Westlake State of the City 2023: “It’s a Great City Because of the People that Make Up the City”

“Local government, you can see it, you can feel it,” said Clough. “You can identify with the improvements that have been made here in the City of Westlake. That’s probably the real reason I’ve stayed in local government. We’re the closest to the people. You often hear that’s where the rubber meets the road.” – Mayor Clough

Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough delivered his annual State of the City address at Carrabba’s Italian Grill on Sperry Road and it couldn’t have come at a better time – Valentine’s Day.

“My wife and I celebrated our 46th year of marriage last year and this is my 42nd year in public service. We’re all going to be talking about the person we love today, Valentine’s Day. In addition to talking about the person I love, I also get to talk about the City I love on Valentine’s Day. What more can you ask for?” said Clough as he kicked off the West Shore Chamber of Commerce event.

“It’s a great City,” said Clough. “But the reason it’s a great city is because of the people that make up the city, all the employees of the city, City Council, and – most of all – the support we receive from our citizens.

“Many of the things we’ve been able to accomplish over the years could not have possibly taken place without the support of this community. And the business community has been a great part of that.

2023 Westlake State of the City Slideshow

“This year we’re in the best financial shape we’ve ever been in. I’ve been sort of saying that for the past 10 or 15 years, but things have just gotten better and better, because our community is one that continues to grow, fill up with businesses for a great quality of life. We’re able to deliver and improve that quality of life each and every year.”

Mayor Clough indicated that, as the career head of the community, local government has more impact on the lives of residents than either regional or national influences

“Local government, you can see it, you can feel it,” said Clough. “You can identify with the improvements that have been made here in the City of Westlake. That’s probably the real reason I’ve stayed in local government. We’re the closest to the people. You often hear that’s where the rubber meets the road. But we couldn’t do that without a great staff, the great support we receive from the citizens of Westlake. 42 years ago, you couldn’t say that. People would say, ‘Why would you want to move to the City of Westlake?’ It was partially rural. We didn’t have sanitary sewers or sidewalks on the west side of town. Every one of our buildings were built in the ‘50’s. Our school buildings were old. All of those have been updated.”

Today, Westlake stands as the regional leader of Western Cuyahoga County. In his slideshow presentation, Mayor Clough gave a comprehensive overview of the City and its impact.

Below are some highlights from Mayor Clough’s State of the City Slideshow

 

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