I thought I would scroll back over some of the highlights from 2023 and then briefly look at 2024.
It's been a good year in Sugar City, overall, and I expect the new year will be a challenging, great year as well.
Looking Back: 2023
EVENTS
Arbor Day celebration, including a school art competition, a kids choir, and the planting of another tree in one of our parks.
Easter Egg Hunt, which is full of fun and candy and prizes for the kids in the community.
Sugar Days was lots of community fun, with plenty of vendors and a talent show and the new addition this past year of having a concert in the park the Friday evening before.
Treats in the Streets went off with hardly a hitch. The weather was fantastic again, and we had more vendors and community participation than ever.
The Christmas tree lighting in the park and the visit from Santa at the "North Pole" was inspiring and fun.
We appreciate all who volunteer to help with these events. We would love to have more residents involved. If you'd like to help, please contact city hall.
Also, I'd like to mention the 2023 Distinguished Citizen Donna Jean Kinghorn and the 2023 Public Servant awardee Paul Jeppson. They are wonderful members of our community and have contributed a lot to keeping Sugar City a great place to live.
ELECTION
Mayor Adams and Council members Joy Ball and Glenn Dayley were up for reelection this year. No one else threw their hats in the ring for these positions. However, we did have two residents step up to run for a 2-year city council seat. We appreciate Mark Oliphant's and Carter Stanford's willingness to run for office. I'm confident either of them would have done well. In the end, Carter won the election, and we'll welcome him in on the first council meeting of the new year on January 11th.
I'd like to thank Daniel Baird for serving on the city council for most of 2023. He was appointed due to a vacancy on the council. He did a great job, and I'll miss his patience and insightful questions.
OTHER CITY ACTION & NEWS
New sidewalks and crosswalks popped up around the city in 2023. BIG thanks to our public works director Arlynn Jacobson and his intrepid crew.
Ongoing road maintenance.
City well #5 is up and running smoothly.
The Sugar City Area Historical Society acquired land from the city for a future museum.
Updated zoning and land use map.
New tennis courts joint use agreement with Sugar-Salem School District.
Provided land to the county for a future coroner's office/dispatch/law enforcement center.
Looking Ahead: 2024
The city has some challenges and opportunities ahead in 2024. We have to determine the best way to fund the upcoming sewer line replacement.
The city has applied for an impact area boundary expansion. The public hearing with the county is Monday, Jan 8th at the Sugar-Salem HS auditorium at 5:30pm. I invite everyone to attend.
The school district and the city are still discussing the final plan for the jr high property through-road access.
The city needs to make a final plan for achieving fiber access to all residents.
We need to keep our eyes on the Eastern Corridor Parkway plans and participate in that planning process with Rexburg and the County.
There will be additional growth in the city: current projects and possible future projects, including, perhaps, some new revitalization of the center street downtown area, as well as additional park space and uses.
And, as always, we have to be good stewards of the public's money when it comes to our budget priorities.
I've written and will continue to write updates about all of these topics as they arise this year.
2024 should be a great year for Sugar City. I'm optimistic as always that we can meet our challenges and create out of them wonderful opportunities to keep our city a great community and make it even better.
Thanks for all of your comments and questions. I enjoy the conversations I have with residents in the store, the park, my living room, on the phone, or wherever we meet. I think the more involved we all are, the better the eventual outcomes for our community.
I look forward to serving Sugar City again in 2024 with Mayor Adams and council members Joy Ball, Catherine Nielsen, Carter Sanford, and, of course, with the great employees and staff of the city.