Mayor John Cowman acknowledged adversity the city faced in 2011, but offered a hopeful outlook for 2012 in his State of the City address Tuesday at the Leander Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
The mayor began by applauding the accomplishments made by the city in 2011. He pointed to the hiring of City Manager Kent Cagle as an achievement, and memorialized former city manager Biff Johnson, who died unexpectedly in March 2011.
“Biff was bigger than life, and we loved that man,” Cowman said.
Cowman added that Johnson’s leadership and the continued work of city staff and Cagle provided another 2011 highlight for Leander –– the purchase of the Sandy Creek Water Treatment Plant from the Lower Colorado River Authority for $36.67 million. The mayor said with that purchase, the city expects to save approximately $1 million annually providing wastewater services.
An unexpected bright spot last year, Cowman said, was the city library receiving 141,881 visits in 2011 — an average of 2,700 visits per week. The mayor credited the influx to a program that gives library cards and a tour of the library to new residents who sign up for water services.
“People go to the library and say ‘Oh, this is how they think,’” Cowman said.
While the number of industrial and commercial permits issued by the city declined in the last year, Cowman pointed to a number of commercial projects, including the Avicenna Medical Clinic, Firestone, Jiffy Lube, Joule’s expansion and the new Scott and White medical clinic as evidence of Leander’s growth.
“Leander is growing,” Cowman said. “We felt the pinch, but we’re showing signs that we’re moving back up.”
These commercial projects helped Leander come in with the lowest unemployment rate for 2011, he said. While Williamson County saw a record 6.53 percent unemployment rate in the last year, Leander came in the lowest of county cities with 5.19 percent.
“Leander has the lowest unemployment. Why? Because of what we do. Because of the people of this community,” Cowman said.
The mayor added that residential values and permits had increased from 2010, despite June 2011 hitting the city with the hardest foreclosure rate Leander has seen. Cowman attributed efforts by community members to pull residential development out of the slump.
“We came together because we are a family. Our last name is Leander,” he said.
Another economic high point for the city, he said, was an increase in annual tax receipts.
“In tough times, Leander shops,” Cowman joked.
Cowman addressed the impact of fires on the city during summer 2011. Despite losing 25 homes, the mayor highlighted that there was no loss of life and that less than $4 million out of a threatened $46,824,495 was lost to fire damage. He applauded Fire Chief Bill Gardner for his work in fighting the fires and his continued work in providing for the displaced families who lost their homes.
Cowman discussed the revision of the City Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan, the building of the Belmont Senior Village, grants received for sidewalk construction, the formation of the city’s public arts commission and sponsorship of an airborne military unit stationed in Afghanistan as additional high points in 2011.
“We had a rough year, but Leander didn’t do too bad,” he said.
The mayor concluded with an outlook for 2012, which he hopes will be prosperous for the city. New businesses and residences, plans for greenscapes and continued construction on the Highway 183A toll road — all with community support — were just a few of the goals Cowman visualized for Leander.
“It’s what we’re all about: working together,” he said.