State of the City Column

          Newly inaugurated Huntington Mayor Steve Williams delivered his first State of the City Address and laid out his plans for change in the city.

            Williams was visually nervous to begin his speech with shaky hands and stumbling speech, but as he settled in he began to gain confidence in his speech and presented several new ideas to the councilmen and women that surrounded him.

            The main reoccurring point in Williams’ speech was the addition of nearly $2 million to the city’s budget without implementing any tax increases. Williams called the strategy that allows this to be possible “Enterprise Budgeting.”

            In an attempt to improve the city in every way from aesthetics to infrastructure, Williams proposed the creation of new groups including, the Mayor’s Council of the Art, the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting and a Mayor’s Council for Physical Fitness.

            Throughout his address, Williams seemed genuinely passionate about rebuilding Huntington to the desirable city it once was. Williams displayed his passion for the city multiple times when he would raise his voice and nearly be shouting, and when he would slap the podium to emphasize a point.

            Like any political leader, Williams laid out a convincing plan. But as a skeptic, I continuously found myself thinking his ideas sounded good, but are the feasible? While these thoughts crossed my mind, I have no doubt that everything Williams’ has planned is for the improvement of the city, not self promotion like so many political leaders.