I apologize that I can’t be there tonight to present my State of City in person, but I still stand before you tonight with immense pride as we reflect on the accomplishments of our city government over the past year. It has been a year of progress, collaboration, and commitment to making Dayton not just a city, but a thriving community.
Finance:
To start, I would like to highlight the impressive strides we have made in our financial health over the past year. Our city’s revenues continue to increase, which is a testament to our collective efforts. Last year, for the first time in recent memory, occupational taxes we collected exceeded our property tax revenue, which is an important diversification in our budget.
We are proud to maintain a net positive budget, ensuring that we are not just meeting our current needs but also planning for the future. Our budgeting approach in recent years has not only stabilized our finances but has strengthened our resilience as a community.
Code Enforcement:
2024 was a watershed moment for the City’s Code Enforcement Department. Since the Code Enforcement identified vacant and abandoned properties in the city four years ago, last year, the City finally addressed the or last vacant and abandoned properties Code Enforcement had identified.
Since 2021, 63 of these properties identified have been addressed by Code Enforcement. Here’s the breakdown of those 63 properties:
In addition, the Code Enforcement Department completed the first two-year inspection cycle last year after City Council adopted the Residential Rental License and Safety Inspection Ordinance in 2022. Of the 1,604 residential dwelling units in the City, 1587 of these properties – that’s 99 percent — have been inspected by the Code Enforcement Department.
Public Works and Infrastructure Improvements:
Next, let’s talk about Public Works and Infrastructure Improvements. Over the past year, we’ve completed several paving projects in the city, including repaving Second Avenue and a portion of Benham Street in the industrial park, portions of Riverpointe Drive and Blue Ash Circle, and installed new curbs on Dayton Pike near Jamestown Park. In addition, KYTC reopened Mary Ingles Highway to provide access to Fort Thomas, Silver Grove, and southeastern Campbell County These improvements all enhanced the safety and accessibility of our streets.
We also opened the long-awaited Berry Street Connector at Manhattan Boulevard, which reconnects our citizens to the Ohio River and visitors to our historic downtown business district. At this intersection, thanks to a grant from Southbank Partners, we installed an electronic kiosk to allows people enjoying our trails to learn more about our city and places of interest in it.
Our city landscaping initiatives have beautified our public spaces, making Dayton a more attractive place to live, work, and visit. In addition, we have invested in a new dump truck and other equipment for our Public Works department, ensuring that we have the tools needed for ongoing maintenance and improvement.
Finally, City Council approved sidewalk and parking pad cost-share programs to assist homeowners who wish to improve the sidewalks in front of their homes and to build off-street parking pads on their properties.
Police Department:
Turning to our Police Department, I am pleased to report that we have added six new police vehicles to our fleet, enhancing our capacity to serve and protect all of you.
Police Chief David Halfhill successfully completed all three levels of the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association leadership training course last year, ensuring our department is equipped with the latest leadership strategies.
I also want to take a moment to recognize Officer Jacob Smith, who was recognized by the department as its Officer of the Year. His dedication and service exemplify the professionalism of our police force.
City Council also approved hiring a full-time social worker to work with the police departments in our city and in Bellevue to assist our officers dealing with families with addiction and social-service needs. This program is being paid for from opioid settlement funds we received from the state.
Finally, K-9 Officer Cooper graduated from his narcotics training course, further empowering our team to combat substance-related issues in our community.
Fire Department:
Our Fire Department welcomed Brent Schafer as its new Fire Chief, whose leadership will guide us into a new era of safety and service. We are also proud to announce that the fire department was recognized by St. Elizabeth Healthcare with its “Door to Needle” Award, for helping to save the lives of stroke victims in our community. The term “door to needle” means the time between the patient’s home and the administration of a powerful blood thinner through a needle dosage. This recognition is a testament to the continuing hard work and dedication of our firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics.
Economic Development:
Last year, the City has seen continued economic development in our commercial, residential, and industrial sectors.
New businesses that opened in the City during 2024 were Wayfarer Tavern in the Burton Building at Sixth Avenue and Berry Street, Elliot Coffee in the building at Sixth Avenue and Main Street that used to be the Garage, Giametti Bakery and Pompilio’s Commissary on Second Avenue in the city’s Industrial Park, and Strangeways Tattoo Co., Indie Northern Kentucky, and Best Day Massage on Sixth Avenue.
Two major residential developments went online in the city in 2024: the rehabilitation of the historic Burton Building, a $2-million project that created 10 historic loft-style apartments on the upper floors of the building, and Velo Riverside Apartments, a $30-million plus development of 265 luxury apartment on Manhattan Boulevard next to Manhattan Harbour Yacht Club. In addition, developers constructed several new residential buildings on Manhattan Boulevard and investors continued to purchase and restore numerous homes throughout our city.
Three business owners took advantage of the City’s Façade Improvement grant program to improve the facades of their businesses in our Central Business District: the Rose Room, Body of Art Tattoo, and former Cherry Creek Cabinets building on Sixth Avenue. And our Rental Reimbursement program also assisted Wayfarer Tavern and Indie Northern Kentucky.
Parks:
Finally, let’s discuss our beautiful parks. Sargeant Park received a significant investment through a state Recreational Trail Grant, with more than $100,000 spent in building new trails in this park. A grand opening of the new trails will be held in the spring of this year.
Gil Lynn Park is on the horizon for significant building and park upgrades in 2025, including improvements to shelters and bathrooms, new pickleball courts, a GaGa pit that the Lincoln Elementary student council requested in a recent meeting I had with them, and several other improvements that will showcase our ongoing commitment to providing quality outdoor spaces for all of our residents.
Dayton Heritage Museum:
The City also made several improvements to our Heritage Museum this past year, including installation of a new roof on garage, three new windows, a new floor, and freshly painted walls (thanks to Council Member Joe Neary) in the display area. Also, the City purchased nine wooden display cabinets for the display area.
The Museum Board hopes to have the museum reopened in the next few months and museum’s board is planning a major exhibition this fall celebrating the city’s river history in conjunction with the America’s River Roots festival.
In closing, the accomplishments we celebrate today demonstrate the power of community collaboration and dedicated public service. We are moving forward together, making Dayton a place where families can flourish, businesses can thrive, and friendships can bloom. Thank you for your unwavering support, and I look forward to continuing this incredible journey together. Let’s make the next year even more remarkable!
Thank you!