City lauds accomplishments, celebrates champions
EL CENTRO — As the city seeks to move the community forward in 2018, this year’s State of the City Address focused on the city employees and community members who have made a difference.
The theme of Thursday’s address made by Mayor Cheryl Viegas-Walker centered on highlighting the work done in 2017 and what challenges lay ahead in 2018. “We like to hear stories about champions … we love the story of underdogs who overcome adversity,” she said. “In many ways, the city of E.C., we are an underdog overcoming adversity.
We thrive in a pretty harsh climate, from time to time face economic challenges ... yet we succeed in providing an exceptional quality of life to our residents.”
Viegas-Walker in her speech highlighted the accomplishments made by each of the city’s departments last year.
She praised the fire and police departments for improved response times and helping keep the community safe.
She applauded the various projects Public Works completed during 2017, which include the pedestrian improvements on Dogwood Road.
She also commended the job done by the Parks and Recreation Department in the lighting and tree planting efforts at Bucklin Park last year and expressed excitement with the upcoming work set to begin at McGee Park and for the new aquatic center.
In addition to the praise for the city departments, Viegas-Walker named 13 different champions from various departments for the work they have done for the city, including Marcela Piedra, who in January became the first female city manager in the city’s history, and others such as acting chief of police Alvaro Ramirez and ECFD chief Kenneth Herbert. In addition to its own champions, Viegas-Walker also had the various departments nominate community members who have made a difference, including the Friends of the Library bookstore, Martin Coyne, who expanded his business and developed an area of the city which needed it, and others.
Viegas-Walker commended them for their efforts and said the community, in general, is needed when it comes to tackling some of the biggest issues in the city.
“We know we have serious challenges in regards to downtown, in regards to our homeless population. We have serious challenges regarding community enhancement activities. That is where you come in. We need community champions to help us, in each and every one of those areas,” she said.
During the event she also took the time to mention how much the city is looking ahead to the two biggest projects that will come out of Measure P: the new police station and the new library.
“I’m a huge fan of the library. I believe deep down in my soul that instilling a love of reading is one of the greatest gifts that we can give our children. Students who are strong readers are more likely to excel and be successful in school,” she said.
She also recognized the entire city of El Centro for stepping up in the community and concluded by stating: “I hope this presentation has inspired all of you to be El Centro champions.”