Mayor accentuates the positive in State of the City address

Lynchburg will overcome the economic struggles it faces today and emerge stronger and better for it, Mayor Joan Foster declared Monday in her 2010 State of the City Address.

“Lynchburg, I am optimistic tonight,” Foster said to a standing-room-only audience at City Hall. “I believe we will continue to move forward and the city is going to continue to be a wonderful place to live. We have overcome adversity before and we will do so again.”

The mayor acknowledged that difficult and unpopular decisions lie ahead for the city in its budget talks, but said the community must remember that its character is defined not by the challenges it encounters but rather by how it responds to those challenges.

“The business landscape has changed and the environment is different, but no less rich in possibilities,” she said. “… I assure you that each of us up here (on the City Council dais) will do what is best to position Lynchburg to prosper.”

The State of the City Address is an hour-long event that both recalls the past year’s accomplishments and looks ahead to the current year’s opportunities. The ceremony, traditionally upbeat in tone, includes the presentation of the Mayor’s Award of Excellence and the Vice Mayor’s Young Adult Award of Excellence, which honors people who have given outstanding service to the community.

This year’s address, delivered jointly by Mayor Foster and Vice Mayor Bert Dodson, highlighted a long list of accomplishments, including the new city’s new train service, the completion of the Fifth Street roundabout, the adoption of the Wards Road improvement plan and the city’s continually high rankings on national business and education indicators.

The speeches also reflected on the budget challenges facing the city, noting certain steps already taken, such as a staff-wide hiring freeze, and the tough choices that lie ahead.

“We have challenging days ahead of us as we tackle a budget that will be difficult and extremely time-consuming,” Dodson said. “However, we should always remember that regardless of the obstacles ahead of us, we must take care of our citizens, our children, our grandchildren and our beloved city. Regardless of what occurs at the national and state level, we are here to serve and to ensure that Lynchburg, Virginia continues to be a city that attracts new citizens while retaining the excellent quality of life that makes our city so special.”

Foster, drawing on what has been a frequent theme in recent community conversations about the need confronting the city, declared this to be the Year of the Volunteer.

“So many of you already do a magnificent job in volunteering in the community, but I challenge everyone to find an area in which they can contribute their time and talents,” she said. “… Not only will the community benefit from your service, but you’ll probably gain more than you give.”

Foster urged those searching for volunteer opportunities to contact the United Way of Central Virginia, which can be reached at (434) 846-8467.