Statesville Year End 2022 - Costi Kutteh

"You are the folks that comprise the patchwork in my quilt – how can I not be grateful and thankful for that. I thank God Statesville found me and my family and that sometime later, I found Statesville."

As I reflect on 2022, I am filled with gratitude and thanks.  Thanks for the 500 people that work for the City of Statesville and what each of them does every day to make our lives better.  You have, and will always have, my unwavering support.  You deserve the respect and admiration of all Statesvillians.  I wish I could tell you how many times I am contacted by one of our citizens with a story about how one or more of you has gone out of your way to assist.

               Ron Smith, I am grateful for you.  You are a caring, compassionate, insightful and dedicated city manager.  You exemplify what a manager should do and be.  You have assembled a senior management team which reflects your values of kindness, generosity and integrity.  Those managers, many of whom always attend our meetings, provide responsive, consistent and professional support.  I am thankful for close personal relationships with them.  I consider your managers to be allies of all the elected officials as we strive to create the best Statesville possible.

               Speaking of elected officials, I am grateful for each of you.  It is a privilege to have served with all of you – past and present.  I am uniquely positioned to observe your efforts, often beyond the call of duty.  Even with diverse points of view on virtually every issue, I am thankful you are willing to serve.  The citizens rarely understand the level of commitment given by Council Members.

               Election Year 2021 morphed into Election Year 2022 because of census reporting delays.  I am eternally grateful to citizens who provided support and encouragement during the election cycle.  I learned much about myself, our great city and its great people.  I am grateful to the citizens for allowing me to serve another term as your Mayor.

               The elections gave me the chance to welcome two new faces to the Council.  I am thankful for Kim and Joe and their joining our body.  I am grateful you are already sharing your diverse backgrounds and insight.  You are appreciated and excellent additions to the Council.

               I am grateful for the preparation we have been making for years to accommodate the meteoric growth we are experiencing.  I am thankful we had the wisdom and foresight to enhance our entire utility systems.  Having capacity to accept this growth makes us a welcoming location.  Much of the success is because of who we are – we work hard, we play hard, we take care of each other, we are talented.

               I am thankful for business people who are brilliant, all the artists and artisans we have, tight knit families, friends, and colleagues.  Folks coming here see the “Statesville Spirit” every day, it is absolutely infectious.  I don’t want to dwell on all this but did you know we approved 16 residential projects and an additional 75 smaller infill projects, that we voluntarily annexed over 1500 acres of land worth millions of dollars, valued in the billions at buildout, we received grants exceeding $50 million to support our employees, our airport, our roads, our utility systems, and more.  And Jap, we got rid of half the sanitation fees and will finish the job this year.  We are all thankful for that.

               I am grateful for Doosan, Sherwin-Williams, the Statesville Housing Authority, and the Mayor’s Middle School Youth Advisory Council to highlight just a few. 

         Doosan made a monstrous expansion – we are now home to their largest North American Facility.  I am thankful for their corporate culture, fostered in large part by Statesvillians who are employed there.  There is something special in the air when you enter their plant.

         Sherwin-Williams is making the single largest industrial investment in Statesville history.  Their execs blew in here from Cleveland (of all places) with an esprit de corps rarely observed.  As we celebrated their decision to make Statesville home to their largest paint manufacturing facility, we built relationships which will last for years.

        When Statesville Housing Authority learned they owned the ideal site for a new fire station, they shared our vision for a better and safer Statesville and partnered with us on this state of the art facility.

         The Mayor’s Middle School Youth Advisory Council has a new group of unique student leaders.  Following last year’s success, these students are ready to move their vision for a Statesville Teen Center forward.  These kids displayed a kindness and thoughtfulness which should be exhibited worldwide.

All of these standouts are because of YOU Statesville.  You raised these children, you work at these places of business, you encourage US to improve all of our City.  I could not be more thankful and grateful for all of you and for what each of you means to what Statesville can be.  You are the reason I serve.  I am grateful for the opportunity to hear from many of you regularly as we work through issues of interest to you.  As I learn of your interests and desires, your hopes and dreams, your pleasures and pains – I learn so much more about myself.  I try to be a better person because of you and for you.  You are the folks that comprise the patchwork in my quilt – how can I not be grateful and thankful for that.  I thank God Statesville found me and my family and that sometime later, I found Statesville.