Leander mayor delivers State of the City address

Leander Mayor Chris Fielder delivered the annual State of the City address Jan. 28 during the Greater Leander Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

Fielder highlighted some of the city's achievements in 2013, including the completion of a water tower in Crystal Falls and transportation projects such as Hero Way, Mel Mathis Avenue, San Gabriel Parkway and CR 179, which is now named Journey Parkway.

During his speech, the mayor introduced the other members of City Council and several city staffers, without whom he said progress could not be made.

"Without this staff, we wouldn't be a city," Fielder said. "As a council, we try to take into consideration that every vote we make affects somebody in the community in some way."

In 2013, the city installed its first mid-street pedestrian crosswalk near Leander High School and raised wages for emergency response staff. Engineering work continues for the widening and improvement of Old FM 2243 and Bagdad Road, Fielder said.

"We hope we can be in the first round of funding in the county's bond sale," he said.

Fielder also touched on the success of the Greater Leander Chamber of Commerce, which grew by 108 members in 2013 as it rolled out new programs such as quarterly lunches with the mayor and the prayer breakfast.

"Leander is in the best shape of it's life and it's only going to get better in 2014," he said.