Mayor Randy Watts
State of the City Address
Tuesday, January 8, 2008

 Welcome aboard Jay and Herm! We the administration are looking forward to working with both of you. Laraine congratulations on your re-election, Steve and Tami things have been a lot easier on us that haven’t had to go through the election process this go around.

 Now heading into my third year as the Mayor of Logan, I feel that the council and administration are moving in a very positive direction for the betterment of Logan City and agree to disagree is alive and well, full steam ahead!

 I feel that 2007 was very successful in reaching your goals as a council as well as we the administration.

 Capital needs and rolling stock needs are just going to get harder to fund. We will continue to focus on our City infrastructure which I feel is the key to Logan’s sound future.

 In 2006 we replaced 7,240 square feet of hazardous sidewalk. In 2007 we replaced 4,887 square feet of hazardous sidewalk. Concrete prices have increased by 3% in the last year, and 32% in the last two years. We replaced 96,321 square feet of sidewalk, installed 225 radius corners with some monies coming from CDBG. We installed 46,860 lineal feet of curb and gutter.

 We covered 4.2 million square feet of roadway in 2006, and 3.9 million square feet in 2007. The Chip Seal material price increases range from 19% to 66% with an average increase of 18% in the last year, and 32.5% in the last two years.

 Every 5.5 years we should be able to do maintenance on every road in Logan. We have just recently acquired roads from the State and from annexation. Those will also have to be counted in our next year’s estimate. Our past road maintenance cycle estimate was that it would take 9 years to do all the roads in Logan. Now our estimate is 5.5 years. We would like to have a 5 year maintenance cycle.

 Eight blocks of a new water main and two blocks of new sewer main have been installed by our Water Department at a significant cost savings compared to private contractors. We’re gearing up for the DeWitt Springs project in 2008.

 Fund balance is at 18% maximum of what the State will allow. Two years ago it was at 11.7% financing City Hall entirely from reserves. We continue to streamline Logan City government. We are taking care of the basics for (fire, police and public works) and have outsourced or discontinued other programs such as Logan CVTD, the theatre to the private sector/ endowments and the fairgrounds to Cache County. We continue with our commitment to become more efficient and continue to evaluate every position that becomes vacant, whether or not to refill that position.

 Reward the competent employees who are many, work with the less competent for better performance or replacement if that doesn't work. The City is at 94.3% of market and I feel we need to continue to improve that percentage to help with retention of competent employees.

 Growth within the City of Logan has been progressive. New businesses such as Boomerang Systems, Hobby Lobby and Riverwoods have come or are coming.  Established businesses have expanded such as IHC Cancer Center, IHC Logan Clinic, IHC Women’s Center, Inovar, Schreiber Foods, Thermo Fisher Bio Center and others.

 I’m looking forward to getting information to our citizens concerning a new free standing Library. Hopefully you the council, will continue to roll our reserves into CIP.

 I thank you the council for your support to move the City forward into 2008.