Mayor Highlights Accomplishments, Goals in Second State of the City Address

While the news seems perpetually-dominated by topics of AI and high tech, Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell sought a more human touch in the second state of the city. In a speech punctuated with lines of verse, the mayor discussed smart growth, opportunity, and the importance of community.

"Raleigh has grown continuously every year since it was founded and reached 500,000 since our last State of the City," Mayor Cowell said, "Projections are for the City to add another 250,000 by 2050. We have done a lot of building and will continue to accommodate this growth."

The mayor highlighted many building efforts in Raleigh, singling out affordable housing, City-led construction projects such as the new city hall and Bus Rapid Transit, plans for the new Smoky Hollow park just north of downtown, as well as City infrastructure in water and sewer. She also implored Raleigh to maintain a sense of community, invest in our people, and continue making this a great city.

"While a high growth-city has to focus on housing and infrastructure, it can't lose site of the people" she said. "Our Parks system is a true gem with deep meaning to us all. Our trees, waterways, and greenways are an important part of our identity and are well loved and cared for. As stewards of public land, increasing our resiliency is a tremendous responsibility and task we take seriously. "

Mayor Cowell also spotlighted the City's efforts to improve Raleigh's water sewer infrastructure.

"All the water that is coming when it rains needs a place to go," she said. "You see stormwater pipes being installed or replaced across the City, making us a sponge city! Our natural ecosystems have contained and filtered rainwater, streams, and lakes. By mimicking nature's own engineering, we seek to lower stormwater capital infrastructure costs while also enhancing its efficacy."

Mayor Cowell also highlighted the accomplishments of Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce during his first year as police chief. Raleigh saw a drop in crime in both property and violent crime. Chief Boyce has continued the process of building trust in the community and placing an emphasis on officers getting out of their cars to make themselves known in the communities they patrol.

The mayor concluded her speech by announcing the creation of a Poet Laureate post with the City of Raleigh.

"While looking through poems and poets, I was struck by the wealth of voices we have in Raleigh and North Carolina," she said. "Which is why I am thrilled to announce that Raleigh is joining a number of other cities in North Carolina and across the US in having a poet laureate."

Applications will be accepted through April 17. The inaugural Raleigh Poet Laureate will be announced this Spring and will serve for two years.