When Will Our Leaders Actually Lead?
The Mayor's Annual Report to Council speaks of fun and enjoyment, but are important issues being addressed?
At this past Monday’s City Council Meeting, the Mayor provided her annual report to the City Council, a provision that is required by the State Law. It is a unique opportunity to hear directly from the Mayor who is loathe to make any type of comments or statements at actual Council meetings.
Since it is one of the few times a year that we actually hear from the Mayor about Civic issues, it seems more than appropriate that this publication dive into the three page report. For those that are interested, a full copy of the report is below.
The annual report almost reads like a fairy tale, where every challenge magically transforms into an opportunity and every setback conveniently vanishes into thin air. This rose-tinted narrative, however, fails to capture the true state of affairs in our community, particularly when it comes to infrastructure projects and other pressing issues facing the community.
Perhaps the largest elephant in the room that wasn’t addressed by the city leadership was the prolonged closure of West Main Street, a saga that stretched on far longer than anyone anticipated and was largely due to the actions and later, inactions, of the city government Our community can not forget that the only reason West Main Street was opened in April of last year is that a group of citizens rallied together to repair a building that necessitated the road closing in the first place. This closure wasn't just an inconvenience; it was a nine-month ordeal that disrupted the very heart of Troy's downtown, causing traffic nightmares and economic hardship for local businesses.
Now, as we find ourselves in the midst of Phase II of the West Main Street project and the results are far from inspiring. The newly installed wooden light poles along West Main Street stand as a testament to misguided frugality and poor execution. These poles, which should be a point of civic pride, instead look cheap and are noticeably crooked, marring the streetscape rather than enhancing it. It's a visual metaphor for a project that seems to have lost its way.
Adding insult to injury, the current state of the asphalt on West Main Street is nothing short of hazardous. Drivers foolish enough to attempt the posted speed limit do so at their own peril, navigating a surface more suited to a fairground ride than a main thoroughfare. This is not progress; it's a public safety concern masquerading as improvement.
Perhaps most telling is the state of Troy's downtown businesses. Despite the mayor's cheerful recounting of ribbon-cuttings and proclamations, the harsh reality is that there are more shuttered storefronts now than at the beginning of the year; Basil’s, Brower’s, Stationers and Moeller Brew Barn are a few of the most notable departures. This economic downturn is conspicuously absent from the official narrative, replaced instead by vague promises of future prosperity and non-committal references to potential partnerships.
Compounding this lack of transparency is the city's steadfast refusal to entertain public comments on any social media feeds, which has long been a bone of contention. This digital wall of silence further isolates the administration from the very citizens it purports to serve, creating an echo chamber where only the most polished and positive narratives are allowed to resonate.
The mayor's report is a masterclass in selective storytelling, focusing on superficial achievements while glossing over the real challenges facing Troy. Conspicuously absent from this rosy recap is any meaningful discussion of creating workforce housing, improving transportation and transit, or addressing child care issues — three issues that have been facing the community, since the Troy Foundation put out their Community Needs Assessment a few years ago. These are not minor concerns; they are fundamental challenges keeping people in the community out of the workforce and stymying the city's growth.
To move forward, Troy needs more than just a facelift and a calendar full of events. The city must embrace transparency, not as a buzzword, but as a guiding principle. This means acknowledging setbacks openly, explaining their causes, and outlining concrete plans for improvement. The West Main Street project, for instance, should be subject to regular public updates at City Council meetings, including honest assessments of delays and quality issues with the opportunity for the public and other officials to ask questions about progress.
Performance measurement should be at the forefront of Troy's governance. Instead of vague promises, the city should establish clear, measurable goals for economic development, infrastructure improvement, and quality of life enhancements. These metrics should be regularly reported to the public, allowing citizens to track progress (or lack thereof) in real-time.
Most crucially, it's time for the leadership of this city to step up and truly provide the forward thinking leadership this community needs. This means moving beyond the comfortable realm of ribbon-cuttings and proclamations to grapple with the nitty-gritty of local governance. Our local leaders should be leading from the front, actively addressing the city's challenges, and being the face of both triumphs and tribulations.
To this end, the city’s administration should institute regular town hall meetings, not just to showcase achievements, but to directly address citizen concerns and outline concrete action plans. The city's social media platforms should be opened up for moderated public discourse, fostering a two-way dialogue between the administration and the community it serves. To city council’s credit, the quarterly meetings hosted by the council’s at-large members are becoming more popular and are proving to be a welcoming and necessary addition to the civic discourse in the community.
By embracing transparency, implementing rigorous performance measurement, and challenging our city administration to actually lead our community, Troy can transform its governance from a highlight reel into a meaningful narrative of progress, setbacks, and genuine improvement.
The citizens of Troy deserve nothing less than a clear-eyed assessment of their city's strengths and weaknesses, not just a public relations exercise that would make even the most optimistic spin doctor blush. It's time for Troy's leadership to step out from behind the curtain of relentless positivity and engage with the city's realities, both good and bad. Only then can Troy truly move forward, not just in glossy reports, but in the lived experiences of its citizens.
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On page 1 she mentions the Troy Development Council President and the City Manager attending a European Trade trip. Who is the City Manager ? I thought our form of government didn’t provide for one. I think she was referring to Patrick Titterington. He is the Director of Public Service and Safety. That highlights one of the problems the mayor doesn’t think she has to provide meaningful comments. That’s Patrick’s job to !
I I I!! Oh my. An annual report on what a great job I’ve done? Another Charmin competitor for sure.