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From YouTube: The 2022 Annual State of the City Address
Description
The 2022 Annual State of the City Address will premiere as a virtual event on January 24, 2022, at 6 PM. Mayor Rick Osbon will share recent accomplishments and a vision for the year ahead.
The quintessential segment of Mayor Rick Osbon's address will be the presentation of the Aiken Award with a proclamation recognizing Aiken health care professionals as recipients of the 2022 Aiken Award. Proclamations were presented on January 18, 2022, at Aiken Regional Hospital and Clyburn Center for Primary Care on behalf of Aiken health care professionals throughout our city.
In his address, Mayor Osbon will discuss the state of our city as the event is named. His remarks will include progress on various projects such as the Richland Avenue Corridor, Sand River Stormwater Project, Powdehouse Connector, and other vital projects in Aiken.
A
Hi
welcome
to
the
2022
virtual
state
of
the
city
on
behalf
of
the
aitkin
city
council.
We
want
to
thank
you
for
joining
us
today.
We
would
rather
be
in
person
but
have
an
abundance
of
caution.
We've
decided
to
do
this
virtual
presentation.
Instead,
we
hope
that
you
find
this
informative
and
you
leave
as
excited
about
the
future
of
our
city,
as
we
are.
A
We
are
very
excited
about
the
opportunities
that
we
have
in
our
city,
I'm
now
standing
on
the
steps
of
our
the
old
aitkin
county
hospital
at
this
location,
which
is
now
currently
under
contract
according
to
county
administrator
clay,
killian
and
they're
in
their
due
diligence
period,
and
we're
very
excited
about
the
opportunities
here.
The
developer
has
said
that
they're
looking
at
doing
a
mixed-use
residential,
something
that
would
be
welcoming
to
the
city
as
this
is
a
gateway,
and
we
know
it's
going
to
be
great.
A
The
city
has
been
working
with
sce
tv
in
the
county
to
make
sure
that
we
move
the
tower
in
the
back,
so
the
fall
line
will
not
prohibit
future
development.
We're
very
excited
about
this
project
as
it
gets
rolling
in
2022
and
stand
ready
to
partner
with
the
county
chairman
bunker
and
mr
killian
and
all
the
other
staff
on
the
county
council
to
make
this
project
a
reality
in
the
gateway
to
clean
up
to
clean
up
this
gateway
in
our
city.
A
I'm
standing
downtown
in
front
of
the
hotel
aiken
the
hotel
aiken
is
involved
in
project
pascal's,
which
is
a
project.
Our
aiken
municipal
development
corporation
has
been
planning
and
working
on
for
a
transformational
project
in
our
downtown.
The
amdc
has
spent
more
than
a
year
working
to
plan.
This
transformational
project
that
will
ensure
downtown
remains
resilient
for
generations
to
come.
Private
dollars
will
bring
a
full-service
100
room
hotel
and
around
100
mixed-use
residential
units
with
shopping
and
dining.
A
The
henderson
hotel
was
converted
in
the
60s
to
a
community
bank,
as
our
city
has
grown,
so
has
the
demand
for
space
for
our
city
staff.
It
has
always
been
our
goal
to
have
a
consolidated
administrative
building
to
better
serve
the
citizens
of
april,
when
the
opportunity
to
do
so
was
presented
to
us
in
the
form
of
a
1930
willis
urban
design,
building
aitkin
city
council
recognized
we
needed
to
take
advantage
of
it.
A
I'm
here
at
the
aiken
farmers
market-
it
truly
is
one
of
aiken's,
most
cultural
iconic
assets,
and
even
though
so
many
residents
and
visitors
alike
come
and
use
this
on
a
regular
basis,
there's
so
much
more
opportunity
around
this
area.
We
believe
with
a
little
tlc
and
support.
We
can
make
this
into
even
a
more
vibrant
area.
For
instance,
the
jackson,
petroleum
property,
just
across
the
street,
has
been
designated
an
abandoned
brownfield
site
with
dilapidated
and
crumbling
structures.
A
A
In
2022,
aiken
welcomes
back
steeplechasing
to
our
city
in
2018,
the
aiken
steeplechase
decided
that
they
needed
a
bigger
venue
in
working
in
a
partnership
with
the
city
and
security
federal.
We
found
a
place
within
our
city
limits
to
make
sure
that
this
event,
which,
by
the
way,
is
the
largest
in
the
csra
for
a
one-day
event,
stays
in
our
city,
increasing
our
accommodations
and
hospitality
and
so
that
everyone
in
our
city
can
enjoy
it.
Welcome
back
steeplechase.
A
In
2017,
the
city
introduced
the
idea
of
a
connector
road
between
whiskey,
road
and
powderhouse,
which
would
take
23
of
the
traffic
off
of
our
most
congested
road.
The
road
is
a
limited
access
road
with
multi-use
paths
for
pedestrians
and
bikes.
It
opens
up
400
acres
for
future
growth
in
our
city.
We
have
actively
worked
to
secure
both
state
and
federal
funds
to
make
this
project
a
reality.
I'm
happy
to
announce
that
within
this
calendar
year,
we'll
be
turning
dirt
to
make
this
happen.
A
Everyone
in
the
city
of
aitkin
was
so
excited
in
2016
when
we
announced
the
sale
of
then
almost
empty
aiken
mall.
We
are
excited
to
see
progress,
as
demolition
has
already
started.
The
plans
for
this
property
are
for
256
apartments
to
be
built
on
the
back
side,
and
it
should
be
completed
within
24
months.
This
will
include
a
perimeter
multi-use
trail
with
pocket
parks.
A
The
city's
purchase
of
2
500
acres
around
our
reservoir
ensures
clean,
adequate
water
supply
for
our
primary
above-ground
water
source,
shaw's
creek.
We
expect
to
have
a
plan
later
this
year
that
will
allow
us
to
use
the
property
for
appropriate
environmental
stewardship,
passive
recreation
and
creating
buffers
around
shaw's
creek.
A
A
A
What
they
came
up
with
to
fix
this
at
risk
problem
was
greater
than
anything.
We
ever
imagined
I'm
standing
today
on
vaults
that
will
capture
all
the
storm
water
underground
to
be
slowly
released,
eliminating
the
erosion
issue.
When
this
project
is
completed,
a
new
green
space
will
be
created
for
the
community.
A
A
A
Now,
therefore,
I
rick
and
osmond
mayor
of
the
city
of
aitkin,
south
carolina
and
the
aiken
city
council,
do
hereby
honor
and
extend
our
deepest
thanks
and
gratitude
to
the
health
care
workers
of
our
community
for
their
heroic
efforts
and
in
recognition
of
their
spirit,
love
and
health
care.
Skill
provided
to
their
fellow
man
during
the
covet
19
pandemic,
and
I
further
encourage
all
residents
of
the
city
of
aitkin
to
acknowledge
our
health
care
workers
for
their
devotion
to
the
health
and
well-being
of
our
citizens
to
the
aiken
health
care
professional.