McKILLIP: What story will Kokomo choose?

By MATT MCKILLIP
GUEST COLUMNIST

December 31, 2007 05:29 pm

— In this, my last day in office, I thank you for providing my team and me the opportunity to serve you. It has been an honor for all of us. Our community has made great strides over the last few years but much work remains.
Kokomo today is a better place, better positioned to compete globally for good jobs and new residents, but we need to do more. People’s and companies’ choices, attitudes and lifestyles are under going a sea change as our economy transforms from a manufacturing society to a creative and service society. We saw a similar sea change when our nation transformed from an agricultural society to a manufacturing society. Kokomo capitalized on that change and must on this one too.
Cities and urban centers that see, prepare for and adapt to this transformation are succeeding and will continue to succeed. Those which do not, put up barriers or live in the past are declining and will decline. To paraphrase Matthew Kelly, we become the stories we listen to. These stories and ideas are what shape our lives, challenge us, show us what is possible and encourage us to become better as a community and as individuals.
Much of which path Kokomo takes will be decided in the next few years, based on the stories and ideas we as a community adopt. Again to use the wisdom of Matthew Kelly, if you want to know how Kokomo will be different tomorrow from the way it is today, find out how different the stories we are listening to are from the stories of yesterday. If the stories are the same, don’t raise our standards, and don’t show us what is possible, then our fate will be that of too many Midwestern manufacturing towns that are in decline. We have a rich past of innovation in Kokomo and must grasp onto that progressive, positive story for our future.
How we address many of the challenges and opportunities that now confront us will determine our story, our shared fate, including:
• The new U.S. 31 expressway and making the existing corridor a beautiful city boulevard;
• Continuing to make our city more aesthetically pleasing with more green space;
• Modernizing our municipality-provided amenities;
• Annexing and planning land use and development properly for smart growth;
• Community-wide collaboration on an economic vision and economic development;
• Bending over backwards to attract new business, including international investments, and to make current businesses more profitable;
• Improving our educational attainment levels and living healthier lifestyles;
• Improving our infrastructure of walk paths, sidewalks, roads and sewers;
• Marketing globally our strongest assets while chipping away at entitlement mentalities;
• Overhauling the outdated structure of local government and,
• Fostering a positive spirit of teamwork, innovation and creativity.
I am confident that in Kokomo we possess the talent and recognize the need to continue our transformation and better story. I hope we have the determination, fortitude and perseverance to make the change.
As I leave, I ask you to pray for our city and its new leadership. Pray that we as a community work together and adopt a story that ensures we rise to our highest nature and potential and do not stoop to the lowest common denominator. Pray that we adapt to global shifts that are sweeping our nation. Pray that we continue to be known as a great place to live, work, raise a family and worship.
Have a joy-filled New Year. Again, thank you. May God bless you and may God bless our great city.
Kokomo Mayor Matt McKillip hands over the keys to City Hall today to Mayor-elect Greg Goodnight.

Photos

Matt McKillip