Happy New Year! I hope this finds you, your colleagues, family and friends safe and well as we continue to endure the effects of the newest COVID-19 variants.
Like many of you, for me, the dawning of a new January brings with it a time to reflect on the past year. Certainly, the past 12 months for me have been like no other since I had the privilege of being sworn in as Warwick’s mayor. To be sure, it’s been surprising – and a learning experience – to see how slowly governmental processes can move, especially for someone who’s not a politician, but someone from the construction trades whose priority as mayor has been to rebuild pride in our community. And I’m very pleased to say that, despite those bureaucratic challenges, week by week and month by month, we’ve been meeting that goal and continue to work every day to add to our efforts in that regard.
The past year has seen the re-hiring of many municipal employees who were previously laid off during a budget dispute, helping us to bring our workforce complement back to where it had been so that we can provide good quality services to our community – and give employees the means to provide for themselves and their families. With careful fiscal stewardship and the streamlining of duties, we’ve also been able to create and fill new positions that will further ensure better efficiencies in departments throughout the city. New vehicle purchases are replacing aging and deteriorating fleets in the department of public works’ divisions, the sewer authority, and our police and fire departments, and we’re committed going forward to ensuring that proper and regular maintenance are performed on these vehicles so the city’s not faced with similar problems in the years to come.
Good recreational programs and facilities are a cornerstone not only for the quality of life a community can offer, but as a way to bolster our local economy and support the many businesses that have been so hard hit by the pandemic. We have completed necessary repairs so that our popular McDermott Pool – which was closed for more than a year – could reopen for the enjoyment of residents of all ages. We’re also working diligently to reopen the therapeutic pool – known in local jargon as the “hot” pool – in the Mickey Stevens Sports Complex. Our parks and recreation department has been working hand-in-hand with our tourism/economic development department, the library, police, fire, and public works departments as well as the Central Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce to bring family-friendly, affordable activities back to life here in Warwick. Our “Hocus Pocus” movie night, food trucks, summer concerts, cruise nights, and our first New Year’s Eve celebration (complete with fireworks) are among those events that have sparked renewed enthusiasm for and pride in our community. We’ll be building on those successes in the year ahead. Stay tuned for an announcement of an exciting new recreational/cultural/community plan in the months to come.
And, of course, despite the logistical challenges of the pandemic – not least among them labor and supply-chain issues – we have seen some great developments, large and small, in our community. From a planned WoodSpring Suites and proposed conversion of another hotel into apartments, to 70 new residential units in City Centre Warwick, to the opening of OrthoRI, Market Basket, NEON Marketplace and Bally’s Corp., along with numerous small businesses and several new non-profits, Warwick continued to be a city on the move in 2021, creating momentum that’s only continuing to build as we welcome in the New Year.
Those of you who are familiar with Warwick know there are countless reasons to consider locating your business here in our wonderful community. If you’ve never explored the many benefits our city has to offer, I invite you to do so. I invite all of you to contact our department of tourism, culture, and development at 401.921.2014 or [email protected] to learn how we can make your move here a successful one.
Each week, I post a weekly update online to help fulfill my pledge to our residents and business community that my administration is, and will continue to be, one based on transparency. Please feel free to log onto our YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/channel/UC_hhAVWClMuVYCgdudISxPg ..... user name: Mayor of Warwick RI) to check out our videos, which are typically posted on Thursday afternoons.
On behalf of all of us here at Warwick City Hall, I wish you and yours a very healthy, joy-filled and successful 2022!
Frank Picozzi is the mayor of the city of Warwick, RI.