Chandler mayor, in State of City speech, praises diversity
Courtesy of City of Chandler
Mayor Kevin Hartke delivers his State of the City speech Feb. 13 at the Chandler Center for the Arts. The mayor said the city continues to celebrate diversity.
Mayor Kevin Hartke sang and even clicked his red shoes together three times during his Feb. 13 State of the City speech.
But he didn’t teleport back to Kansas — at least, not during the on-stage or prerecorded Wizard of Oz-themed intro or outro videos.
That’s not simply because Hartke is from Missouri, rather than Kansas. It’s because, he explained, no one wants to teleport away from Chandler permanently, as it’s a great place to live, work and play.
Hartke touched on a few future items and plans in the nearly hour-long presentation, such as hoping the bring back an outdoor evening ballet that was well-received in 2024 and the upcoming delivery of a mobile library.
But as is often the case in state-of-the-government presentations, there’s a great of reflection, especially on positive or noteworthy moments or accomplishments of the past year. Hartke mentioned many, fitting them all into the “There’s no place like Chandler” Wizard of Oz theme of the evening.
“In that story, Dorothy and her companions realize that everything they needed was already within them,” Hartke said. “Likewise, everything Chandler needs to thrive, is already within us — each and every one of us. We have the courage, brains and heart that make Chandler an extraordinary place.”
The presentation included videos, shown on the Center for the Arts stage screen, about progress made in various efforts funded by the city. One was about drug addiction recovery; another focused on brass knuckles minors law advocate Connor Jarnagan and others in a set of “courage” sound clips.
Hartke listed what types of positive lists Chandler tops, including “foremost city for foreign investment.”
He also noted that the State of the City event itself, with multicultural food made available in the lobby for the public, celebrates diversity, with so many people from diverse backgrounds all claiming Chandler as their city and being proud of it.
There were statistics mentioned as well. The city boasts more than 20,000 people attended its officially hosted events in 2024, including the Multicultural Festival, the holiday Parade of Lights and Tumbleweed Tree lighting, Fourth of July events and the Innovation Fair.
“Our city is safe, prospering and bursting with talented people,” Hartke said. What happens in Chandler, matters. Find the courage to dream big, use our collective brainpower to innovate and display our heart by supporting one another.”
Jason W. Brooks News Editor | Chandler Independent
Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.
Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.
Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.
Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.
By 
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here