At the quarterly Morning with the Mayor meeting on December 5, Mayor Jeff Williams highlighted Arlington’s accomplishments. Mayor Williams emphasized how Arlington has achieved a “Circle of Success.” In our City, economic development and tourism produce tax revenues that result in a lower tax burden on residents and improve city services. While Major Williams showcased Arlington’s strengths, he also looked to the future.
The city is becoming a world-renowned destination as evidenced by the international Esports Awards held at the Esports Stadium Arlington in November. The event relocated from London (yes, the one in England) to Arlington this year, and it was announced that it will stay through 2021. It is the first time these awards have been held in the US. The Mayor emphasized the importance of this growing segment in the entertainment industry noting that one gamer won $3 million dollars as the top prize. However, the Mayor couldn’t quite remember his name, a.k.a. his gamer handle. A millennial in the audience immediately sounded off the name of major Twitch personality, Doctor Disrespect. (Ok, Boomer, Google it.) This venue gives us credibility with young people, a critical demographic for Arlington’s future.
The Mayor also discussed future plans for the Medal of Honor Museum. The MOHM board is working with four architecture firms, and design projects are due at the end of January. They expect to formally start the process of raising the $150 million needed for the project in March. Inspired by the stories of Medal recipients, the focus of the museum will be the promotion of character, service and integrity among our youth. Arlington Independent School District has agreed to develop a curriculum and share it with other districts. The Mayor imagined a time when schools all over the region will teach the curriculum and then visit the museum.
For those who frequent downtown, the Mayor promised Abram Street construction will be completed in the spring. He talked about bringing “Community Workdays” to Arlington. This is a civic responsibility program coordinated in the HEB area by Six Stones. Citizens band together to clean up, paint and revitalize properties for members of the community who need help. While the HEB Chamber is not the lead on this project, many of the workers are Chamber members.
During his time in office, Mayor Williams has worked to embrace the diversity of the greater Arlington community. Through his leadership, the City set some aggressive goals for awarding contracts to Minority or Women Business Enterprises (MWBE). He reported that in construction contract the city is exceeding its expectations. However, in services, they have not yet reached their goal. Look for the city to adopt new approaches until both goals are met.
ABOUT MORNING WITH THE MAYOR
Morning with the Mayor is an exclusive quarterly event available to our President’s Leadership Council (PLC) and Corporate Leadership Council (CLC) Investors. We also have Connecting with the Commissioner quarterly where the PLC & CLC investors get to meet with Devan Allen, the Tarrant County Commissioner for Precinct 2.