Council Message by Council Member Mike Cappel
At writing time, we are in the midst of an election–sometimes called the silly season by government employees. Preposterous claims are made, exploding a once in a generation issue into what appears to be something frequent. All our personal problems suddenly become the fault of a particular candidate and can only be fixed by the election of another candidate. And the beat goes on until the day after.
By the end of the year Montgomery will have a different city council since I am not running for a third term. It is my sincere, long-held belief that George Washington’s two term precedent has served our country well. His precedent allows new ideas to trickle through our system and provides innovative solutions to current and growing problems.
When I came to council in 2015, I wanted to experience Montgomery in a very different way. I walked down all 47 miles of our publicly dedicated streets, speaking to the occasional resident and getting a different feel of the Montgomery vibe. Our community was surprisingly diverse, attractive, and welcoming. I believe that our community trends in the same direction.
But there have been massive changes. The shift to online purchasing has changed our retail mix, we endured a pandemic that claimed some of our family, friends, and neighbors. We changed how we work with many residents now shifting to work from home. We built roundabouts and plan more where they are appropriate. Voters supported the move to a full time Fire Service. And the State widened I-71 greatly reducing the number of accidents and theoretically reducing the instances where Montgomery Road slows. Finally, Montgomery Quarter and Vintage Club are open for business with residents moving in!
Change will continue. The Quarter will continue to grow with portions of the next phase expected to begin in late
2023 or early 2024. The expected mix of businesses, residences and activities will change to reflect our current needs and economic realities. Additionally, new projects are going through the permitting process in the north end of Montgomery as well.
The one thing that should not change is our residents’ commitment to community, our emphasis on committed volunteers and the most amazing staff I have met in nearly 40 years of local government service and a council that is here solely for our community.
Note: City Council will host a farewell open house in honor of Mike Cappel on Wednesday, Nov. 15 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers