MAYOR TUCKER'S FIRST 100 DAYS IN OFFICE

August 31, 2024 - Serving as your mayor for more than 100 days now has been a true honor. I'm learning and growing each day and have appreciated and valued the support I've received from so many people from all walks of life in Fort Wayne.

We've had many successes in the past few months that are moving our city forward as a fun, family-friendly, affordable and safe community to live, work, and play with an enhanced quality of life for all.

Highlights have included:

• Groundbreaking for Google's $2 billion southeast data center.
• Announcement of construction excellence awards for the Pontiac Street Market and the Veterans Memorial Bridge.
• Implementation of the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area.
• Announcement of recipients of Neighborhood Improvement Grants through the Community Development Division.
• Dedication of the Boone Park playground, one of 10 new playgrounds across the city.
• Welcoming of the 96th recruit class for the fire department.
• Unveiling of a public art soundwalk throughout downtown.
• Ribbon-cutting for the completion of Summit Park Trail in northwest Fort Wayne.
• Announcement of a direct flight from Fort Wayne to Detroit.
• Announcement of a new Treeline District mixed-use offering as part of ongoing riverfront development efforts.
• Announcement of the recipients of community development block grant and emergency solutions grant dollars for local nonprofit partners through our partnership with the federal government.
• Announcement of a grant through the federal government to plan for future southeast infrastructure work.
• Ribbon-cutting for the LegacyOne headquarters in southeast Fort Wayne.
• Several promotions in the police department.
• Announcement of Vann Family Foundation donation for bridge crossing for the Pufferbelly Trail.
• Unveiling of plans for new gateway markers along the I-69 and U.S. 30 corridors.
• Groundbreaking for $180 million Arneo mixed-use development along North Clinton Street.
• Groundbreaking for the renovation and expansion of the Arts United Center.
• Ribbon-cutting ceremony for STAR Bank's new downtown headquarters.
• A $2 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency for remediation work at the North River site.

Recent accolades show Fort Wayne is a city others are looking to emulate. We have been named the:

• No. 1 housing market in the country by the Wall Street Journal and Realtor.com.
• Most affordable city in the country for 2024/25 by U.S. News & World Report.
• Fastest-growing city in the Midwest through the most recent Census data.
• Eighth-best-run city in the country for 2024 by WalletHub.

We've also experienced challenges, particularly in the public safety area.

We've had three officer-involved shootings and a viral video of a recent traffic stop. In all of these situations, the police department and I have been open and transparent with the public and the media. Each circumstance we're faced with is handled on a case-by-case basis.

Our responsibility is to keep the public informed of situations that occur in our community. When there is a fatal shooting involving an officer, the body camera videos have been and will continue to be shared with family members in advance of being viewed by the public.

There are also opportunities when complex issues arise.

For example, the Three Rivers Ambulance Authority is an area that's a top priority for me. My administration and the Allen County Commissioners are the leads on making sure a thoughtful and workable plan for emergency medical services happens.

Conversations with the commissioners are ongoing. Those discussions have been positive, and we'll have more moving forward. We expect that progress will be made, and we're hopeful of having an update for the public soon.

We're continuing our commitment to working on developing a sustainable model for emergency services that protects patients and taxpayers. In the meantime, residents can take comfort in knowing that TRAA and the Fort Wayne Fire Department will continue to respond to emergencies in a timely and professional manner and have a strong commitment to saving lives.

Looking ahead, I'm putting together a mental health commission, along with a young adult council. The initiatives are aimed at getting individuals and families the help they need, and getting younger people involved in local government to look for new ideas to help make Fort Wayne an even better place to call home with opportunities for growth and success.

My commitment also extends to neighborhoods, as we'll be investing heavily in people-focused projects and initiatives.

We're just getting started, and I can't wait to see what the next 100 days and beyond have in store for our great city.

This article originally appeared in the Journal Gazette's Aug. 31, 2024, edition.