In his first State of the City address, Kokomo Mayor Tyler Moore spoke on the city’s accomplishments in 2020 before a small gathering of invited guests. Due to the pandemic, the address was not open to the public but it was broadcast live on Facebook and KGOV2.com. Mayor Moore’s entire address can be view online at www.KGOV2.com
Mayor Moore spoke about how the COVID-19 crisis has impacted Kokomo and how the community has come together.
“Time and again Kokomo has risen to the occasion during times of trouble and difficulty,
said Mayor Moore. “Our ability to come together, help our neighbors and grow as a community during a situation or experience is unmatched. I have seen that first hand—both then and now. So if there is one thing we as a community have been reminded of these past six months is that Kokomo is tough when facing adversity, resilient in troubled times and united against any challenges.”
Mayor Moore recognized invited guests representing front-line workers including a teacher, a nurse, a restaurant worker, a grocery worker, a small business owner and a public transportation driver.
“Everyday citizens all answered the call to service during the pandemic, often putting themselves at risk to help the community make it through this ordeal,” Mayor Moore said. “To those groups of individuals mentioned and to so many others I did not, you have our sincere gratitude and our undying admiration.”
Beyond the COVID-19 crisis, Mayor Moore focused the positives developments in Kokomo, including the conversion of ITP2 by FCA Chrysler to the Kokomo Engine Plant. The move by the automaker will save 1,000 jobs while creating 200 new positions. He also cited General Motors’ partnership with Ventec Life Systems to produce much-need medical ventilators and Allied Tube & Conduit’s production of tubing needed for portable medical tents that served as additional COVID wards for many hospitals and communities.
“This is just another example of how the world turned its eyes to Kokomo and its skilled, dependable workforce for much needed assistance and resources,” Moore said of the efforts of GM and Allied Tube & Conduit.
Mayor Moore is confident that the City of Kokomo will be stronger than ever in the second half of 2020.
“The state of our city or, as I would rather put it, the condition of our community is now defined not only by what occurs inside the walls of City Hall but rather what happens in our streets, in our neighborhoods and in our homes,” he said. “Through these unprecedented trials, I have been constantly inspired by the resilience of our small businesses, the determination of our local workforce, the courage of those standing for racial justice and the sacrifices made by countless others for betterment of our community.”