As part of Friday's "State of the Community" hosted by the Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce, Chillicothe Mayor Luke Feeney spoke on the state of the city. Kevin Coleman was there.
Feeney started his talk by reflecting on the recent premier of WOUB's "Our Town: Chillicothe," covering 2,000 years of the city.
He reflected on the improvement of the city's finances over the last ten years, during which he said he learned a lot as city auditor and mayor.
Feeney said the the general fund had only $446,000 in 2013, which would have covered only about 10 days of expenses. This January, its $3,900,000 inspires confidence.
He also mentioned the comprehensive master plan that council recently adopted, the first since the 1940s. It was created with community input, and will help guide the city's future.
Feeney joked that 70 years from now, he didn't want the mayor in 2093 to be bemoaning that the last comprehensive plan was "from the olden days of 2023."
Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture for iHeart Media Southern Ohio. For stories or questions, contact the iHeart Southern Ohio Newsroom or Kevin Coleman