AUBURN — Mayor Jason Levesque will give a “state of the city” address during the City Council meeting Monday.
The speech, which was described in a Friday news release as a way to “celebrate the progress and municipal achievements of the past year,” would mark the first such address by an Auburn mayor in decades.
The address will take place during the City Council meeting at 7 p.m. Monday at Auburn Hall.
According to the news release, Levesque is also expected to use the address to “recognize the hard work of the council and staff, and honor the city’s rich history and its ongoing sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) celebration.”
The news release states “growth through opportunity” will be a focus of the mayor’s address, as well as “Auburn’s strong connectivity; continued focus on development and making Auburn a destination; ongoing commitment to support education; and more.”
Levesque said Friday that Auburn has not had a mayor give a “state of the city” address since sometime around the early 1900s, adding, “I’m bringing it back.”
He said he referenced the National League of Cities “for guidance” for crafting the address.
The mayor of Portland gives an annual “state of the city” address as well, a tradition that began in 2011 after the mayor’s position went from being a board chairman selected by city councilors to a position popularly elected at the polls.
The Lewiston mayor does not give a similar annual address.
Also during Monday’s meeting, elected officials will get their first look at next year’s budget, as well as receive an update from the Auburn Business Development Corp., which has come under scrutiny recently for failing to secure a single tenant at the Auburn Enterprise Center industrial park.
Following Levesque’s address, there will also be a short swearing-in ceremony for new Deputy Police Chief Tim Cougle and Deputy Fire Chief Matt Fifield.
The mayor’s “state of the city” address can be streamed live on the city’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/CityofAuburnMaine)
• On Auburn’s YouTube Channel (search “City of Auburn Maine”)
• On Great Falls Television (Spectrum 1302/1303)
• On the Great Falls TV page at www.auburnmaine.gov (choose “Quick Links/Great Falls TV”).
Send questions/comments to the editors.
