Norwalk officials deliver positive message at State of the City

NORWALK – The city of Norwalk held its Virtual State of the City Address on Friday, March 19th. The annual event is conducted to provide key updates on city matters to Norwalk residents.

This year, the city of Norwalk worked in collaboration with the Norwalk Community Coordinating Council to host this event.

Discussed during the presentation were some of the past year’s accomplishments and updates on upcoming projects that will move Norwalk forward. Some of the topics highlighted this year included community programming, infrastructure improvements, and economic development. A COVID-19 update was also given that assured the residents that the city remains steadfast in its commitment to both its employees and its community.

Mayor Jennifer Perez set the tone for the event by stating, “The State of the City Address is an annual way for the council and city to celebrate the past year’s successes, all while looking forward to the future with new and exciting approved projects and developments.”

There were several different presenters outlining a variety of matters in Norwalk. Caren Spilsbury, Executive Director of the Norwalk Chamber of Commerce, provided an outlook on the Norwalk Chamber of Commerce’s efforts last year to advocate for and keep the Norwalk business community supported, while trying to provide them with opportunities to succeed.

Caren thanked residents “…for continuing to support local Norwalk businesses.” She also stated that “These businesses are the backbone of the community. They provide employment for thousands of residents, services needed for thousands of families, and support through tax dollars to the city of Norwalk so they can continue to be a support structure to both our businesses and residents.”

Captain James Tatreau of the Norwalk Sheriff’s Station provided insight into public safety issues in Norwalk. He highlighted a summary of last year’s services provided by the Norwalk Sherriff’s Station, the city’s crime statistics, as well as the station’s charitable giving, and goals for 2021.

He emphasized that “It was a very difficult year, but… Norwalk station men and women stepped up to the challenge and made many arrests.” Statistics were provided showing the station continued above average in this regard. The sheriff’s station provided 74,203 hours of policing services last year and Captain Tatreau reiterated that the Sheriffs “…put a lot of hours in patrolling the streets of Norwalk and trying to keep everyone safe and increase quality of life.”

Statistics also showed that Norwalk is “by far among the safest cities in the region, when comparing the Part-1 crime (violent and property crimes) stats to neighboring cities.”

Details regarding infrastructure improvements showed that there were 3,800 LED fixtures installed in street lights throughout the community to provide more illumination and promote safer streets.

Also of note was the fact that an auxiliary parking lot was added to the Norwalk Metrolink Station, which prior to COVID-19 had been at maximum capacity. The new lot includes an additional 122 parking spots.

In addition, the city planted 985 trees in public right-of-ways. As a reflection of the success of the city’s forestry efforts, the city was designated a Tree City USA for the sixth year by the Arbor Day Foundation.

Also noteworthy was the city’s investment in an aggressive street rehabilitation program. Using Measure R and M funds, the city invested over $2.8 million for the first phase of the Local Streets Rehabilitation Program. This included repairing damaged sidewalks and adding ADA ramps or upgrading any existing ADA ramps to meet current standards.

Other portions of the event highlighted the city’s efforts to provide local businesses with resources through the CARES Act to help mitigate the effects of the pandemic and ensure businesses were current on health department guidelines. The city has also launched an ongoing vaccine clinic in collaboration with Coast Plaza Hospital. The city made concerted efforts to ensure that state and county agencies provided reservations for the city’s most vulnerable residents.

Norwalk continues to bring in continued business investment as it was noted that, despite the pandemic, the city processed 513 business licenses. Mayor Perez expressed her optimism in the city continuing to see economic prosperity this year.

Residents can re-watch the event on the city’s YouTube page or on Norwalk TV (Charter Channel 3 and Frontier FiOS Channel 32.

Residents interested in obtaining more information about the event can call 562-929-5735 or email publicaffairs@norwalkca.gov