Volume 1, Issue 4
During this time of year, we are reminded of the importance of helping others. On Nov. 24, I joined Trevor Fuller, Chairman of the Mecklenburg County Commissioners, representatives from the Foundation For the Carolinas, and several other community agencies to announce the creation of a Task Force for Economic Opportunity.
The task force will be charged with developing solutions to ensure that Charlotte is a "land of opportunity" for those who are born in our city, just as it is for newcomers. We cannot be two different cities.
This represents our energized commitment to a city and county that grows for everyone, giving every child and adult in our community optimal chances for success. Together, I believe we can overcome inequalities and create opportunities for all citizens to experience upward mobility.
Sincerely,
Dan Clodfelter
Mayor
Want to keep track with the latest info from the Mayor's Office? Remember, you can always follow my updates on Twitter. Use handle @CLTMayor to learn about the most recent news and events from the Mayor's Office.
On Nov. 4, Charlotte voters overwhelming approved the city bonds for streets, neighborhood improvements and housing that are vital to sustaining our reputation as a great place to live, work and play. As a reminder, the bonds will support the following projects in our community:
• $110.96 million to upgrade and enhance streets and infrastructure such as street and intersection projects, repairs and replacement of bridges, construction of new bridges, connections for the Cross Charlotte Trail, and measures to improve pedestrian safety.
•$15 million to build affordable and well maintained housing for low-to-moderate income individuals and families through a housing trust fund.
•$20 million to improve infrastructure in established neighborhoods and emerging high growth areas which includes sidewalks, streetscape, curbs and gutters, lighting and crosswalks.
I want to thank all citizens who supported this investment and the impact it will have on the future of Charlotte.
On Nov. 19, I had the opportunity to engage with a group of young people who serve on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Youth Council, a non-partisan program of GenerationNation in partnership with the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and CMS. The youth council engages teens to:
- Serve as an advisory resource for community leaders.
- Learn about local government, civic issues, and community problem-solving, and build civic literacy, civic engagement, and civic leadership knowledge, interests, and skills.
- Meaningfully engage in local policy and decision-making.
- Highlight civic issues of importance to children and youth.
- Network with youth from schools, neighborhoods, and perspectives across the community.
I spoke with the youth council members about the Community Investment Plan and the impact it has on the future of our city. I was very impressed with the level of engagement these students showed, and I'm excited 100 percent of the youth council participants have interacted with public officials, and they have provided over 1,340 service hours to the community.
Special thanks to Executive Director Amy Farrell, and the City of Charlotte Neighborhood & Business Services Community Engagement Division for making the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Youth Council a success.
To learn more about how you can become involved with the CMYC, please visit http://generationnation.org/index.php/youthvoice or follow them on social media #cltmeckyouth
Each Veterans Day, communities across the nation take time to show appreciation for the many brave men and women who served in our armed forces, protecting our nation’s freedoms.
Representatives from the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and several other organizations gathered Nov. 11 to make a special announcement that will impact veterans in our community.
We introduced the Mayor’s Challenge to End Veterans Homelessness, which represents an energized effort to end Veterans Homelessness across our nation.
Before this formal announcement, the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County had been working together with community partners on providing housing for veterans since July. Click here to see how many veterans we've assisted to date. We are asking you to help raise awareness and support for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg ‘Housing Our Heroes’ Initiative. All of our citizens, including our Veterans, deserve access to safe, affordable housing.
To learn more about the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing our Heroes Campaign, and ways you can help, please visit: HousingOurHeroes.charmeck.org. You can also look for updates on social media using hashtag #cmhousingheroes.
We recently accepted the challenge to become a My Brother’s Keeper community. The White House launched the My Brother’s Keeper initiative to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color and ensure that all young people can reach their full potential.
Through this initiative, cities and towns, businesses, and foundations are taking important steps to connect young people to mentoring, support networks, and the skills they need to find a good job or go to college. My Brother’s Keeper is focused on six milestones:
- Getting a Healthy Start and Entering School Ready to Learn
- Reading at Grade Level by Third Grade
- Graduating from High School Ready for College and Career
- Completing Post-Secondary Education or Vocational Training
- Successfully Entering the Workforce
- Keeping Kids on Track and Giving Them Second Chances
During the next several months, I will be engaging with community organizations that are committed to addressing these milestones with youth in Charlotte. You can learn more about the My Brother's Keeper initiative by visiting: http://www.whitehouse.gov/my-brothers-keeper
I was proud to participate in Charlotte’s Sustainability Fair as part of America Recycles Day in the heart of Center City Nov. 14. This event was designed to promote recycling and increase awareness of various community efforts. Environmental stewardship is essential to quality of life in our city. Recycling is just one of many ways we can reduce waste. It takes minimal effort, but has a lasting impact. Our Solid Waste Services department collects recyclables every-other-week on the same day as garbage and yard waste collection.
To find your collection day and recycling week you can visit charmeck.org and click on Garbage & Recycling. We have a GeoPortal system where you can enter your address in the search box to determine your collection times. Thank you for helping keep the Charlotte we love, clean, healthy and beautiful.
I recently joined Davidson College for a celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall Nov. 5. A special keynote address featured Professor Kurt Biedenkopf, who was Davidson’s first German exchange student after World War II.
Biedenkopf attended Davidson in 1949-50 and went on to become one of the leading German statesmen of the last 50 years. After the fall of the Berlin Wall and reunification of Germany, he was the first minister-president of the revived Free State of Saxony, serving until 2002.
It was great to spend time with Dr. Beidenkopf, his family, and mark this important moment in world history. Charlotte has strong ties to Germany and this event provided a reminder of the past, while also celebrating the future.
“Fall of the Berlin Wall: 25 Years On" was supported by the German Embassy, the German Honorary Consul's NC Zeitgeist Foundation, the American Council on Germany, Lufthansa German Airlines, and the German Studies Department at Davidson College.
The program was featured by blogger Kate Trenery of Boston, as the best place to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Fall of the Wall outside of Berlin.
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