Fresh perspective helping move the city forward

Welcome to the inaugural edition of what will be a monthly mayor's column. This month marks the first anniversary of my election as mayor of Anaheim, as well as that of council members Richard Chavez and Bob Hernandez. Joining with returning members Tom Tait and Shirley McCracken, this new City Council has brought a fresh perspective to our city government and an opportunity to move our city forward. In the year since, we've worked together to make great strides on projects both big and small for our city. Perhaps most importantly, this council has fostered a new climate that says Anaheim is open for business or, as one commentator characterized our new council dynamic, "freedom-friendly." This operational reform says to our business community: "If you consider Anaheim as the place to conduct your business, we want to give you the tools necessary to help you be a vibrant, profitable part of our community." This characterizes how we have approached the amendment to Anaheim's General Plan, the document that will guide Anaheim's land use for the 21st century. We are about to begin some MAYOR CURT PRINGLE major development in outdowntown, which will bring in new shops and residences. We are reinvigorating the Stadium Area, which will create a hub of residential, commercial, office and entertainment venues. We worked all year to bring a new managing partner to the Arrowhead Pond in order to protect and enhance one of our city's crown jewels. In April, PGA champion Tiger Woods arrived at Dad Miller Golf Course to break ground and kick off a fund-raising campaign for the Tiger Woods Learning Center. We have also made progress on several projects that don't always grab the headlines but are just as important to making Anaheim a great city. We have moved forward with our neighbors, the city of Yorba Linda and BNSF railroad in our plans to build a new soundwall adjacent to the tracks. In February, the Mayor's Sports Field Task Force was formed, charged with identifying where the city could provide more recreational opportunities for our youth. The Task Force worked throughout the summer and submitted a list of recommendations.