2009 Mayor's Message

01/16/09 - Community Development Block Grant funding
Earlier this week, we held a public hearing concerning the upcoming year of Community Development Block Grant funding. The meeting was well attended by members of the community, and many good ideas were discussed. The competition for funding this year for the $2 million pool of money we expect to receive will be fierce, and we are truly hoping that anyone that believes they may have a unique idea that will benefit Troy will apply.

02/03/09 - Landlord Registry Program
The landlord registry program was officially kicked off this week, as the forms were sent out to people that must register their property. In the coming weeks we will update the website with an FAQ, and the official form. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact Code Enforcement at 270-4646.

02/26/09 - City of Troy Events
Last year the City of Troy made a concerted effort to team up with a variety of people, groups and organizations to develop a number of events that would get people out into the City and enjoy the amenities that we have here for free. We intend to stay on the same course, with some added improvements, this year.

03/25/09 - Proctors Theatre
When we first announced the Proctor’s Redevelopment project two weeks ago, we did so with the knowledge of the great uproar it would cause in the preservationist community, and in the hearts of anyone that understands the historic nature that exists in downtown Troy. Let me be clear about Proctor’s Theater- nothing would please me more as the Mayor of Troy than to see the Theater restored to its original grandeur in the middle of a thriving block of 4th Street. The notion of a rehabilitated theater there is equally magnificent and unrealistic.

05/01/09 - Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
I’m going to take some time in this column to ask for support of a cause I am involved with right now that is helping to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Earlier this year I was chosen as one of their Man of the Year candidates. For the last month, my fellow competitors and I have been hard at work raising money to find a cure blood related cancers.

06/11/09 - Troy Flag Day Parade / Old Glory on Broadway Block Party.
This weekend’s events are another excellent opportunity to visit downtown and support our local businesses and independent entrepreneurs. Starting with Saturday, the Old Glory on Broadway Block Party. Organized by local pub Holmes & Watson. On Sunday, Troy continues a tradition that is unmatched anywhere in the country and is the most anticipated event of the weekend. The Troy Flag Day Parade is in its 42nd continuous year and is widely regarded as the largest parade in the nation in honor of the American flag.

07/13/09 - Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter
As Mayor of Troy, I have a responsibility to not only communicate my vision for this city but to listen to what the people are saying. My office in City Hall and email on the city’s website invites ideas Trojans have regarding the direction of their city. However, as technology progressed, so has the internet and its affect on the citizen-government relationship. Joining this evolution, I created profiles on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

08/04/09 - Neighborhood Improvement People
Ronald Reagan once said “Each generation goes further than the generation preceding it because it stands on the shoulders of that generation. You will have opportunities beyond anything we've ever known”. Working to make Troy a better place for the generations after them are our city's neighborhood associations.

09/09/09 - Get Ready
It was December 2008 and what one organization called “the worst ice storm in two decades” had descended upon the city. In its aftermath, thousands of city residents, including the elderly and low-income, were left without power amid freezing temperatures. Due to the size of area affected, National Grid could not say when electricity would be restored in the city. Together with the County’s Bureau of Public Safety and the American Red Cross, we planned and put into action the steps necessary to evacuate seniors and other residents to emergency shelters. Because we were ready to respond, lives might’ve been saved.

11/09/09 - Cityhall Move
Every journey begins with a first step, and this step has had its share of opposition and delay. The elevator has been installed and the building is being reviewed to make sure it is code compliant before we move in. We had hoped to be in sooner and were faced with situations beyond our control; situations you face when you are a tenant, not the owner.

12/16/09 - Tis the season for heroes
Tis the season once again for freezing winds, slushy roads and over-crowded stores with parking spots that are miles away from a door. It’s also the season to celebrate Christmas or the holiday of belief with the company of friends and family. It’s also a time for reflection and to be truly appreciative of the life we, as Americans, are afforded. We are only afforded that life because of the sacrifices of our military personnel.