Dear Friends,
With your help, I was elected as Dubuque’s Mayor November 8, 2005! I am now launching my re-election campaign to serve the citizens for a second term.
During the 2005 campaign, I discussed how “the next five years will define the next 50 for Dubuque.” Since that time, our community has come together in ways, and perhaps at levels never before experienced to create a community that is viable, livable and equitable…and one that is better positioned to manage the challenges of the nation’s current economic crisis.
A guiding strategy in the City’s progress is a model we adopted as a council and city staff called “Sustainable Dubuque” – one which promotes three pillars for successful living…economic prosperity, environmental integrity, and social and cultural vibrancy. These past four years have been about collaboration and increasing public/private partnerships that are instilling community confidence and belief in a better tomorrow, for all ages and at all stages of our lives.
I have been honored to report on our community’s partnerships and progress during the annual State of the City Address, a new forum established in 2007 to enhance communication with citizens. Here are just a few highlights shared:
• The City’s departments are providing the quality services our citizens want, need and continue to receive at a much higher level, yet lower cost, than comparably-sized cities in the State of Iowa.
• In the past 25 years, there have been a total of 48 economic development agreements reached -- 26 of those 48 have occurred in just the past three years.
• The City is a partner in GDDC’s “Dubuque Works” program designed to fill workforce gaps and engage with local education institutions to promote skilled careers and nurture student- to-business relationships.
• The City remains focused on public safety. We are in the third year of a five year plan to add 15 officers to the Police Department.
• The City’s operations serve as a model for conserving, reducing, reusing and recycling, and they have been joined by our elementary and junior high schools, public and parochial, as they became Green Vision Education schools. Likewise, private citizens, banks, churches, business & industry, and non- profits have signed on with me in the Green Vision Pledge to reduce, reuse and recycle in order to contribute locally to global climate solutions.
• With the City’s support, arts and cultural programming has been significantly enhanced and is now producing an annual economic impact of more than $22 million and reaching over 640,000 people annually.
In the past several years, Dubuque’s public/private partnerships and ‘can do’ work ethic have drawn a national focus including the 2007 All America City selection by the National Civic League…one of the 100 Best Communities for Youth in the nation by America’s Alliance for Youth in 2007 and 2008…and in 2008, the #1 Most Livable Small City in the nation by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Hormel noticed…and IBM noticed. As IBM shared, Dubuque was chosen for its first stateside investment in 10 years on the strength of its public/private partnerships, educated workforce, and because IBM’s and Dubuque’s approach to sustainability support one another.
We are all aware of some of the challenges this current economy has brought to communities, businesses and individuals across our country. Dubuque continues to be fortunate in many respects, but we are not exempt from those global economic trends. Our community has weathered challenging times before; we responded and we prospered. As Mayor, I am ready and able to help guide our community through whatever uncertainties may lie ahead. Together, we will continue to build on our successes and toward a sustainable “next 50 years for Dubuque.”
With sincerest thanks,
Roy Buol