State of the City address. Due to the effects of the pandemic, the room was not nerly as full as it has been during past State of the City Addresses. I would estimate around 120 or so in attendance with plenty of seating space remaining Pre-epidemic addresses drew easily twice that number with standing room only for latecomers.
A couple of items of note:
SIUC- I still think it too early to proclaim that SIUC has turned attencance around. The univeristy has seen a leveling off of declining attencance in past years, following by proclamations that the university has "turned the corner", only to have enrollment drop again the next year. Wait a few years and see if increases are consistent before proclaiming things fixed.
Multi-modal Transit Center--The mayor is exaggerating a bit when he stays the city has made signifcant process towards the Multi-modal transit Center. The city has selected a design team but does not expect to see ground broken until Fall 2022 at the earliest. Maybe they have made some decisions but last I heard, the council had not finalized the design.
Solar Energy-The city has certainly embraced it with panels on top of the civic center and a field of them sout and east of the Public Safety Center. Moving all city vehicles to electric powered will be costly in the short term but should save money over the next 5 to 10 years.
SIUC has definitely not "turned attendance around" so it is more than coincidental that Dr. Feelgood, "Mama Meera" (who writes puff pieces in the Southern that should be the responsibility of an objective journalist), and two prominent "gauleiters" were there that evening. "Attendance" rises by students doing online SIUC classes elsewhere are not really applicable to the "boots on the ground" rise in student numbers on campus. Many presmt are disillusioned and already seeking transfers.Henry's address could be limited to one line - "We are truly f****** up on all levels!"
ReplyDeleteAlso, has it not entered the tiny minds of the City Council to ask "Costly for who?" Obviously the rate payers who will turn in anger to the GOP as most of the country will do next year and in 2024.
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