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Provo Mayor Lewis Billings made a spirited defense of the city's fiber optic communications system during his 11th state of the city address.
On Thursday, Billings said the system continues to struggle because critics seed doubt among potential subscribers. He said the system came about after much debate from many quarters. "I would remind our critics, this wasn't a project taken on by one person," he said, and that he believes iProvo remains "valuable and worthwhile for the long-term benefit of this city." The mayor spoke of the city's past, present and future on Thursday:
Airport Substantial time was spent lauding the airport and its 175,000 operations a year. The city completed reconstruction of the control and operations center last month after a massive storm in 2006 destroyed the building. Billings applauded the efforts of UVSC's flight program as well as Million Air, the private company that built the entrance to the airport and continues to anchor the facility.
Crime Provo continues to have some of the lowest crime rates of Utah's major cities. The crime rate per 1,000 people has actually trended downward since 2002. While the mayor is proud of the numbers, he said there is still more to do. "As long as there is one crime in Provo there is one crime too many," he said.
The centers After years of work and more than $8 million, the Covey Center for the Performing Arts opened in 2007 to much fanfare. Billings lauded the public and private partnership that split the cost. Instead of a bond for the center, there's less than $300,000 left to pay on the building. He then spoke of a potential conference center that is being discussed and a possible new recreation center that would likely combine the city's recreation services that are currently spread out over the city. "We expect it to come to the people of Provo in a vote because it's an expensive project," he said.
City business The mayor launched a six-month trial designed to see if there is enough demand to stay open on Fridays. For years the city has been open extended hours Monday through Thursday. To cover the extra day, the city will shift some employee schedules to Tuesday through Friday. The city is in good economic shape, he said. There have been no tax increases, though he acknowledged residents' frustration with high property tax assessments. That will probably be handled in the upcoming legislative session, he said.
The past The mayor singled out Lloyd "Ras" and Nadine Rasmussen as an example of Provo's quality residents. The couple met in 1941 when Lloyd was a basketball player for Brigham Young High and Nadine was a cheerleader for PHS. A near collision during a game eventually brought them together. "They said, 'Well, they've got the cutest cheerleaders,' " Lloyd said he was told by his friends. "And she was a cute one." Winners of the Mayor's Award
• Kathryn S. Allen - For her work bringing about the Covey Center for the Performing Arts
• Lael Woodbury - For his work as a performer and promoter of the arts
• Hogan and Associates Construction - For work on the arts center
• VCBO Architecture - For work on the arts center
• Million Air Provo - For its efforts to promote and improve the Provo Airport By the numbers
• Approximately 415 Rental Dwelling Licenses were reviewed during the year.
• Approximately 90 percent of firefighters completed the Physical Fitness (Combat Challenge) testing in less than five minutes, achieving the Gold Standard.
• Thanks to the generous donations by Provo City's employees, $28,176.40 benefitted local charities. 1,587 pounds of food were collected for the Timpanogos Regional Food Bank. Two and a half truck loads of coats as in-kind contributions to United Way through Deseret Industries.
• 1,463,965 items were circulated through the Library.
• Added more than 8,750 new borrowers to the library patron database.
• Registered 5,668 children for youth sports, 520 adult sports teams. Also processed 1,761 park reservations, 85 special park use requests and checked out gun range key 126 times.
• Victim Services Program graduated 82 women and 124 children from the Spanish-speaking domestic violence support group at Centro Hispano. A one-of-a-kind program in Utah County.
• More than 500 parking permit signs were installed in University Gardens and Foothill Park neighborhoods. |
