Today, Greenwood Mayor Mark W. Myers delivered his thirteenth State of the City address to more than 300 business leaders, community members and residents. The annual event was hosted by Aspire Economic Development + Chamber Alliance and took place at the Greenwood Fieldhouse for the second year in a row.
“My family has lived in Greenwood for generations. I was born here in 1962 and have lived most of my life here. I love our rich traditions as much as anyone. One of Greenwood’s most cherished traditions is its focus on progress,” said Mayor Myers. “Progress should not be feared. Growth is inevitable in thriving communities. People are attracted to places with nice parks, good schools and strong infrastructure.”
As a former Greenwood police officer, firefighter and first responder, public safety has been Myers’ top priority since he took oath in 2012. Myers announced big changes for the Greenwood public safety departments this year.
Mayor Myers has worked to increase the City’s public safety budget to equip the police and fire departments with quality training and equipment to best serve the community. “In 2012 we had 30 full time firefighters budgeted, today we have 72. In 2012, we had 60 police officers budgeted, and in 2024, we have 80,” Myers said. “Despite all of the economic challenges the city faced in 2023, we found a way to give all of our employees, including our firefighters and our policemen, a 5% raise in 2024.”
During his address, Myers also highlighted the growth and successes of Greenwood’s economy. There has been over $250 million invested in new residential and business projects in the past year, encouraging families to move to the area and young adults to return home after college. Greenwood’s population is nearly 70,000 people in 2024.
In addition to the accomplishments made last year, Mayor Myers revealed various developments and advancements expected in 2024. Developments include the Greenwood Sports Park, the Freedom Park Pickleball Complex and a new fire station. Along with these developments, there will be new designs created for another phase of Main Street, 500 homes are expected to be constructed and Endress+Hauser has broken ground on its $40 million corporate headquarters expansion.
Residents will see continued enhancements throughout the community. The City has commissioned a study to get feedback on the improvement of Main Street from Meridian Street to Five Points Road. On top of that, a different study was conducted to widen Smith Valley Road to four lanes and include two roundabouts at Woodman Boulevard and Averitt Road.
In 2024, the City of Greenwood will continue to prioritize safety, ensure law enforcement is supported and will pursue various infrastructure developments. Residents can look forward to new parks, trails, recreation facilities and family events. The City will work efficiently to keep tax rates low and budgets balanced.
These efforts were pledged as Mayor Myers said to conclude his address, “It’s year 13. Let’s get back to work!”
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