mount vernon mayor's 2011 state of city speech
DESCRIPTION
Mount Vernon Mayor Clinton Young delivered his 2011 state of the city speech on March 30. This document is a copy of the speech released by his office earlier that day.TRANSCRIPT
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STATE OF THE CITY MESSAGE 2011: “WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW” EMBARGOED UNTIL 7:00PM 3-30-11
WELCOME
Thank you Council President Karen Watts, City
Council members Steve Horton, Roberta Apuzzo,
Yuhanna Edwards, Diane Munro-Morris, City Clerk
George Brown, and City Comptroller Maureen Walker;
ladies and gentlemen—good evening and welcome
everyone to my fourth State of the City Address.
I am proud and honored to stand before you this
evening to state with clear and defensible certainty
that the great City of Mount Vernon is strong and we
are secure. We are strong and secure as a city, because
we are strong, secure and UNITED as a community, the
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Mount Vernon Family. Together, we have made
dramatic and considerable progress as a result of
significant changes that have positively touched the
many lives in our beloved city who we have the
obligation to serve and provide the very best. Our tax
dollars are stretching further than before, because of a
well defined philosophy of spending to protect the
taxpayers as we meet the increasing demands of the
public. Yet, there’s so much more to be done during this
difficult economic and political climate. I therefore
respectfully urge my partners in government to work
cooperatively with me to do what’s best to progress
Mount Vernon. We must continue to move Mount Vernon
into the 21st century. And we will, because … We’ve
come too far to turn back now. Progress, Yes Progress,
must continue!
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There is a vibrant and evident spirit of pride and
success flowing throughout Mount Vernon. As a
community, we have faced many recent challenges. We
have met each challenge head on, and as a community
we have succeeded.
One of the biggest challenges was the possibility
of losing Mount Vernon Hospital. Planned reductions in
vital health care services and staff at Mount Vernon
Hospital would have changed the course of health care
in our community.
This hospital serves over 22-thousand people
annually, whether they have insurance or not. The
proposed cuts in services would have been devastating
to our community. Not to mention, the economic impact
since Mount Vernon Hospital is one of the largest
employers of city residents.
When I sounded the alarm our community came
together to save our hospital. Tonight, I am happy to
report, thanks to the hard work of community members
like Wendy Clark, who worked at the hospital for close
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to 40 years, and Glenstone Clark, as well as members of
the administration, and the United Black Clergy of
Westchester, under the leadership of UBC President
Reverend Dr. W. Darin Moore and Chairman Emeritus
Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, we reached a
deal with Sound Shore Medical Center. We not only
saved the hospital -- now we are expanding it. Late last
year, we announced that Sound Shore Medical Center is
investing 50-Million dollars into our hospital. That’s
right, a fifty million dollar investment in the Mount
Vernon Hospital. Our Hospital!
Now, Mount Vernon Hospital will become a modern
medical center in terms of both technology and
treatment and will have a new contemporary
emergency room, an assisted living facility, a state of
the art surgical center, and one of the best diabetes,
dialysis and wound care treatment centers in the
Hudson Valley.
This is a huge accomplishment for our city. The
expanded hospital facility will pump an estimated one
hundred million dollars into our local economy -- and all
of Mount Vernon is proud of that.
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I thank Sound Shore President and Chief Executive
Officer John Spicer for his commitment to remain at the
table to listen to our concerns and work with us to
address the unique health care needs of our city. And,
members of the United Black Clergy who are here
tonight please stand. I am also happy to say Reverend
Elliott Baisden and Reverend Troy DeCohen are now
members of the Hospital Board of Trustees.
When it comes to health care, the well being of our
City is not limited to Mount Vernon Hospital. Many of
our residents are serviced by the Mount Vernon
Neighborhood Health Center, which services a majority
of non or under insured residents. The Neighborhood
Health Center’s CEO Carole Morris is an icon who does
a tremendous job.
Providing quality health care is vital. But not
everyone sees Mount Vernon as a priority or being
important. Proposed county cuts to our Health Center
would have devastated all areas and levels of care.
Fortunately, our County Legislator Lyndon Williams
fought extremely hard and was successful in having
monies restored. Now our residents and their children
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who are served by the Neighborhood Health Center can
continue to receive quality health care. Thank you
Legislator Williams! Thank you Carole Morris! Thank you
for believing in our city, and caring the way you do for
all of our residents!
We’ve come too far to turn back now! Progress
must continue!
Speaking of major investments in our city, let’s talk
about Levister Towers. For many years now, Levister
Towers has been known for a substandard quality of
life. Since the beginning of my administration my office
was inundated with calls, letters and complaints about
the management of Levister Towers. The former
manager of the buildings was having serious financial
difficulties.
As a result, the tenants in the buildings had to
endure the sporadic loss of lights, heat and hot water in
their homes every other month due to non-payment by
the former owner. Security was lacking in the buildings
and our police department had to conduct double tours
to keep the tenants safe in their homes, which also
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impacted our budget. The ultimate insult, the new
playground for our children the former owner promised
was never refurbished. The tenant’s cries went
unanswered for a long time.
The City’s Corporation Counsel Loretta Hottinger
and the Chief of Staff Yolanda Robinson fought for a
change in ownership of Levister Towers, and today, we
have it.
In April of 2010 the new owners Levister SMN, LLC
took over the complex. They are truly committed to
improving the quality of life for the tenants and
establishing a long term partnership with the city.
Also, looming large were missing scheduled tax
payments and other fees owed to the city by the former
owner that were not aggressively sought.
Since the transfer of ownership, the city has
received almost $1 million in payments previously
owed. And equally important, our children have a new
playground.
I’d like to introduce you to Mr. Nick Kordas, a
partner in the company, please stand. Thank you for
delivering a better quality of life for the citizens of
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Levister Towers. They deserve it! We are not going to
rest until the all of the past due funds owed by the
previous owner are paid in full.
Levister Towers is a vital part of the fabric of our
community and in this room tonight are many people
who have lived in, raised children in and grew up in
Levister Towers.
Levister Towers is a beautiful and bright patch in
the quilt of the City of Mount Vernon. We’ve come too
far to turn back now! Progress must continue.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Every day, we read about the current economic
conditions that have crushed progress and the growth
of many cities across the nation and, while the
economy has had some negative effects in Mount
Vernon, we are in many areas experiencing never
before seen levels of investment in our Great city.
Development interest in the city of Mount Vernon is at
an all-time high. Let me repeat that -- development
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interest in the City of Mount Vernon is at an all time
high.
From the South Side to Fleetwood, from the West
Side to our industrial section, our city is appealing to
investors and I have been inundated with expressions
of interest from those who want to invest in Mount
Vernon.
I’d like to recognize some of those investors who are
here with us tonight:
Peter Fine of Atlantic Development. A proposed three phase mixed use development on Gramatan Avenue and Oakley between Gramatan and Crary. This is both workforce and senior housing. Felix Petrillo (a Mount Vernon boy) has invested several million dollars to resurrect 550 Locust Street, now called the Horizon, which will have a grand opening on April 14th.
John Saraceno – presently under construction a mixed use development on West First Street and South 7th Avenue. Fred Schwam – CEO of American Christmas, merged all of his operations in New Jersey into one headquarters here in Mount Vernon.
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Eric Guhring – Roosevelt Square Professional Building. A totally renovated 21st Century state of the art office building. Westchester’s first shared virtual office building. We ReCycle – The world’s largest recycler of computer parts quickly outgrew its headquarters on Sandford Blvd. It now has a second location on Franklin Avenue. Rob DeBenedictis – of Kingsbridge Canning Corp. is renovating a new headquarters located at 2 South Street – Dan Amicucci – Is embarking on a new Multi-million dollar mixed use improvement plan for South 4th Avenue.
Augie Nigro of Canal Asphalt, a longstanding and long respected business in Mount Vernon who seeks to develop a waterfront promenade along the banks of the Hutchison River at Hutch Field. Fun City of Mount Vernon, NY – a proposed indoor water park, restaurant, tennis and fitness center, retail shops and so much more.
We’re very fortunate to have exceptional partners
who are dedicated to advancing commerce in our city.
Each developer understands I require three things:
1) All projects must be aesthetically pleasing; 2) Jobs
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both construction and permanent must be made
available for Mount Vernon residents and; 3)
Contractual opportunities aggressively sought for
Mount Vernon firms. We need jobs here in Mount
Vernon, and we are going to do our best to bring in as
many jobs as possible.
I want to acknowledge the fine work of
Commissioner Mark Warren and the entire Building
Department for keeping pace with approvals and
generating income with permits.
We are not building haphazardly. Overseeing much
of the development is Jeff Williams, our Commissioner
of Planning and Community Development and Carmen
Sylvester, Executive Director of our Industrial
Development Agency.
Thanks to the efforts by the Planning Department,
our City will have a Comprehensive or Master Plan by
the end of the year. We have not had a Master Plan
since 1968 or when man first walked on the moon.
Smart, common-sense development is the best way
to provide relief to our taxpayers. We will continue to
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seek out partners who want to contribute to our city’s
success, as well as earn a profit.
The Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce, under
its President Frank Fraley, is experiencing tremendous
growth and I encourage all local business owners to get
on board with this important organization.
The Chamber and the African American Chamber of
Commerce led by Robin Douglas have both played a
significant role in the successful Mount Vernon
Business Expo which now enters its third year and will
be held on June 29th. Mount Vernon is the number one
city in the State of New York for Black and minority
owned businesses.
SAVE OUR SPORTS
Any significant challenge to any segment of our
community is a challenge to the entire Mount Vernon
family. We know that the Board of Education does not
fall under the umbrella of the city government. There is
a well defined line. The Board of Education is a
separate taxing entity responsible for educating our
children. There is, however, no division when it comes
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to the overall well being of our children. We are working
closer than ever before with Superintendent Dr. “Tony”
Sawyer and the school community. We all want our
children to succeed. In providing the necessary tools
for our kids to succeed, we continue to face
extraordinary challenges.
In 2008, our schools faced difficult budgetary
choices, which unfortunately resulted in the elimination
of the sports program from the school district’s 2008-
2009 Budget.
As a proud graduate of Mount Vernon High School
and a former celebrated athlete, I could not allow this
to happen. Save Our Sports (S.O.S.) movement was
created to help the district to raise the money. I called
on some famous friends, who are Mount Vernon School
alumni, including: NBA star Ben Gordon, as well as my
dear friend Denzel Washington who donated the first
$100-thousand dollars of his own money to support this
worthy cause.
And it was a slam-dunk! As a community, we saved
our sports program. Thank God we did, because tonight,
we honor the success of that investment.
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Ladies and Gentlemen please welcome members of
the 2011 New York State and New York State
Federation Basketball Champions the Mount Vernon
High School Boys Basketball Team. Legendary Coach
Bob Cimmino cannot be with us tonight. Coach Cimmino
was selected to coach the prestigious McDonald’s High
School All-American Team. Let’s hear it for the State
Champs!
Also with us is Coach Patrice Wallace-Moore and
Section One finalist the Mount Vernon Girls Basketball
team. Give it up for these outstanding young ladies.
This is why I work so hard. So our children will have an
opportunity to shine in academics and athletics. WE’VE
COME TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW!! PROGRESS
MUST CONTINUE!
I also want to honor our All American Boys Track
Team who took the National Championships by storm
under the leadership of Coach Marcus Green.
Please welcome the outstanding Girls track team
of Mount Vernon High School and Coach Walter Hall
who has lead them to many victories this season.
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Our support and investment is not just about
sports. These young people have brought a tremendous
amount of pride to our city and for themselves. It is
almost certain each of these students upon graduating
Mount Vernon High School will receive a scholarship to
college ensuring possibilities of an even brighter future.
And it’s not just on the playing fields. It’s in the
classroom.
Contrary to media reports, the majority of our
children are working hard at school and performing a
tremendous service to the community. I would like to
introduce the 2011 Mount Vernon School District
Spelling Bee Champion Kali Palmer of the Lincoln
Elementary School. Kali is here with her mother. Ladies
please stand.
We are acknowledging our young people, because
the local press will not. In June of this year, Kali will
appear at the national spelling bee competition in
Washington, D.C. We wish you much success in
Washington. Also, know that your city is behind you all
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the way. WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW!!
PROGRESS MUST CONTINUE!!!!
With sports in mind, I’m happy to announce that
construction of the new Memorial Field will finally get
underway this year. Last week, the City Council
approved bonding in the amount of about $1.5 million
for Memorial Field.
The funding will cover:
• Field lighting
• An upgraded score board
• Away team bleachers
• An additional ticket booth and concession stand
• Satellite locker room and rest room
These things are essential to convert Memorial Field
into a “world class” facility.
Yesterday, the Board of Estimate and Contract
voted to advertise for BIDS for “The Memorial Field
Redevelopment “Project.”
Tonight, I thank the Capital Projects Committee
under the leadership of Committee Chair Councilman
Steven Horton, Council President Karen Watts,
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Councilwoman Roberta Apuzzo, and Elvira Castillo for
their hard work in ensuring these funds. I look forward
to cooperatively working with the City Council and
Comptroller’s Office to facilitate the bonding process.
WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW!!
PROGRESS MUST CONTINUE!!!
GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY
Every year, I’ve asked my commissioners to do
more will less. This year is no different. Prudent
spending and accountability remain my policy.
Commissioner performance evaluations are largely
based on their ability to attain efficiencies and
economies.
Since 2008, we’ve seen overtime levels in the
police, fire, and Public works departments steadily
decrease. Thanks to better management and updated
equipment we are able to achieve these results –
despite major snow and torrential rain storms.
We are achieving major success in the area of
Information Technology. Commissioner Mary Graves
and our Management Services Department team have
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updated and saved tens of thousands of dollars on our
copier contracts, acquired the ability to work from
remote locations, enhanced vendor invoice tracking and
strengthened procurement policies via enhanced
technology.
We’ve also reduced non-personnel city expenses by
over 12 percent from 2009 levels. As we move forward,
we will look to further reduce these costs by
outsourcing functions such as payroll and by examining
our health care benefits options. For years now our
health care premiums have skyrocketed and we have
gone for too long without seeking less expensive
alternatives. We will continue to keep an open mind to
all options that will reduce the burden on the taxpayer.
This year, we have partnered with two computer
firms Capstone Strategy and MarketView to help us
update our network systems to enhance workflow and
efficiency, as well as accountability of city assets and
equipment. I would like to thank Derickson Lawrence of
Marketview Resources and Dwight McCloud of
Capstone for their expertise and commitment to our
city. By the way, they are also Mount Vernon residents.
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Soon, we will unveil a new website. This new
website will give us the flexibility to be more
interactive and responsive with the public. A website is
considered a window into the heart of a city. I thank
another Mount Vernon firm, Greenberg Media for their
expertise and dedication towards moving our city into
the 21st century. WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO TURN
BACK NOW!!!! PROGRESS MUST CONTINUE!!!
PUBLIC SAFETY
Three years ago, our city faced an epidemic of
rising crime and early in my administration young black
men were being killed on our streets at the rate of one
per month. Almost exclusively, these murders were by
the use of illegal handguns. Weapons obtained through
gun mills, mostly in the south, and transported across
state lines ultimately winding up in the hands of young
men associated with drug and gang involvement. At
every public meeting and everywhere I went, the issue
that I heard about most frequently, was crime. Early on
I partnered with New York City Mayor Michael
Bloomberg and the Mayors Against Illegal Handguns
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organization. In fact, I was invited to met with him to
discuss additional policies to curb gun violence in our
nation.
I am proud to report that in the fourth year of my
tenure as your Mayor, crime has decreased every year
that I have been in office and we no longer see people
being killed monthly on our streets.
Although we suffered a tragic loss just a week and
a half ago, and our hearts and prayers go out to Durell
Gordon’s Family. It is important for me to note that prior
to this sad tragedy, we had gone fifteen months without
a murder on city. Yes, fifteen months without a murder
on our streets!
Our city’s image has changed for the better. This
very unfortunate tragedy is the exception and not the
norm.
We can thank the hard working men and women of
the Mount Vernon Police Department for their diligence
and professionalism as well as their leadership under
Commissioner Carl Bell, who as a kid grew up in the
Mount Vernon Y and Boys and Girls Club. From his
successful career in the Drug Enforcement
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Administration he has brought his considerable
experience, aggressive approach and extensive inter-
agency relationships to Mount Vernon.
Under my administration, we have increased the
number of officers to the highest total this city has ever
seen and in January, we swore in twenty one new
recruits who, when they graduate from the Police
Academy, will join the ranks of Mount Vernon’s Finest.
We have combined proven strategies like
community policing with new age technology based
systems like Shot Spotter to further strengthen the
effectiveness of our Police Department and it has had a
dramatic effect. Also, through our capital projects
program we added nine new police cars to our fleet,
and we are looking to add more. WE HAVE COME TO
FAR MOUNT VERNON TO TURN BACK NOW!!
Also important to successful crime reduction is
community involvement. Over the last few years, more
and more citizens are becoming involved reporting
crimes and working with the police. The Peacekeeper
movement that evolved out of the Summit Meetings
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Against Violence at Grace Baptist Church is also a
major part of crime reduction. I know you’ve seen the
committed citizens out there in their orange shirts
walking the streets of our most challenged
neighborhoods and engaging and mentoring young men
and women. Thank you Lowes Moore and the men of
PeaceKeepers!
A new law enforcement tool is your cell phone.
Now, residents can contact the Police Department
quickly and anonymously by texting CRIMES or 274637
to report criminal activity.
Despite our success, I am in no way declaring a
total victory in the fight against crime. We have more
work to do and rest assured that Public Safety will
remain the highest priority of this administration and I
call upon everyone in this room tonight, as well as ALL
of our citizens, to continue to work with our Police
Department and together we will win this all important
battle.
Our public safety advances also extend to Mount
Vernon’s Bravest. Our professional firefighters, who
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enter burning buildings while everyone else runs out,
deserve the best possible apparatus and safety
equipment… and my administration has delivered. We
have upgraded our fleet of fire trucks and now stand on
our own. We no longer suffer the embarrassment of
pleading with neighboring cities to borrow ladders and
engines.
We have moved our firefighters out of the trailers
and back into their firehouse, where they belong. The
conditions of Fire Station One should have never been
allowed to decay to such unlivable conditions and we
must thank Senator Ruth Thompson for her assistance
in obtaining the funding to make the much needed
renovations.
Soon, thanks to a grant secured with the
assistance of Congressman Eliot Engel, these brave
men will also be receiving new breathing apparatus to
provide a higher level of protection when they enter
burning smoke-filled buildings.
As seen with the recent dramatic rescue operation
performed by the Yonkers Fire Department, our
firefighters must remain properly equipped.
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Today, our citizens also enjoy considerably greater
coverage of emergency medical services. Prior to 2009,
our city shared just one EMS unit with both Pelham and
the eastern part of Yonkers. Today, after changing to a
Mount Vernon based company TRANSCARE, we now
average 2 EMS units dedicated just to our city – at no
expense to our taxpayers.
This year, we are nearing construction of a new
Emergency Operations Center at the Third Street
Firehouse that will provide a state of the art
communications and logistical operations center for all
of our emergency responders. US Senators Chuck
Schumer and Kristen Gillibrand, as well as State
Senator Thompson were all instrumental in securing
funding for this facility that will help to ensure our
preparedness for any type of disaster.
WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW!!
PROGRESS MUST CONTINUE!!!
INFRASTRUCTURE
It is no secret that for close to two decades our
streets, parks, our municipal buildings and fleet have
been allowed to decay to the point of embarrassment.
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In spite of the worst economic conditions since the
Great Depression, we have made great strides to
improve our infrastructure and our delivery of public
works services.
The little league fields at Brush Park have been
completely renovated thanks to help from our good
partner Assemblyman Gary Pretlow. It was an extra
special opening day last summer and seeing the joy on
the faces of the boys and girls as they saw the brand
new fields was so heartwarming. Our Recreation and
Public Works employees worked so hard to make this
happen and they did it for our children.
With winter now in our rear view mirror, hopefully
anyway, the record snowfall is still fresh in our memory
and I emphatically state that the snow removal effort of
our Public Works Department was second to none. The
toll that the winter took on our equipment, salt supply,
roads and workers was significant. Nonetheless, the
leadership provided by Commissioner Terrence Horton
and his road crews was extraordinary and I thank them
for getting the job done. We have the best DPW crew!!!!
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Our streets are getting paved, every year. Late in
2010 we saw much needed resurfacing of Mount Vernon
Avenue and East Lincoln Avenue as well as other
roadways in all corners of this city. This important work
must continue, and will continue.
We are also updating our pedestrian crossings and
signals on the south side with modern equipment that
will make crossing the streets even safer. Tonight, I’m
happy to report to you that we have installed new
sidewalk ramps and pedestrian signals along Second
and Third Streets, and we will also perform the same
work on Fulton Avenue to the Bronx border. The Fourth
Avenue Bridge East sidewalk, which was closed for
over a decade is now open to foot traffic. We also now
have plans to repair the intersection of Gramatan
Avenue and Broad Street.
WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW!!
PROGRESS MUST CONTINUE!!!
You’ve all heard me speak about our ancient fleet
of garbage trucks and street sweepers that have spent
more time in the repair shop as they did cleaning our
city streets. Well, in 2010 we added eight brand new
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sanitation trucks to the fleet and, just earlier this
month, three new street sweepers hit the city streets;
all through our capital projects program. This capital
investment will not only make our city cleaner, but will
save our taxpayers money in terms of less overtime,
repair and fuel expenses. We are saving our taxpayers
money!
We replaced the elevator in the Armory for our
seniors and we are now replacing the roof of this very
building and soon the roof at the Doles Center. More
work remains and we will continue to address these
important structural issues through municipal bonding
at the current historically low interest rates and
favorable terms.
Our capital projects plan is a smart common-sense
investment that has been a great success. Moving
forward, with the cooperation of our City Council, we
will make even greater strides in delivering to our
citizens a modern and more appealing Mount Vernon.
WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW!!
PROGRESS MUST CONTINUE!!!
YOUTH
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Throughout my travels across the city, people are
never tired of me bragging about the Mount Vernon
Youth Bureau. They are excited each time I extol the
virtues of the hard working group of people who,
despite continuing cuts in state aid, provide our city’s
young people with a myriad of youth development
programming and employment opportunities, including:
after-school and summer employment; the Safe Haven
program; the STRONG program at Mount Vernon High
School; college and career prep; inter-generational
programs; Step Up; Gems and so much more. Today our
youth have options available to them that have never
been offered before and I want to recognize the
Executive Director of the Youth Bureau, a dedicated
and tireless leader, Ms. DaMia Harris.
If you are a parent in this city, you owe it to
yourself and to your children to contact the Mount
Vernon Youth Bureau and learn about the many
opportunities that are available to your kids.
WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW!!
EYES ON THE PRIZE
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Since 2008, my administration has been on a dual
track of restoration and progress to achieve our goal of
better management and services for our constituents.
While we have accomplished a great deal in a short
time, we have a way to go before the City of Mount
Vernon realizes its full potential. One thing is clear, we
are a city that is moving forward and moving in the right
direction headed towards greatness. We cannot turn
back the clock now.
Tonight, I ask all of you to help continue the progress
we have made in this city.
I said it before, and I will say it again using a quote
by President Barack Obama, “Our destiny is not written
for us, it is written by us.”
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MOUNT VERNON…WE HAVE COME TOO FAR TO TURN
BACK NOW. PROGRESS MUST CONTINUE!!!! PROGRESS
MUST CONTINUE!!!!
Thank you! God Bless you all! God Bless America and
the great City of Mount Vernon. Good Night.