Novi Mayor Bob Gatt gave his first State of the City speech this week,
and in a word pronounced Novi healthy. He's right. Prosperous and
flourishing is one Merriman-Webster Dictionary definition of the word
healthy, and those words certainly describe Novi.
The good mayor pointed out the City's many strengths. One big advantage
Novi has is diversity, both in the tax base and population. Of course
Novi is the retail hub of south-eastern Michigan. But it's also become a
regional health care hub and is a growing technology industry hub too.
Novi's population is also increasingly diverse, with the schools having
changed over the past five years from being just 8% diverse to being 46%
diverse today. This diversity brings to Novi a more global perspective,
while providing increased educational opportunities for Novi's youth -
both good things.
Novi's success didn't happen overnight. Careful planning and solid
leadership are the reason Novi is in such good shape. Since it's
formation in 1969, the City has been fortunate to have many great
leaders. This has been especially true for the past several years under
Mayor David Landry, and continues today with Mayor Gatt.
As the mayor pointed out in his speech, getting and staying healthy
takes work. Novi is where it is today because of hard work - hard work
on the part of leadership, city employees, teachers, and the many
volunteers who make Novi such a great city.
We the People commend Mayor Gatt, in his first State of the City speech,
for hitting the nail on the head. Novi is healthy, and Novi's future
continues to look bright. We too are confident that Novi is on the right
track for even brighter times ahead.
Well done Mr. Mayor!
The county has had an easy winter so far. Let's hope they use those
dollars saved to do some extra road work this spring!
