Mayor Battle Delivers his 9th State of the City address

Published on October 12, 2016

“Smart. Innovative. Collaborative.” That was the message Mayor Tommy Battle drove home during his annual State of the City address to a luncheon crowd of 1,000 at the Von Braun Center.

The Mayor highlighted Huntsville’s accomplishments during his first two terms in office, and noted the City created 16,000 new jobs and $2 billion in capital investment in the past five years alone. These impressive figures are reflected in Huntsville’s low unemployment rate of 5.2 percent and respectable budget growth at 3.1 percent.

“We’ve worked to create an environment where companies can thrive, compete and create jobs – a culture to support a young professional workforce and entrepreneurism,” said Battle. “An environment where City Hall knows when to lean in or get out of the way.”

“We’ve worked to create an environment where companies can thrive, compete and create jobs – a culture to support a young professional workforce and entrepreneurism – an environment where City Hall knows when to lean in or get out of the way.”

The Mayor went on to say that being successful is no longer about being better than everyone else. It’s about being adaptive to change and a willingness to see opportunities where others see roadblocks.

“Huntsville knows how to dream big. We know how to be inclusive, to solve problems. We dare to imagine and then we re-imagine.” Mayor Battle cited the City’s urban redevelopment plan for Cummings Research Park East and the Madison Square Mall area, the new Cummings Research Park master plan, and corridor redevelopment along the Parkway and University Drive as creative solutions to big challenges.

“Inaction is not an option,” said Battle. “We prioritize community needs to meet the front line issues. As your Mayor, and speaking on behalf of my colleagues on the City Council, we are on the front lines everyday.”

But Mayor’s can’t do it alone. Mayor Battle said cities depend upon partnerships with the community, businesses and developers, state and federal governments.”

“Huntsville is responsible for investing in our future through innovation and infrastructure, schools and skills, and quality place making.”

Education remains a key component in Huntsville’s success story, and the Mayor reviewed the dramatic turnaround and key milestones in the City Schools progress over the past five years. He reaffirmed that Huntsville’s magnet as a high tech City would not be possible without a high quality education system.

A crowd pleaser at the luncheon was the City’s BIG Picture traveling exhibition. The comprehensive master plan displayed a series of banners highlighting citizens’ dreams and desires for the future. The plan was created with unprecedented citizen input, and Mayor Battle said the BIG Picture plan now informs every decision made in City Hall. “This is your plan. Your vision of the future.”

The Mayor’s State of the City address is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County.

To view a short video recapping the past year, click here. A link to watch the complete State of the City address is also available online.

Photography by Jeff White