Message from City Manager John Mauro

February 5, 2025 

Happy February! 

The recent dusting of snow took a little longer than usual to arrive this winter, and now we may be wondering how long it may stay.

You, like me, may also wonder what to believe from what you occasionally hear or read. I’d suggest these two things: head to the information source and fire up your curiosity.

I recognize that it’s not always easy: City processes are often lengthy, information is often dense, and how the City ecosystem works can be complex. I also recognize that time is precious and triangulating third-hand information or rumors takes a lot of effort and can be frustrating.

That’s why I’d like to invite you to the 2025 State of the City event, at 5:00pm on March 5^th at the Port Pavilion Building (355 Hudson Street). Mayor David Faber and I will be giving an overview of what the City accomplished in 2024, a few lessons learned, and what this year and beyond looks like. We’ll then take questions and we want to hear what you are curious about.

The aim is to give you a candid and wide-ranging overview of the state of our organization right from the source: from Mayor Faber as the presiding officer of the policy-making and governance body of City Council, and from me as the chief administrator of Council’s direction and policies. We certainly cannot claim to know everything, but we should have a firm grasp on most things related to the City and be able to point you to further details that you may be interested in.  Whether it be transportation projects or needs, our new Community Services Department, sewer and water infrastructure, the Comprehensive Plan, public safety, open space and parks, or housing, we’ll give a broad overview of the City’s work and speak to how they all link together.

An informed community is often an engaged community, and an engaged community is truly capable of anything. I look forward to another full and enriching event like last year and hope to see you there, regardless of what the snow decides. So then: what are you curious about?