Cleveland Mayor Jackson expresses 'sense of urgency' in State of the City speech

By JAY MILLER

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson is who he is, a modest man who keeps his long-term goals always in sight.

So, he opened his State of the City speech today by saying he wanted to share his “sense of urgency” about a group of issues he has emphasized during his time in office: efforts to operate more efficiently and save money, to develop collaborative programs with other area communities and to transform Cleveland into a 21st century, 24-hour city built around its waterfront.

Mayor Jackson also concluded his 40-minute speech in front of an audience at Public Auditorium of nearly 1,000 business and civic leaders, students and senior citizens — and Gov. John Kasich — by repeating a challenge to civic leaders to work harder to improve the education of the region's children.

But he also had the opportunity to take a little credit and receive applause for two milestones for the city's public safety forces. First, he reported that Cleveland had only five fire fatalities in 2010, the fewest in 112 years. Then he said the city in 2010 recorded the fewest number of homicides in 40 years, though, he added, “Even one is too many.”

Responding to a rising level of complaints, he conceded that the city water department has “failed to provide the quality customer service our customers deserve.”

But mostly he rattled off examples of the way the city, developers and businesses are transforming the city, from the Flats East Bank project to the new convention center/medical mart and the development of 176 urban gardens. He said the gardens represent the making of a local food industry that can play a growing role in filling grocery shelves and restaurant menus.

“Today, the city of Cleveland is in a state of constant restructuring of operations,” he said.

But, he said, the changes in the way the city and its industries operate must be matched by an effort to transform the way children are educated.

“This community must demonstrate the same level of commitment, passion and desire to succeed for education,” Mayor Jackson said. “The time to do it is now, in this time of rapid change.”

(Article Courtesy of Crain's Cleveland)