“Change is inevitable, but decline is not. Not only can we choose our future, but we can ensure that it is a future of promise. Great cities, counties, and regions don’t happen by accident. They are built on a foundation of daring ideas, smart investments, political determination, and cooperation.” — Mayor William A. Johnson Jr., State of the City address,     March 4, 2002

Dear Friends:

As I began my third term in office, I stated that I was pleased and very proud of the many accomplishments and positive changes that have occurred under my administration. I also stated that I believe that there is much more work to be done if we are to achieve my desired goal of making Rochester the “best mid-sized city” in the country.

I believe that this goal is achievable because this community has residents that are committed to working together to improve their quality of life and make the greater Rochester region an area that serves as a model for other urban communities. “Rochester 2010: The Renaissance” lays out a vision for this region and provides a framework for carefully charting its destiny. The Renaissance Plan provides a framework for this region to work together to address our common issues and needs with a united approach and effort. It challenges us to reach beyond geographical boundaries and commit to a unified vision for this region.

The Renaissance Plan emerged as the vision of literally thousands of citizens who care about our region’s future. Contributors to the Plan included citizens from the Neighbors Building Neighborhoods (NBN) process, who helped define goals for their individual neighborhoods, citizen subject committees, who focused on issues such as education, social services, the economy and the environment; and the Stewardship Council, whose members oversaw development of the Plan and served as a forum for discussion and development of key policies.

Since the Plan was adopted, I have worked diligently to ensure that every action my administration embarks upon, every project we undertake and every partnership we enter into be in line with and in agreement with the goals outlined in the Renaissance Plan. Now that we have completed the first of five implementation phases, I am pleased to take this opportunity to report on a multitude of successes, as well as the challenges, encountered during this period.

Some of the progress made has been highly visible—such as the newly renovated Ford Street bridge and the University Avenue ARTWalk. Other areas of progress have been less visible to the average citizen, but equally important—such as the installation of on-board computers in patrol vehicles and major revisions to the City’s zoning ordinances. In this report, we share our accomplishments, as well as some of our plans for the second implementation period.

This Progress Report clearly demonstrates that we are becoming the community of our dreams and that we are in the midst of a Renaissance…I urge you to join us! We need you and there are challenging and exciting times ahead!

Sincerely,

William A. Johnson, Jr., Mayor City of Rochester