Mayor Cleveland lays out nine strategic priorities; city highlights homelessness drop and major projects

Mayor Fred Cleveland used New Smyrna Beach's 2026 State of the City address to frame the city's work around nine strategic priorities, from public safety and stormwater planning to downtown revitalization and improved communications.

Cleveland told an audience at the Bridal Center that "community" is the underlying theme of the year and listed actions the city has taken since March 2025, including a staff reorganization, a job classification and pay study and the development of a merit-pay plan. "When we manage our budget wisely, we create room for compassion, innovation, and long term stability," Cleveland said.

Why it matters: the mayor presented performance metrics and initiatives that officials say will shape near-term budgets and capital planning. He highlighted public safety gains, infrastructure work, and partnerships intended to address homelessness and housing.

Public safety and staffing: Cleveland cited several department-level changes, including the recruitment of a new fire chief and expansion of EMS units. He said police calls for service rose 11% to more than 64,000 while average response times fell and violent crime indicators declined: "Violent crime is down 15%. Aggravated assaults decreased by 17% with a 33% reduction in robberies," he said. The mayor also noted arrests fell from 897 to 729 year over year.

Infrastructure and grants: The mayor cataloged completed and upcoming capital work: renovated Coronado Civic Center upgrades, 27th Avenue playground and boardwalk projects, Phil Hall pickleball facility, North Causeway boat ramps and a new airport terminal expected in 2027, driven in part by grants described by staff. He said capital improvement projects and grants total roughly $8.1 million, with an additional $1.7 million from an unspecified source.

Downtown and economic development: Cleveland and economic development director Samantha Bergeron described investments on Flagler Avenue and Canal Street, and reported $6,693,917 in CRA spending in 2026 to date. The mayor said officials are exploring financing tools such as community development districts to pay for infrastructure while protecting taxpayers.

Stormwater and regional coordination: The city said Phase 1 of a multi-phase stormwater master plan is complete, with Phase 2 underway and funded by the county. Cleveland emphasized the regional nature of flooding risks and said the watershed area under study exceeds 129 square miles.

Housing partnerships and homelessness: The mayor highlighted a continuing partnership with 1st Step Shelter and local outreach efforts the city credits with reducing the number of people experiencing homelessness. In the commissioners' video, a commissioner said the count fell from 110 in 2024 to 54 in 2025; the mayor reiterated the city's focus on coordinated, cross-agency responses.

What comes next: Cleveland said staff will continue to provide details on long-term plans and that department heads are accountable to tactical goals tied to each strategic priority. The address closed with an exhortation for continued civic engagement: "If you want to go far, go together," he said.

The city did not present a timeline for many proposals mentioned, and several funding details were described at a program level rather than with line-item amounts.