[2020 State of the City]
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CITY'S FIRST VIRTUAL STATE OF THE CITY.
I'M MARY YOLANDA FORD, THE FIRST FEMALE MAYOR, THE FIRST MAYOR OF COLOR AND THE FIRST MAYOR OF OUR CITY WHO HAS HAD TO MANAGE OUR CITY THROUGH A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
UNDOUBTEDLY, MISSOURI CITY HAS EXPERIENCED A LOT OF FIRSTS DURING MY FIRST TERM AS MAYOR COVID-19 IS THE FIRST GLOBAL PANDEMIC THAT OUR CITY HAS EXPERIENCED SINCE IT HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY INCORPORATED IN 1956, COVID-19 HAS AFFECTED OUR WORLD NATION AND OUR CITY.
AS A RESULT, WE'VE HAD TO INSTANTLY MOBILIZE OUR ENTIRE CITY TO MINIMIZE THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS IN THE MIDST OF US WRESTLING WITH COVID-19 AND MANDATORY QUARANTINES, WE THEN WERE FACED WITH PROTESTS AND RIOTS AGAINST RACIAL INJUSTICE AS THEY RUBBED IT THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITIES, MISSOURI CITY.
I KNOW MANY OF US HAVE FEARS OF WHAT LIES AHEAD.
WE HAVE BEEN HANDED CHALLENGES THAT MANY OF US NEVER IMAGINED.
WE WOULD SEE IN OUR LIFETIMES, EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED AND HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVES HAVE COMPLETELY BEEN RESHAPED.
I WANT TO ASSURE YOU, DESPITE IT ALL THE STATE OF OUR CD REMAINS RESILIENT AND STRONG.
OUR CHALLENGES WILL NOT STOP US FROM SERVING YOU AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO KEEP MOVING OUR CITY FORWARD.
BEFORE I HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF OUR 2019 2020 ACCOMPLISHMENTS, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR NEW CITY MANAGER, MR. OTIS JONES, AND MY FELLOW CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WANT TO ALSO PROVIDE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY COMMUNICATION STAFF AND PHOENIX DESIGN FOR MAKING THIS PRESENTATION AND OUR NEW WAY TO DELIVER INFORMATION TO YOU.
OUR CITIZENS POSSIBLE 2019 STARTED OFF WITH US BEGINNING PHASE TWO OF THE REGIONAL SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
THIS $14 MILLION EXPANSION IS THE LARGEST CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT IN THE HISTORY OF MISSOURI CITY.
NICK'S RECOGNIZING THE NEED TO ASSIST RESIDENTS WITH TRANSPORTATION AROUND THE CITY.
METRO CONSOLIDATED THEIR COMMUTER CONNECTOR SYSTEM IN MISSOURI CITY AND CREATED A MORE USER FRIENDLY APPLICATION.
SO RESIDENTS WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE COMMUTER CONNECTOR SERVICE TO RUN ERRANDS, GO TO DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS OR SIMPLY VISIT FAMILY WITHIN MISSOURI CITY LED LIGHTING WAS INSTALLED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
MISSOURI CITY OPENED ITS FIRST SKATE PARK AND COMMUNITY PARK.
AND WE STARTED TO CREATE THE FIRST PUBLIC ART PROGRAM.
ALTHOUGH 2020 STARTED WITH AN UNPRECEDENTED PANDEMIC.
WE REMAINED STRONG OUR SALES TAX INCREASE WHILE OTHER CITIES IN OUR REGION EXPERIENCED A DECREASE IN THEIR SALES TAX.
91% OF CITIZENS RATE IN MISSOURI CITY AS AN EXCELLENT PLACE TO LIVE IN OUR 2020 CITIZENS SURVEY, WE HIRED OUR EIGHTH CITY MANAGER, MR. OTIS JONES.
AND WE FINALLY STARTED THE BEGINNING STAGES OF THE REVITALIZATION AND BEAUTIFICATION OF TEXAS PARKWAY AND CARTWRIGHT.
SO WHAT'S NEXT FOR MISSOURI CITY AS WE MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD AND FIGHT THROUGH A GLOBAL PANDEMIC SO THAT WE HAVE A ROBUST FUTURE.
FIRST LET'S START WITH BEING KIND PATIENT AND RESPECTFUL TO EACH OTHER.
COLLECTIVELY WE MUST TRANSFORM AND REMAIN FLUID AS A COMMUNITY.
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DO THIS BY BEGINNING OR ADVANCING THE FOLLOWING INTRODUCING SMART CITY INITIATIVES, WHICH AIM TO USE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS ISSUES SUCH AS CITY SERVICES, SANITATION COMMUNICATION, AND PUBLIC SAFETY IMPLEMENTING ADEQUATE INTERNAL CONTROLS.SO WE ELIMINATE FINANCIAL WASTE, EXPANDING AND EXECUTING A TANGIBLE AND MEASURABLE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE NEGLECTED AREAS OF OUR CITY, SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS WITH FORGIVABLE LOANS, PARTNERING WITH LOCAL BANKS TO PROVIDE FINANCING FOR ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESSES PROVIDING RENTAL AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE TO RESIDENTS WITH CARES FUNDS, CREATING PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO HELP SUPPORT ANCILLARY INITIATIVES GROWING OUR COMMERCIAL RETAIL BASE, WHICH WILL REDUCE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES AND CREATE JOBS.
FINALLY, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE MUST BE DILIGENT IN REDUCING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19, WHERE YOU'RE MASKING PUBLIC, WASH YOUR HANDS AND FOLLOW CDC GUIDELINES.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE MISSOURI CITY STAFF.
FIRST RESPONDERS, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND OUR VENDORS FOR KEEPING OUR CITY SAFE.
MISSOURI CITY WILL CONTINUE TO RISE THROUGH THIS.
PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR THE DOCUMENTARY.
AND I WISH EVERYONE WILL STAY SAFE.
THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2020 MARK UNPRECEDENTED CHANGES IN OUR MISSOURI CITY COMMUNITY LEAVING A WIDE RANGE OF CHALLENGES AND PERMANENT CHANGES IN THE WAY CORONA VIRUS ARE A TYPE OF VIRUS.
THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT KINDS AND SOME CAUSE DISEASE, A NEWLY IDENTIFIED CORONA VIRUS, SARS COBY TOO, HAS CAUSED A WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC OF RESPIRATORY ILLNESS CALLED COVID-19.
AND IT EFFECTIVELY FORCED TO CITIZENS OF MISSOURI CITY, AS WELL AS THE WORLD TO STAY AT HOME IN MAN'S EFFORT TO CONTROL TRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS, THE VIRUS ROCK THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND FAMILIES, SMALL BUSINESSES, SCHOOLS, AND CITY SERVICES ALL FELT THE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC THROUGHOUT THE CRISIS.
MAYOR YOLANDA FORD HAS BEEN ON THE FRONT LINES LEADING MISSOURI CITY FORWARD WITH ASSISTANCE FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITIZENS, FIRST RESPONDERS, STAFF, AND ESSENTIAL PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS, STATE REGIONAL AND LOCAL LEADERS SIGNED A MULTIPLE DISASTER DECLARATION, WHICH ALLOWED FOR MORE FINANCIAL AID TO ASSIST THE REGION WHILE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WAS TOP PRIORITY, TIMELY COMMUNICATION AND CONTINUED EDUCATION ABOUT THE PANDEMIC PROVED TO BE EQUALLY AS CRUCIAL.
WHEN IT CAME TO SERVING RESIDENTS ON FRIDAY, MARCH 13TH, I FIND A DISASTER DECLARATION FOR THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY.
MANY ORGANIZATIONS ARE SIGNING DECLARATIONS TO HELP WITH RELIEF DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS.
AS THIS VIRUS CONTINUES TO SPREAD THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION IS RECOMMENDING MORE STRICT CONTAINMENT GUIDELINES WITH A HEAVY FOCUS ON SOCIAL DISTANCING.
MAYOR FORD WORK WITH CITY LEADERS TO PROVIDE KEY UPDATES WHENEVER POSSIBLE TO MISSOURI CITY RESIDENTS FORD PROVIDED THE LATEST INFORMATION REGARDING SOCIAL DISTANCING PRACTICES.
THE LATEST CLOSURES OF CITY BUILDINGS AND AMENITIES, INCLUDING THE QUAIL VALLEY GOLF COURSE AND RECREATION AND TENNIS CENTER AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE NUMBER OF CASES WITHIN CITY LIMITS.
NATURALLY MISSOURI CITY RESIDENTS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PANDEMIC.
COMMUNICATING WITH RESIDENTS PROVED TO BE A WAY OF COMFORT DURING DIFFICULT TIMES, OUR GROCERY STORES HAVE PLENTY OF SUPPLIES, SO IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO PANIC BUY ITEMS. SOME STORES ARE ALSO CURBSIDE DELIVERY.
SO PLEASE CALL AHEAD FOR YOUR COMPANY.
CONCERNS TURNED TO STRENGTH THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
RESIDENTS CAME TOGETHER FOR VARIOUS CITY INITIATIVES, INCLUDING ATTENDING FOOD AND PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT PPE DRIVES AND PARTICIPATING SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESS CAMPAIGN THURSDAY'S IS INITIATIVE.
WE STARTED A CHAPTER HERE FOR BEING TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES DURING THIS KOBE PANDEMIC GET BIGGER AND BETTER BUSINESSES.
ONE OF OUR FRATERNITIES THREE NATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT WE SUPPORT ALONG WITH SOCIAL ACTION EDUCATION.
AND SO I WILL CONTINUE TO DO THIS EFFORT, FINDING WAYS TO SUPPORT THE BLACK FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE AN IMPACT WHERE WE CAN THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC CITY OFFICIALS AND STAFF, WE'RE COMMITTED TO CONTINUE PROVIDING EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE TO RESIDENTS WITH THE COMMUNITY SPREAD OF COVID-19 RUNNING RAMPANT.
THE CITY MADE CHANGES TO OPERATIONS.
MOST NOTABLY CLOSING CITY FACILITIES TO THE PUBLIC.
IT'S BEEN A TOUGH COUPLE OF WEEKS HERE IN PARKS AND RECREATION.
OUR FACILITIES HAVE REALLY, REALLY TAKEN A HIT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN IS JUST THE
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FACT THAT WE'VE HAD HAD TO CLOSE OUR FACILITIES.UH, WE'VE HAD TO CLOSE OUR FACILITIES FOR RENTALS.
THAT INCLUDES OUR PAVILIONS, OUR MULTIPURPOSE ROOMS, BUT ALSO WE'VE HAD TO CLOSE OUR FACILITIES FOR THOSE THAT COME HERE EVERY DAY.
AND WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME HERE EVERY DAY TO, TO NOT JUST WORK OUT, BUT SOCIALIZE TO SEE THE PEOPLE, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT THEY SEE HERE TO, UH, TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS.
AND SO, UH, IT'S BEEN REALLY TOUGH TO SEE THIS PLACE GOING FROM A BUSTLING, UH, RECREATION CENTER WITH LOTS OF PEOPLE, LOTS OF SMILES, LOTS OF INTERACTION TO, TO NOTHING WE'RE OVER AT THE QUAIL VALLEY CITY CENTER.
AND WE'VE BEEN CLOSED SINCE APRIL 11TH, UH, DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC THAT WE HAVE GOING ON ALL OVER THE WORLD.
OUR FACILITY IS EMPTY RIGHT NOW.
UM, TYPICALLY WE HAVE PEOPLE IN HERE ON A DAILY BASIS UTILIZING OUR GRILL.
OH, WELL WE HAVE 25,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY WITH THREE DIFFERENT EVENTS SPACES, THE BLUE BONNET GRILL, WHICH WE'RE STANDING IN NOW, A FULL STOCK GOLF SHOP, TWO 18 HOLE GOLF COURSES, FULL PRACTICE FACILITY WITH DRIVING RANGE, PITCHING AREAS TO PRACTICE PUTTING GREENS.
UM, SO WE HAVE A LOT TO OFFER, UM, NOT ONLY THE LOCALS, BUT PEOPLE WITHIN THE REGION, THE COMMENTS SEE OUR FACILITY.
WE ARE A MEETING PLACE WHERE A GATHERING PLACE, THAT'S WHAT THIS FACILITY WAS DESIGNED FOR.
IT'S NOT DESIGNED FOR ONE PERSON TO COME AND ENJOY, OR AS A SELECT FEW IT'S FOR MANY PEOPLE TO COME AND GATHER.
AND THAT IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE HAVE BEEN BLOCKED FROM DOING AND PROBABLY FOR GOOD REASON, YOU KNOW, FOR HEALTH REASON.
UM, BUT THAT WHEN IT GOES DIRECTLY AGAINST OUR MISSION TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND MAKES IT VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.
AND THAT'S, AND YOU HAVE SEEN THAT, UM, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE ARE VERY ANXIOUS TO GET THIS FACILITY BACK OPEN, NOT ONLY TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, COME PLAY GOLF AND THEN SPEND THAT TIME OUTDOORS WITH FRIENDS AND THAT KIND OF THING, BUT REALLY JUST TO SEE ONE ANOTHER AGAIN, UM, AND WITH THE HOPES OF ONE DAY SOON, BEING ABLE TO HOST THEIR WEDDINGS, BABY SHOWERS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY.
ALL OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS TRANSITIONED TO A VIRTUAL FORMAT AS SOCIAL DISTANCING BECAME THE NEW NORM, LARGE CROWDS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO GATHER CANCELLING SIGNATURE CITY EVENTS, SUCH AS MCT XFS.
THE ANNUAL MOTHER'S DAY EVENT WAS INITIALLY CANCELED, BUT WITH INNOVATIVE STRATEGY, THE EVENT HAPPENED IN A DRIVE THROUGH FORMAT.
CITY LEADERS CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS TO PROVIDE RESIDENTS A SENSE OF NORMALCY.
DURING THESE DIFFICULT TIMES, THE FAMILY AT CITY HALL ALSO FELT THE IMPACT OF THE VIRUS.
ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO RECEIVED A CONCLUSIVE RESULT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER, JEFFREY BONEY NEWS OF HIS HOSPITALIZATION FOR CORONA VIRUS BROKEN MARCH, 2020.
AS HE RECEIVED TREATMENT IN AN AREA INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, MANY LOCAL LEADERS OFFER THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE BONY FAMILY AND EXPRESS JOY.
WHEN HE OVERCAME HIS BATTLE, THE TEXAS ECONOMY BEGAN OPENING BACK UP IN MAY, 2020 AND MISSOURI CITY FOLLOWED SUIT WITH GUIDANCE FROM HEALTH OFFICIALS, CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES ARE NOW REQUIRED TO WEAR MASKS WHENEVER VISITING A BUSINESS IN HARRIS COUNTY AND FORT BEND COUNTY AND BUSINESSES ARE REQUIRED TO POST MANDATORY MASK SIGNAGE ON THEIR FRONT DOORS TO HELP ENSURE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE CITY HAS HOSTED MULTIPLE PPE DRIVES, KEEP AN EYE ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES.
SO YOU CAN BE THE FIRST TO KNOW ABOUT OUR NEXT STEP.
AS THE ECONOMY REOPENED MISSOURI CITY CAUTIOUSLY MOVED FORWARD WITH MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS, MAKING DECISIONS THAT KEEP CDC GUIDELINES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH AT THE FOREFRONT.
WHILE SOME CITY BUILDINGS REMAIN CLOSE, PREMIER AMENITIES SUCH AS THE QUAIL VALLEY GOLF COURSE AND RECREATION AND TENNIS CENTER OPENED UP IN PHASES.
COVID-19 HAS CAUSED AREA FAMILIES, LOCAL BUSINESSES AND SCHOOLS TO GET CREATIVE, TO KEEP SOME LEVEL OF NORMALCY SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE STATE SWITCHED TO ONLINE INSTRUCTION.
AND THERE ARE ALREADY DISCUSSIONS FOR POSSIBLE ONLINE INSTRUCTION DURING THE 2020, 2021 SCHOOL YEAR AS A GRADUATING CLASS OF 2020, DID NOT GET TO ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES THAT COME WITH THE FINAL YEAR OF SCHOOLING TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE AREA HAD PARADES FOR THE STUDENTS AND INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS HOSTED SPECIAL GRADUATIONS THAT FOLLOW PROPER SOCIAL DISTANCING MAYOR FORD WAS INVITED TO ATTEND THE MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, WHERE SHE PRESENTED THE SENIORS WITH A PROCLAMATION THAT HONORS THEIR SUCCESSES DURING DIFFICULT TIMES, BUSINESSES, PARTICULARLY RESTAURANTS INVESTED IN TECHNOLOGY THAT ALLOW CURBSIDE PICKUP DRIVE THROUGH AND DELIVERY.
SO FAMILIES COULD STILL ENJOY MEALS TOGETHER.
AS THE STATE OPENED UP, DINING ROOMS WERE ALLOWED TO OPEN UNDER CAPACITY LIMITS.
ALTHOUGH THE VIRUS STILL EXISTS, MISSOURI CITY, JUST LIKE THE REST OF THE WORLD HAS WORKED IN LIVING WITH THE VIRUS IN A COLD HABITAT WAY.
DOCTORS AND NURSES CONTINUE TO SPEND HOURS HELPING THOSE WHO ARE SICK, BUT THEY ARE NOT THE ONLY HEROES IN 2020 OTHER HEALTH CARE WORKERS, GROCERY STORE EMPLOYEES, POSTAL EMPLOYEES, TRUCK DRIVERS, AND DELIVERY.
DRIVERS ARE JUST SOME OF THE FRONTLINE HEROES WHO HAVE RISKED THEIR HEALTH FOR THE COMMUNITY, THEIR DEDICATION TO WORK TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS WHAT THEY NEED WILL NOT SOON BE
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FORGOTTEN.THERE IS NO DEFINITIVE ANSWER AS TO WHEN COVID-19 WILL DISAPPEAR.
HOWEVER, WITH MAYOR FORD COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF, WORKING WITH RESIDENTS TO ENSURE A SAFE COMMUNITY, THERE IS A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.
THE COMMUNITY HAS SHOWN ITS STRENGTH AND WILL CONTINUE TO LEARN AND GROW FROM THE ADVERSITY THAT IS COVID-19.