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Mayor outlines Brooklyn priorities, cites $38 million fund balance and plan for 60 new townhomes
Summary
The mayor delivered a State of the City address summarizing 2024 accomplishments and laying out 2025 priorities: public-safety investments, nearly $38 million in city funds, park and facility upgrades, reinstated senior services, and plans for roughly 60 townhomes; he urged support for a school levy.
The mayor of Brooklyn delivered a State of the City address that highlighted public-safety staffing and equipment, a nearly $38 million fund balance, and a package of park, facility and housing projects planned for 2025.
"As of beginning of this year, we had just under $38 million in all of our funding," the mayor said, framing the city's fiscal position as the basis for planned work. He credited his finance team, led by Mr. Reguz, for the city's strong position and noted the city's auditor-state award for 2024, a distinction the mayor said is given to about 4% of eligible entities.
Public safety featured prominently. The mayor said the administration added police officers and new vehicles with support routed through Congressman Max Miller's office, and that firefighters and paramedics responded to almost "3,600 requests for service last year." He told the audience the city's 911 response times are about two minutes and that the fire department currently holds an ISO rating of 2 and is pursuing an ISO 1 rating.
On infrastructure and parks, the mayor outlined several capital projects under way or planned for 2025: a two-phase overhaul of the auditorium next to city hall (interior and façade work), a turn lane on Memphis Avenue, ongoing upgrades at Veterans Memorial Park including a heated, three-season pavilion, right-of-way improvements along Brook Park Road, and a dog park next to the service garage. He also said the city will refresh Brock Memorial Park and continue its annual paving program and entrance landscaping projects.
Housing and economic development were also central to the speech. "For the first time in nearly 30 years, the city of Brooklyn will be building new housing," the mayor said, describing three locations (two city-owned and one private) that together will yield roughly 60 new townhomes, with site work expected to begin this summer. He cited new business openings on the east side—Aspen Dental, Grocery Outlet and Saru Japan—and said the Key Bang facility on Tedman Road continues to bring workers and income-tax revenue to the city.
The mayor announced a reinstated senior grass-cutting program to assist older residents, and highlighted community events and youth programs including Arbor Day, recreation baseball (which he coaches), and the library ribbon-cutting last November. He credited collaboration with the school district—naming Dr. ClariS as a regular partner—and said the old library building is being transitioned into education space for schools.
The mayor also described a new outreach tool: a podcast titled "Brooklyn, Ohio Today," with short weekly episodes featuring local leaders. He said Police Chief Melky and Dr. ClariS have appeared and that School Board President Kelly Crawl will be a guest on April 30 to discuss a school levy the mayor encouraged residents to support ahead of the May 6 election.
The address closed with a call to "move forward together," thanks to department directors, staff and the Brooklyn City Council, and an invitation to follow-up events in the library education space. There were no formal motions or votes taken during the address.
