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Mayor Trowbridge's State of the City Address |
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After two years as the
elected Mayor of the city of Bicknell, it has been a
privilege to serve you. Although we have a long way to
go, I feel we have made many accomplishments in this
short time. I would like to commend all the department
heads and the city employees for a job above and beyond
their call. We have all maintained our focus on
bettering this community.
There are many positive changes occurring in Bicknell;
new equipment has been purchased for various departments
that has been used to improve the quality of service the
city provides to the citizens, a Bicknell Police Officer
has recently acquired a drug dog that will be an asset
to the department, several ordinances have been passed
to make our community a better place in which to live.
The city is moving forward with the new waste water
treatment plant. We are in compliance with IDEM as to
avoid any fines. A grant for $500,000 was received from
the Department of Commerce for Mary Street and White
River Avenue project, in part with phase one of the
sewer plant.
There have been noticeable improvements to the Southside
Park, thanks to the help of many volunteers. All
buildings have been painted, the walking track has been
sealed and new signs and landscaping have been put in
place. We have recently received a grant for the park
from Knox County Community Foundation for additional
improvements to the park.
Another project that is in the works is the Good Start
Program. Good Start will help the community identify,
access and focus upon community issues. This program is
made possible through the Indiana Rural Community
Assistance Program. After many meetings last year, the
steering committee was able to pass out questionnaires
door to door and get feedback from the citizens of
Bicknell on what improvements they would like to see in
the community. A community forum was held in October.
The steering committee was overwhelmed at the turn out
of local citizens who want Bicknell to become a better
in which to live. Three committees were formed; The
Bicknell Revitalization Committee, Bicknell Business and
Economic Development, Recreation for Youth/Park
Improvement. These committees continue to work
diligently on improving Bicknell. I’m sure we will see
changes around the city in the future.
A great blow to our community in the past year was the
loss of our license branch. I have been working with
State Representative Bruce Borders for several months to
get a satellite license branch here in Bicknell. We are
working closely with a local businessman that has agreed
to have the branch located in his place of business a
few days a week. This would be a convenience to our
residents, especially the elderly.
I will continue to work my hardest to move us forward,
that is what you, the citizens elected me to do. To
quote Margaret Meade, “Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed people can change the world.
Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” |
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