Page 4 - The City of Smyrna GA 2019 Annual Report

Dear Smyrna:
“Things that look like an ‘overnight success’ typically are not.”
American businessman Jason Calacanis said that. It’s true in business and it’s true of the Smyrna that you know today. Our success did not happen overnight.
This American businessman also said that “You have to have a big vision and take very small steps to get there. You have to be humble as you execute but visionary and gigantic in terms of your aspiration...” He was talking about the internet industry at the time and he also mentions grand innovation and of a lot of little innovations that happen every day, every week, every month to make something a little bit better. Though he was talking about a remarkable tech innovation, not a bricks-and-mortar-streetscaped community, communities also hit their strides with vision and responsible and informed steps and actions over time.
I think Calacanis’ quotes describe what happened for Smyrna, but our “overnight success” is much bigger than a “little bit better” than what we were before. Knowing how far we have come warms my heart. Knowing how strong Smyrna is and how remarkable our community is today is something to prize and reflect upon. But, the future? As we consider our next steps, our small steps will need to continue to be well considered, but there will also have to be some large and bold steps mixed in with all of the other day-to-day decisions, too.
Back in 2008/2009, in that year’s annual report, my letter to citizens began with “The economy has been the lead in headlines and the economy still holds the lead lines on what we can and cannot accomplish on the ground in Smyrna. It may take a while still, but this will pass and things will improve. Slowly, guarded improvement will come. In this shadowed progress it is important to remember the basics – hardwork, sound/informed decisions, care, commitment, responsiveness and responsibility (to name but a few) of the basics that have helped us achieve success in so many areas and will guide us through more quality experiences in Smyrna.” We knew going into the economic issues of more than a decade ago that Smyrna would do well – very well - when the national economy regained strength. We knew then that the hard and careful work would work for you, our citizens, into the future.
LETTER FROM THE MAYOR
Now that Smyrna has achieved enviable rankings such as being listed by Money as one of their “50 Best Places To Live in the United States,” we can enjoy the hard work, but let’s concentrate on maintaining and flexing our community muscleandwelcomingspirit.Yourpropertyvalueis strong and we have come so far. The people – the heart of Smyrna – is so very strong. It is my pleasure to serve you and to be here with you reflecting upon how we got here. Your future has always been my focus and I would like nothing more than to see Smyrna continue to be more than strong and to be the welcoming community that we are for your lifetime and those decades well beyond your lifetimes, too. That vision of the future depends so very much on you.
If you are new to Smyrna, you may not have ever heard of people like Pete Wood (now departed), or any of the other former Council members, public officials and past as well as current employees who spent countless hours, days, weeks, months and years carefully crafting the next steps for Smyrna and doing it with an eye on Smyrna’s financial health at every single step. They were all dedicated to a grand vision with heart that could be maintained, and upheld. That vision, roughly 30 years later, is the Smyrna that you enjoy today.
In recent years, the word “sustainable” has been used a ton. In Smyrna, we have always applied the basic meaning to everything in Smyrna which includes the local economy, property values, growth, change, how it all gets paid for, and so much more than recycling and protection of the environment...though we have been winning awards for decades on those “sustainable” practices, too.
Smyrna of today is the result of a strong vision, leadership sticking to a sustainable plan and 30 years of truly hard work made up of small and sometimes bold – not always easy - steps. It did not happen overnight and it did not happen without you, too, and your welcoming spirit.
Sincerely,
A. Max Bacon
Mayor, City of Smyrna
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