 Good evening ladies and gentlemen At this time, we would ask you to please find your seat Such a beautiful crowd in here this evening. All right. I Wasn't here with you all on last year So I certainly missed you and I'm glad to be back and your company on today We would ask that you turn your cell phones your tablets your watches, you know all these gadgets that we have We ask that you turn them to the silent Vibrate off Do not disturb. We have so many options, right? All right, so get your device to straighten. Let's settle in for a great state of the city address on this evening So now we have all our devices turned off, right? All right, we'd ask that you stand to your feet as We welcome the Columbia City Council to the stage We have the honorable Daniel J. Rickerman the Honorable Howard Duvall The Honorable Sam Davis the Honorable Tamika Isaac Devine The Honorable Edward H. McDowell and our newly elected member the honorable William Brennan I would ask that you remain standing for the presentation of colors by the City of Columbia Columbia Color Guard the color guard will be followed by the national anthem, but this year It's not gonna be by song. We have a saxophonist So we ask that you remain standing as you are seated. We would like to thank the Columbia Color Guard and Curtis Bates for that beautiful instrumental Redemption of the national anthem. It was just a sweet reminder Of how precious our our lives and our liberties are and I would also like for you to give our amazing Columbia City Council a round of applause as they are seated at this time Please join me in welcoming Rabbi Meyer from the Tree of Life Congregation to deliver this evening's invocation Good evening God of history We are grateful for inspired leadership For men and women who build communities in your image for stewards dedicated to justice unafraid to face the challenges of our day in particular the challenges of our city of Columbia God of justice Let our leaders heed the words of the Prophet Jeremiah Make your bays and your acts good. Do not put your trust in lying words Do justice between a man and his fellow? Do not oppress orphan and widow May our city and those who lead her Radiate with compassion kindness and peace justice and mercy God of compassion remind the leaders of our city that everyone gay straight Transgender black brown or white Child single mother elderly person homeless or living on the margins Muslim Jew Hindu Sikh Buddhist or atheist long-term citizen recent immigrant refugee or stranger is our neighbor our sibling Woven into the fabric of our community God of wisdom Grant our elected officials wisdom and understanding So that their efforts on behalf of our city may be significant and successful God of blessing Bless our leaders with dedication and fortitude and with the imagination to solve the issues we face So that our community may thrive and safety and security Be known to all and liberty and equality reign supreme Amen, like for you all to join me in welcoming our fabulous city manager Teresa Wilson to the stage and I believe you all can do better than that for reasons that I don't even have All right. Thank you So last year Erica was a little under the weather and I had to do what she does best So I'm most thankful that she's here again with us this year Welcome to the 2020 state of the city address on behalf of mere Benjamin and Columbia City Council Thank you so much for joining us This is always the time where I'm tasked with being very inclusive in recognizing all of our special guests So charge it to my heart and not to my head and I'm a hard if we leave anyone out because it is certainly not intentional I know mere Benjamin is always very Excited about this time to engage with the community and it's a very special occasion for him and his family We're thankful for their presence tonight and all of Columbia's citizens in person and hopefully also watching at home At this time I will do my best to acknowledge several members of our community Who are in attendance members of the clergy if you are a member of the clergy here in our community? Please stand and be recognized Thank you Of course, we always have and are honored to have other elected officials from other entities in our community Who are in attendance if you are an elected official? Please stand and be recognized. I see members of Richland County Council and the various school boards Thank you so much West Columbia Casey all our neighbors. Thank you We also would like to recognize any appointed administrators or Presidents representatives of higher education institutions or other state agency heads of any of you are in attendance tonight. Please stand Okay, thank you and members of the judiciary including the honorable Judge Benjamin here as well as our Municipal court judges are with us tonight. Please stand and be recognized our members of the judiciary Thank you. Magistrate Simons is here as well At this time, I would like to also personally thank the families of the mayor and Council members and ask them to stand if they are here, which I see Mayor Benjamin's family is here, of course some commissioner divine and Ms. Jeannie McDowell. Thank you all Thank you Obviously, I work very closely with the mayor and members of council and so I get to personally see the sacrifices They make but their families make those sacrifices too for them to publicly serve and I think it's It's important for us to recognize them because they couldn't do what they do every day without the support at home Our I'm gonna take this opportunity to also say that this council And this mayor display courageous leadership. There's lots of discussion in our communities even today About policy matters. These folks make policy matters that impact our community Sometimes it's bold, but it's also very courageous for them to take those things on and I want to thank them personally for doing that Also, speaking of sacrifices I want to share how I personally witnessed the willingness of our city of Columbia employees to give They're all to our community on a daily basis It umbels me every single day to see the work that they do Opportunity that I have to work with the most caring Dedicated and committed group of men and women in local government as far as I'm concerned So all city employees, please stand and be recognized at this time. Many of our department heads are here We have a wonderful chief of staff city attorney our three assistant city managers who Certainly keep me straight every day and I would say the best public safety team in the country police chiefs get hold Brooke fire chief Aubrey Jenkins and our emergency management director Harry tinsley the Sacrifice of all these individuals and department heads. It just cannot be understated and I thank each one of you for what you do every day at this time We will ask our poet laureate Dr. Ed Madden the city of Columbia poet laureate to also come to the stage and after that Erica will come back And we'll get to the business at hand and have their Benjamin give his state of the city address. Thanks, everyone As I was writing this I was thinking about the end of a decade On how we look back at the record of what's happened and we look forward to the promise of what's to come But more than that I was just thinking about how we measure time in all the ways we measure time And the fact that we have two identical clocks on Main Street Two clocks on the same street There is never only one clock Even here there are two and both must be wound by hand since time isn't just the turn of sun or season Or the binary beat of your watch But someone's hand long ago turning a key a crank so that everybody got to work and trains mostly ran on time There is never only one clock even here There are two and both have four faces as if the tempo of Main Street changes from one block to another As if those going north towards City Hall see time differently from those headed south to the State House where stories can jeal into marble even when they're not quite true It depends on where you stand Whether you are in front of the jewelry store or the bank the art museum or the coffee shop the hotel or the dorm The Brazilian steakhouse where the attendant is parking your car or the water department where you're standing in line to pay your bill The clock of someone waiting at a bus stop is different from the clock of a man driving a car Which is different from the clock running out at the end of a game The coffee shop is in one time zone and the hospital another and they are only blocks from each other There is never only one clock There's the clock on the wall the clock on your wrist and all the clocks embedded in our flesh There's the clock of the river which measures its banks and the clock of pollen which slows us all down until the rains wash the air There's the clock of stoplights the clock of school buses There's the Sun clock and the moon clock the Circulations of feral cats the visitations of migrating birds the orb spiders hanging Fantasy calendars in autumn air and the strange and beautiful clock of fireflies synchronizing themselves with one another and It is not always clear how these sink with the clock of council meetings or the replacement of street lights or parking meters or artwork at the airport There are two clocks on the same street time is the circle of the Sun over the river seeing the same things again But in a slightly different light and time is also the wavy line of the river beneath the Sun always moving on January is a clock with two faces facing opposite ways One hand waves a flag of corn and cotton as if here we think we're still there in a past That was small and unfair or justice might have been the queen of virtues, but someone kept her blindfolded The other hand unfurls something like a wing a wave a page about to be turned at last And a decade is just another way to say the train depot is not a depot The post office is no longer a post office the park was something else and a bank has slapped its logo over the shoulder of the Statehouse a Decade is a way to draw a dark line through all the little changes Not a clock, but the shadow of a bridge over the ripples of the river To say look at what all has happened between there and here Thank you add another round of applause I want you to turn To one of your neighbors the neighbor to your right and say that was good And I want you to turn to the neighbor to your left and say that was real good Thank you All right, so I think we're ready So ladies and gentlemen, let's stand to our feet as we welcome The Honorable Mayor Stephen K. Benjamin to the stage Good evening Columbia good evening to our wonderful friends and family a special welcome to all of you took time out of your schedules To join us this evening whether in person or online for that tonight's remarks I promise that I won't keep you too long. Okay, so things crossed To my fellow members of Columbia City Council including I knew Mayor pro tem Ed McDowell I will tell each of you Without hesitation that I have the pleasure of serving with the very best city council in this country so We have the opportunity to agree at times to disagree at times to do so respectfully And and come out with solutions that work for the people of Columbia And I'm so proud to call each and every one of you colleagues. So thank you so much Our wonderful city manager Teresa Wilson the incredible staff of the city of Columbia all of our Elected officials. I see so many of you. I want to thank Teresa for recognizing everyone. It saves us about a half hour from my speech the my Amazing mother and father Sam and Maggie Benjamin. I see my aunt Janetta is with us my sister-in-law Cynthia my two adopted parents Donald and Adrienne kissed my son my moon my stars DeAndre and my beautiful daughter of Bethany we had a debate as to whether or not she could wear her vans tonight and As usual she won the debates So I'm sure I hear about it for my wife later Our other awesome little lady Jordan Grace ditched me tonight for a school trip How could a bus trip with a bunch of 12 year olds to Disney world compete with her 50-year-old dad? Giving a speech in downtown Columbia who knew you know, but I lost that one. So She's not with us this evening Tonight's extra special because this is actually my 10th state of the city y'all Yeah I'll try not to go too long and get too sappy this evening. I was a baby when this first started It has been an incredible journey while I'm Not the same young man that I once was I did try to compete with Ed and Sam and wear my double-breasted suit Today the I Was a baby when this first started. I was a little delayed reaction, but it's out there now And they go ahead and ruin the surprise for you I will tell you that the state of our city is strong We are strong Ten years ago in April I was elected mayor of the city following 20 years of incredible leadership by Bob cobalt were thankful to him I am to him for still providing me amazing advice and counsel as I try to do the job on behalf of the people of the city Serving each and every one of you has truly been one of the greatest blessings of my life I remember assuming this job just as I assume my very first job Many years ago. I'm not even sure my daddy remembers this. I remember vividly waking up Before the crack of dawn just shy of my 12th birthday to go to work With my father. He told me what to wear. We're going to the job site somewhere and Miniola are thereabouts He told me what to wear. I put on my converse that these weren't Chuck Taylor's These were actually leather converse. I remember them vividly because the stitching in them was all brown it was brown because Trying to impress my friends at school one day. I put Vaseline on my sneakers Trying to make them nice and shiny and then of course walked through a dirt lot and destroyed them Ruin my kicks but it taught me a wonderful lesson My daddy gave me an old black handle a putty knife a paint scraper and some roll of masking tape He was a painter a contractor. I knew Then and I saw of course he'd go back and fix everything I messed up Not long after we were done, but that wasn't the point And my father was teaching me the value of of hard work of earning the things that you want in Life that there's no shame and an honest work. I remember my mother after I engaged in a heated argument with an adult over a minor issue on Set our avenue in front of our house. I Maintaining to this day that my position was right that I was right She's shaking her head right now because she remembers it as well But my mother explained to me in no uncertain terms that I would always Respect my elders. I would always respect my elders That God gave me two ears and one mouth so that I could listen Twice as much as I talked That words matter that kind words Heal my parents were parents and they were mentors To me and I'll come back to that in a moment This evening we're happy back in this Columbia of Metropolitan Convention Center the soon-to-be expanded Convention Center as I look chairman divine and chairman Livingston the rest of County Council school district right in the eyes Thank them for their incredible partnership Councilwoman I see you right there too thanking you so much for your incredible partnership a Collaboration with Richland County and Richland school district one with USC and other partners We're going to creep into greater measure of our potential with a bigger and better facility here a facility That's going to be able to host the growing number of events that want to come to our region expansion is a difficult endeavor it Not only involves resources and strategy, but also vision Proverbs tells us that where there's no vision people perish You have to have a vision about where you want to be and what you want to become expansion takes time and if it's intentionally coupled with With time it helps create an equation that yields great results As we have planned Over the last several years become the most talented Educated in entrepreneurial city in America our city has changed Many of you saw At the end of last year as we were preparing for 2020 Everyone was hashtagging the decade challenge on social media and as we brought 2019 to a close it just prompted us to also think about ways we could post photos in 2019 To now I did not have gray hair in 2019 in 2010. I might add For most of us that the glow-up as opposed to the grow-up Was phenomenal. So here we decided to do a decade challenge of our own just to kind of remind us of the progress that we made let's cue the slidesha team How we've continued This incredible progress improvements the innovation across this city But perhaps even more Exciting than aesthetic improvements that we see across our great city is the meaningful and intentional work that went into making those Changes happen together Together we've laid a foundation to move This city forward if you would look at the picture of yourself from ten years ago You wouldn't just note your hairstyle your clothing You remember how you're feeling at that time you remember your joys and successes the pains and failures Well, I thought you liked that photo That's a well-brennan project right there You remember your pain in your in your failures. You remember the what you are part of what changes You were working on so you could one day get to the photo taken today in ten years As much as we highlight the visible changes in our lives We also have to recognize the often overlooked changes that aren't visible to the naked eye the changes we've made internally the We've incurred I'm city manager Jeff Missy and others budget surplus is in eight of our last ten years. We've cut property taxes in the city of Colombia By over 12 mils over the last Decade our city tax mill is down from 106.1 mils to 94 point one mils We've investing we're investing nearly three quarters of a billion dollars in water sewer and stormwater Infrastructure watching our sanitary sewer overflows dropped precipitously each year. We've received each year since 2014 15 16 17 18 the certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting We fully restored the city's reserve fund, which has hit hard during the financial crisis, perhaps Of the last ten years become more patient than you used to be maybe you're more altruistic than you were previously maybe some of us are trying Had some trying challenges that produced in us a tenacity and an endurance To face our fears head-on to make things happen no matter how difficult they might be those are the types of internal changes that we also make as a city since 2010 we've been thoughtful our approach and We've applied pressure in the right areas molding us into the city that we've now become as our nation's very first planned Capital city we have a legacy of intentionality that exists here that was evident in our first City flag in the last 100 years and we'll take it on next week as our poet Laureate mentioned as a city council Manifesting a new flag that will show our vision our values our belief and inclusion for the next 100 years We've accomplished in 10 years of so much more than I'll be able to comprehensively Note tonight, but I do want to highlight some of the accomplishments that we've made together since 2010 We have made the largest investment in public safety in the history of our city increasing our police department budget By almost 80 percent purchasing shots by our technology with great leadership and thanks to chief Holbrook and Deputy chief Kelly and the men and women of the Columbia Police Department improved morale reputation efficiency and The effectiveness of our police department. We've invested in a national leader in 21st century policing Establishing a justice for all initiative for greater community engagement diversity training and accountability For law enforcement together we endured a 1,000 year event chief tinsley The incredible team that we have here entire city staff and emergency services staff Successfully collaborated with agencies from across this region across the state and across the country our amazing Columbia Richland fire department Led by chief Arbery Jenkins doing amazing things including keeping a steady supply of water to our area hospitals So that it the infirm would be free from Danger chief Jenkins who in the last ten years also became the very first African-American chief of our fire department He continues to lead that department with distinction We have revitalized Main Street Seeing nearly two billion dollars in economic investment in downtown Columbia public-private partnerships led by the city and the business community Thankful to the city center partnership to the Columbia Columbia Museum of Museum of Art To one Columbia so the city and so many others a heart of our city is thriving We facilitated an amendment to our zoning code to permit student housing in the central business district Which permitted the conversion of the former scanner headquarters? 452,000 square feet of emptiness And a drain on Main Street to the hub which added nearly a thousand new citizens to Main Street to help With its vitality We established a Columbia bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee The city achieved its very first listing as a bicycle friendly community by the League of American bicyclists At Bull Street. We started the 20 year transformation of the largest track of undevelopable land undeveloped land East of the Mississippi Into a new district in our downtown two and a half times the size of the central business district constant development and Preservation underway as we speak. We brought professional baseball back to Columbia With the fireflies in Segra Park baseball digest stadium of the decade of the decade We received lead goal certification for the new water distribution and wastewater management facility the very first seat of Columbia building to achieve this status the seat of Columbia made history by issuing its first ever green bonds improve The city's stormwater system creating a lasting investment in sustainability This nearly 38 million dollar green bond was the very first in the country to be certified green as a standalone storm What a bond by the climate bond initiative and an independent global nonprofit that rates environmentally responsible investments as a city we not we not only prioritized sustainability efforts In the environment itself, but also we planted 10,000 trees We gave away 1000 rain barrels In North Columbia, we continue to extend the streetscaping. Thanks to the city. Thank you to Richland County. Thank you To congressman clobber and mr. Davis we completed the Busby Street community resource and training complex mr. Davis and mr McDowell always debate as the whose district that's actually in I haven't tried to figure it out lately but we've invested in Greenview Park and Urwood Park Roy Lynch Park the Bethel Bishop baseball field Hampton Park mr. Rickerman and so many others within that with this investment we're watching businesses and neighborhoods thrive We established one Columbia for arts and culture We instituted the first ever poet laureate and another round of applause for Dr. Madden Who amazingly captures the spirit of the city every single time? He gets up here and we established stormwater studios with the Columbia development corporation We hired the very first African-American female to serve a city manager of the city of Columbia Teresa Wilson Who continues to serve with distinction and we're so thankful for her? Columbia was the first city in South Carolina To power all of our city council meetings on renewable energy. I missed Duval. We eclipsed one million visitors to the region in August 21st 2017 For the last two years. We've had either we've either been number two or the number four city in the country Where Millennials are moving to according to smart asset? When we came here 10 years ago, we were worried about losing our talent now We're retaining our talent and pulling people from other parts of the country We've completed and are preparing for the adoption of our city's comprehensive plan our fantastic planning staff working on Columbia compass and vision 2036 this directional and Aspirational plan was empowered by engaging our citizens and members of our community in exciting and innovative ways We also rewrote adopted a new unified development ordinance Which for the first time which for the first time will overhaul our zoning and land development or code Which is hadn't been done in over 40 years This new code streamlines and makes it much more understandable Being much more business friendly working with our business leaders our chamber I've middlest business business middlance business leadership group and others to help us achieve the vision of creating a much more walkable mixed-use community The city of Columbia was awarded Three-star community rating Robert Anderson. I want to say thank you for your leadership. You and Mary Pat Did amazing work three-star community rating by star communities a Feather and I cap on sustainability that evaluates the living and sustainability of US Communities Columbia is the very first city in South Carolina to re receive this or the certification And while the past decade was quite exciting last year specifically Columbia had one of our proudest years to date We passed several several exciting new city ordinances One as one of the only states in the country regrettably without a hate crimes law We passed a hate crimes ordinance that It puts additional punishment on those who commit a crime based on race color creed Religion sexual orientation gender identity expression on national origin. We saw the need for such laws on display so vividly yesterday as We commemorated with our Jewish leaders and friends this every fifth anniversary of liberation of the Auschwitz death camp Hate has no place in our city and we proudly proclaim it through law this week's tragedy with Basketball superstar Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna the Alta belly is the Chester's Ms. Mauser and Mr. Zoveyan That pain of loss was felt across communities everywhere and ours is not unique and Though that was an accident the pain and the loss of death is real Regrettably, we've all felt it. We worked closely with our men and women in Uniform 21st century policing working with families across our city Organizations like serve and connect our Columbia Urban League our fantastic Neighborhoods like Book of Washington Heights and others. I will tell you that too many families across this community Feel that same pain of loss every day losing Love ones and I will tell you this is why we will not stop Mr. Attorney General From working to take illegal guns off the streets of Columbia, South Carolina We will take guns off of our streets out of our neighborhoods out of our schools So our children can learn and grow from their peers free from fear free from harm The reality is that as we debate politics some of our children are debating survival and We will do everything that we possibly can to make sure they enjoy the same safety and security that our families enjoy Our office of community development Hard at work Assisted 23 people and purchasing new homes through unique home loans here in the city of Columbia this past year the best home loans that any city Can offer they've provided financial assistance to 136 people facing homelessness the change-up program Assisted 161 clients with paying the award and utility bills to only nearly $50,000 in assistance Ms. Divine we opened up we opened up match and match funding for children savings accounts for 13 kid in the gardeners at Watkins Nance Elementary School Expanded the program the Carver lion elementary school and the children want the only ones receiving Financial literacy assistance we implemented our employee financial wellness program for our city of Columbia employees that allows our cities on Work time to take financial wellness courses that help them with budgeting home buying savings and more all during their work hours our smart city efforts continue to prosper as Our AMI installations hit a milestone with Columbia water past surpassing 15,000 installations Clint in December alone with new automated water meters who stepped into the 21st century The city and the University of South Carolina began collaborating on development of a new program on Development of a new program that will notify public safety officials and train of train arrivals that block roadways I know people like to hear that I Literally get a tweet every single day About a train block in the roadway, but this program was going to allow public safety agencies To properly plan for these impediments and dispatch Responders accordingly to ensure that the time isn't lost and responding to Emergencies we are the first city in the country to test this type of program And we're proud to be working alongside our flagship University on this effort once developed Further discussion to take it around to other places will be Will be active in addition The city continues to strongly push our railroad companies to avoid blocking crossings for long periods of time and will continue to do So our state of Columbia Youth Commission was reestablished this year Hosting a city-wide peer election, which they selected their own leaders It's no surprise to many of you that the future is female all but one of our new commissioners are women young women nine commissioners elected And they have decided the focus this year on sustainability public safety Education and economic and community development youth leadership matters We have to pour into these young people and learn from them as well We worked aggressively this past year to put together a comprehensive plan for the city to achieve our goal to be ready for 100 to be Supported by 100% renewable energy by 2036 our food policy committee conducted several community meetings and presented important findings and recommendations to City Council Just this last month exciting times ahead in addressing food deserts and food insecurity here in the Midlands Columbia was awarded the $30,000 grant by the AARP as part of the city as a service experience matters competition City as a service is going to work with Columbia with us to develop volunteering initiatives that address public Problems as it relates to drivers of poverty particularly focusing on engaging our residents 50 and older in program Implementation we focus a lot on millennials. We need to focus a lot more on perennials Those of us who are 50 and over who give back every single year to the fabric of this great community and Proud to be in partnership with the AARP in that effort We kept a promise from last year to create a commission on compassion and Inclusion this group of faith-based and community leaders has conducted interactive sessions around race relations There's still so much work to be done and soon We're going to be trained to foster diversity inclusion and compassion in each and every one of our individual communities Our citizens advisory committee on quiet zones completed the required Diagnostic studies for all crossings in Columbia providing a recommendation for a phase approach to implementing quiet zones throughout the city The cost of the full plan is estimated to be $14 million We're currently pursuing the first quiet zone Comproves of 14 crossings from Gadson Street the belt line along the Norfolk Southern on the rail line Perhaps one of our most excited and appreciated projects This was made possible through strong partnerships with the state of South Carolina USC and South Carolina DOT I do want to give a personal thanks to State Senator Dick Harputlian and the University of South Carolina for their leadership and assistance in this effort So while we had many accomplishments and progress this past year Collectively we face many challenges in 2019 2019 is in some ways fueled an aspiration for better days to come in 2020 as we all know this year will be incredibly important Not just for our city but for our entire country With the presidential election coming the other issues that are also of great importance But not yet discussed as much including this year's census The one person loves the census over here. I'm not sure who that is The city of Columbia and our complete count committee are working to ensure there's a complete and accurate count for our city When the census kicks off in April many people don't realize the census impacts every aspect of what we do here in Our city community organizations use census information to develop social service programs community action projects Senior lunch programs and childcare centers businesses use the numbers to decide where to locate factories Headquarters shopping centers movies theaters banks and other activity other offices Activities that also often lead to new jobs even on one one emergency systems are based on maps develop from the last Census and when disaster hits the census tells us tells rescuers how many people will need their help This will also be the first year that we'll be able to fill our census online So we need or by phone also by mail So we want our city to have the resources and data necessary to both fulfill the needs of our community and advance us So we can all play a role in ensuring that the census is performed accurately It's another year in which we're going to use innovative innovative tools to try and get our everyday tasks done We're going to change. We're going to drastically change that this year as well By bringing more awareness to free tax preparation in our city the United Way of the Midlands the cooperative Ministry Se thrived and working on the front lines to put money back into citizens pockets using the earned income tax credit And this year working with them as may I'm committed to helping amplify the great work that they're doing By working to put another one million dollars in the pockets of our citizens using the earned income tax credit across this community Announcing indeed on this Saturday 2020 Vita tax vital tax preparation is going to kick off with our annual super Saturday Free tax prep event at the cooperative ministry on belt line starting at 9 a.m In our continued commitment to sustainability. We're also thrilled that Columbia water is going to install a Solar farm a solar farm intended to provide two megawatts of power here to the metro region Built adjacent to our facility on I-77 in bluff road It's an exciting opportunity that we've been looking forward to and thankful for the work and leadership Columbia water plant We're going to continue moving in direction of renewable energy working with FEMA as well Working with and oftentimes pushing the federal government to do what it should do to restore the canal to full operation once completed and back in back in in Inaction the Columbia hydroelectric generation station will will produce five megawatts of power per day This is something that has to be a priority. We're going to continue working and pushing to make sure that happens That power will literally and metaphorically Power actions and events and projects all across our city as we work to develop the census tracts known as our opportunity zones intentionally committing to make sure that development projects consistent with our original vision of Opportunity zone projects becomes real that the upgrades will not just be to land But also for the people who live in those Census tracts, we have to make sure that we focus on equity and in our development decisions the We're going to continue in our development efforts as we revitalize and invest also in Finley Park a plot with so much land and character This plan developed in the house by our incredible parks staff Will change Columbia for a generation. It will be unique partnership That will be beyond the 18 or 20 million dollars that we invest in it It will change our city and we are committed to making that happen in 2020 last year alone. We saw more than 118 million dollars in economic development projects in our city We also announced in partnership with our friends at Richland County a wonderful new incentive Designed to attract capital investment to the Midlands so far nearly two hundred million dollars in development Has been announced through this incentive and we expect that number to climb in the near future as we continue to work together to move this region forward overall as a city we are proud to have more than 950 million dollars in economic development projects I've announced are currently under development here in our city. This is Columbia's decade We're going to keep moving forward and moving forward strong And details are being finalized to work with transitions to begin to also employ unsheltered citizens our homeless citizens To complete beautification projects across the city is being finalized and we're excited to see that underway I'll also tell you that that move with the mayor is back We're gonna be relaunching this initiative. The scale is coming back Daniel. All right, so We're gonna be focusing on men's health by hosting a men's health week during the month of June Which is men which is men's health month Focusing on ensuring that health and wellness and a holistic approach is a priority to the men of our city No one where we were in 2010 and where we are now in 2020 Grants us a proper perspective to prepare for the next decade and the decades to come as we look ahead It gives us an opportunity to think about the intention now they require to achieve progress. How do we want? To adjust from here. We're a space to improve So the goals we've outlined in our 2036 vision statement are attainable. What resources? In both human and financial capital are necessary to make sure that changes happen and keep our timelines Properly pace none of us hold knows what tomorrow holds with the humbling truth is That keeps us both expected and reliant on one another as we look to tomorrow 2036 and beyond let's not forget to do a few things we can build Infrastructure and build buildings but this year. I hope that we also focus on building people and that's why I come back to my parents as mentors and our role as mentors and Leaders as I stated earlier. I didn't just have Sam and Maggie as wonderful parents. I had two mentors and many of you did too a Lot of our children don't have enough mentors in their lives Many of them who do have good mentors the mentors are busy working two and three jobs Just to make sure they keep food on the table the lights on and ruse over their heads It's incumbent upon us to make sure we step up and stand the gap for the children of our community So this year will host a 2020 mentoring summit The goals is to aim at recruiting 500 new mentors for children who need them most across our community We need your help to change the life of a child I am personally reaching out personally directly to African-American men We need more black men on the front lines to help our boys get to where we know that they can get to they have Incredible gifts, and we got to make sure we help them get there. I know the power of having strong men in my life I Have a father now a father-in-law. I grew up with mr. Strickland and mr. Sue front mr. Clark Mr. Brown mr. Red mr. Mortice mr. Hunter and list goes on and on and on of strong men Who are committed to making sure who are committed to making sure that I was successful? I've already grabbed About two dozen good men who agree to join me on this journey, and I hope that many of you will as Well, we want to go into this summer into this summer of 2020 with no child ever feeling the despair I believe that he or she is in this world alone As dr. King said I believe that we can all lead because we can all Serve let's serve a child in 2020 I say that saying that our role as leaders is not vested in our titles Today, I'm your mayor and tomorrow. I may not be It's important that we know that our titles represent our temporary standing in God's world that I'm a child of God. I'm a husband and the father I'm a son and a brother and then I'm the mayor in that order It's so important that as leaders and that we recognize our responsibility to be to each one Reach one each one teach one Remember the leaders don't say go the leaders say let's go because we learn by fouling That leaders give their service Not their soul their service and you retain your soul that leaders build non traditional Relationships you realize that two people equally yoke can see the same issue very differently We respect a diversity of views and we work together to solve problems that leaders keep their faith Outfront you manifest it in the way that you feel right But there's always room for love and grace and mercy which seems seemingly a short supply in today's world Leaders are not embarrassed to pray and never ashamed to ask someone to pray for you. I promise you there's power in prayer There's power in prayer Leaders remember the hug our family members a little bit tighter and pray for their safekeeping leaders remember to be kind and Thoughtful to those around us leaders remember to use our time wisely Notice how we choose to live in each moment that changes the trajectory of our lives and those that we see to influence Leaders hold each other accountable Recognizing it's tough to stay the course at times, but the reward is always worth it And finally, I want you all to remain ever hopeful about the future of this city that we are Building together because sometimes the world can seem downright scary and sad But I believe in Columbia. I believe in the future of this city This is Columbia's decade Let's lead it together. May God bless you and may God keep you and may God bless the city of Columbia. Thank you Mayor Benjamin, I felt like I didn't give him an proper Introduction, but he's a man who needs no introduction We have a lot of kids who tour city hall and even the children when we ask them Who's the mayor of this great city? They say Steve Benjamin and so he requires no legally introduction as you can see He's a strategic visionary a man with a laser-like focus, and we are grateful for your leadership mayor Benjamin All right, so at this time, please join me in welcoming pastor George right He's the senior pastor of Shandon Baptist Church, and he will offer our benediction Why don't you stand with me for our closing prayer and word of benediction? And I do want to say mr.. Mayor that I did not realize that your city address could very quickly become a church service This was powerful tonight You're taking the role of a pastor. That was great. Thank you I also wanted to tell you my second grade son my youngest son here in Richland one When you found out I was coming tonight to be with the mayor. He said oh, I know the mayor He came to my class tell him I said hello So thank you for that Let's pray together Father God it is a privilege to have a night like this Where we have been reminded of the many reasons that we have to be grateful in this city that we love We thank you for the accomplishments that have been achieved. We thank you for the work that has been done We thank you for the beautiful change that has taken place to better our city and to improve the quality of life Father we would be remiss to not thank you For what we hear in these accomplishments and achievements We remember from your word that every good and perfect gift comes down from above and so we thank you for your provision And we thank you for the leadership that you have put in place to guide our city to provide vision To provide direction We pray Lord God for your protection over our leaders We pray for wisdom in the decisions that need to be made We thank you for these who are among us tonight Who represent our first responders our rescue workers our police our firefighters Lord? We are grateful for men and women who put their lives on the line For the safety and quality of life in this city to flourish We pray your hand of blessing and protection would be on them Father we have so much to be grateful for and yet we recognize that there is so much need around us We recognize that in the midst of this city. We love there is tremendous tremendous brokenness It's the Lord I pray that you would give us eyes to see the needs around us and hearts of compassion To get involved where the need is great Father we pray that you would give us the courage to reach across the aisle to work together For the sake of the common good Father we pray that you would give us the courage to step out to reach a hand to those who are in need We pray that you would give us the courage to treat others the way we long to be treated and father when we disagree We pray that you would give us the courage to lead with love to demonstrate grace to speak the truth to be quick to forgive and To be a picture of the very grace and mercy that you have offered to us Father we thank you for this night and we do ask for your provision and your protection and your Wisdom in the days ahead. We believe that you are with us in this city We are thankful for what you have done and we ask your hand of blessing to continue to guide us as we go on our way May we be people who lift others up? May we be people who point to that which is good God our lives in your wisdom gracious father. It's in Jesus name. We pray you