On Thursday, I had the opportunity to address the business sector, community leaders and citizens at the Claremore Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of the City Address. This exciting event provides an opportunity to highlight City accomplishments and share future goals.
2022 was an incredible year due to the hard work, dedication and leadership of the Claremore City Council and employees. I am honored to share just a few of the highlighted items with you.
We continue to improve aging infrastructure across Claremore and are in the final stages of completing a multi-year rehab project to the Claremore Lake Dam. The final phase will include the resurfacing and recoating of the dam’s concrete spillway. We have also dedicated $2.8 million toward improving several segments of streets citywide through the Pavement Maintenance Project. Claremore will celebrate the installation of its first FastCast Bridge system next week. The Lowry Bridge Project will replace three deteriorated metal pipe culverts in an area that historically sees flooding during even moderate rainfall, addressing a severe safety issue.
Our Community Development team focuses on long-term visioning to meet the future needs of our City. Currently, 11 large residential developments are in progress, providing more than 1,400 new homes. To aid in future expansion efforts, the City successfully implemented the Pattern Zone Program, adding efficiency and ease to the development process. The team also concluded the ONG and Utility Payment Assistant Programs, providing $250,000 of support to residents.
Our partners in economic development at the Claremore Industrial and Economic Development Authority (CIEDA) continue to promote Claremore as a premier destination to live and do business. Their efforts have resulted in several successful small business openings and celebrations. In addition, to aid in meeting the growing regional workforce demand, CIEDA launched an innovative new job platform, the Rogers County Career Portal, which showcases local workforce opportunities at no cost to the business or job seeker.
Promoting Claremore as a prime tourism destination is a key objective for Visit Claremore. Over the past year, they have launched several successful digital campaigns, a radio jingle and TV commercials. Claremore saw a 28 percent net growth of its hotel tax receipts, reaching over $5.9 million. We also celebrated 76 years of the Will Rogers Stampede Rodeo with a record number of contests and crowds and were named a Medium Rodeo of the Year finalist.
Claremore Parks and Recreation continues to invest in its facilities, parks, infrastructure and equipment to ensure we offer residents the highest quality recreation opportunities. Additionally, the Claremore Senior Center celebrated 50 years of serving the public and distributed nearly 46,128 lunches.
2022 has been a year of growth, development and new opportunity. As we look to the future, it is essential we position our community to meet its growing public safety needs. On April 4, residents will vote on a one-penny sales tax measure that would allocate restricted funding for Claremore’s public safety programs.
The brave men and women of the Claremore Police and Fire Departments responded to more than 26,411 calls this past year. As the sixth-fastest growing county in Rogers County, the need for robust safety operations is greater than ever before. If approved, this one penny measure will provide critical and protected funding for the advancement of our public safety departments by providing the tools, training and resources needed to serve our community. You can learn more about this proposition at claremore.com/onepenny.
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our incredible community and celebrate the accomplishments of our city departments. I look forward to the year ahead and the many exciting developments on the horizon.
All my best,
John Feary
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