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Mayor Solsby highlights downtown rebuild, park projects and community programs in annual remarks
Summary
Mayor Solsby used the council's organizational meeting to summarize 2024 achievements — including Bohemia Park improvements paid in part by a $1.7 million EDA grant and a $6.25 million EDA-funded downtown revitalization — and previewed public-art and infrastructure plans for 2026.
Mayor Solsby opened the Cottage Grove City Council's organizational meeting with a review of the city's projects and partnerships over the past year, thanking volunteers, staff and private donors and flagging near-term priorities for 2026.
Solsby said the Bohemia Park splash pad and entry plaza, made possible with a $1,700,000 Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant, are now active public spaces for families. She also credited private donors and volunteers for completing a first mural in Bohemia Park and introduced plans to create 15 murals through the Wild Dogs public-art project. "It's more than art. It's a love letter to this community," she said.
The mayor highlighted downtown revitalization funded in part by a $6,250,000 EDA grant and noted the project reached a milestone when two-way traffic reopened in mid-December. She thanked contractor Wildish and city staff for finishing work ahead of holidays and called out public-works accomplishments such as new benches, campsite cleanups and installations that supported community events.
Solsby also listed municipal upgrades and outcomes tied to city operations: purchase of a generator for the community center to improve emergency preparedness, installation of automatic door openers at the community center and library to improve accessibility, and the golf course purchase of 10 new carts that coincided with nearly 8,000 additional rounds played and roughly $726,000 in revenue.
"Cottage Grove is moving forward thoughtfully, intentionally, and together," Solsby said, thanking staff by name for specific contributions and closing the remarks with "Cheers to 2026." The mayor's remarks framed infrastructure, public art, and community programming as the city's near-term focus.
The council did not take formal action tied to the mayor's speech; subsequent agenda items moved to the audit presentation and public comment.
