Huntington Mayor Richard Strick gave his state of the city address with a brief overview of city department reports, a directive to department heads and items he believes to focus on in the next four years.

Strick first began briefly highlighting department reports, such as how the city saved $54,000 annually by repairing 23 hidden water leaks. He also added that the city is coming off a year where community and redevelopment projects were completed that are valued at $20.5 million. Strick also discussed that now police body cameras are synced with car cameras and that the city is now fully staffed in all the departments. The council was thanked for its approval of competitive wages and hiring, which has resulted in the city being fully staffed.

Strick noted that residents should expect to see are another fire station in the next three years, a new fire truck this year.

City managers received a directive as Strick called for them to assure employees have the equipment, tools, training and accountability to do their work well and go home safely while being competitively compensated for their work.

Ultimately the mayor summarized areas of focus for the next four years.

He began with the Destination Downtown Master Plan process that started this past year. The Master Plan is expected to help guide city leaders on the direction of the downtown on public access to the Little River, repurposing older buildings, launching new business measures, and improving traffic flow and parking.

The second area is the Riverfork West Industrial Park, which is in its second phase for design. Teijin Automotive Technologies expects to begin the operations of its new facility that it built in the industrial park, and the mayor looks forward to the next development in the industrial park.

Thirdly, a local board is forming to lead the city’s efforts to launch a southside grocery store, the mayor explained. The city is also working with global partners on opportunities for citizens because it is an “ever-changing global economy” so economic opportunities are keys to the city’s future.

Fourth, the city is working with Huntington County partners to build more housing, expand childcare access, improve utility services while lowering utility bills, and creating more transportation options and better housing practical approach and to solving problems impacting businesses and residents, and to work with partners across Huntington County.

“Huntington is still here chugging along putting in a day’s work,” he said calling what’s going on elsewhere in the world at times is like riding a roller coaster of “theatrics”
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