Mayor Joe Smith's 2019 State of the City report highlights the "sound financial footing," economic development and infrastructure progress being made in North Little Rock "that some of us might never see."
As has been his custom since taking office in 2013, Smith distributed copies of this year's three-page address, and not read it, during Monday's City Council meeting.
"Together, as a council, we must make decisions today that will impact our children and grandchildren," the address read. "What we choose to invest in, or not invest in, has consequences for our city decades beyond our terms in office."
The paper highlights projects from the 1 percent city sales tax approved by voters in August 2017 that will fund street and drainage projects, fire stations' improvements and construction of a police headquarters. Private development -- such as new medical facilities under construction as part of a growing health corridor on Springhill Drive -- is also highlighted.
Smith also referred to the $5.2 million, city-owned Argenta Plaza that's under construction in downtown. He called it "the most high-profile project in our city" and said the public investment has already created nearly $50 million in private investment.