Rod Cross announced he is running for a 3rd term as Mayor of Toledo. Cross said he wants to continue working with the city to complete some unfinished business. He would like to see urban renewal off the ground and get Business 20 and Main Street district programs to continue to prosper. He said ART Toledo is just getting started and he would like to see that momentum continue into the future. Cross added he wants to see the SREUS project, the use of high temperature water to remove bio solids from the waste stream, come to fruition.
Another project that Cross would like to see get underway is the future police department getting built and get up and running. "I know there is controversy surrounding the site however it is the only viable site in my estimation, given the facts." Cross said "I love this town and I want to see it prosper. It is a beautiful place to be, but we can't live in the past we can only learn from it and let it help us not to make the same mistakes and keep moving forward with a lot of progress."
Cross added he is proud of the accomplishments made in the last several years. Acrimony toward the city has diminished and the city is getting things done. Toledo, he said is the only city in Lincoln County that is fully staffed. "Hats off to our city manager Judy Richter and her staff for doing an amazing job getting projects for the city done." Cross said he is also proud of the partnerships the city has with the Lincoln County School District, especially with the High School. He firmly believes working with students on projects that give the life skills outside the classroom give them a sense of pride, workmanship and buy in for the future of the community.
Inflation is a major challenge right now for citizens, businesses and city government. High fuel prices are driving up costs and supply chain distributions are interrupting important projects and hampering businesses. Cross said he is proud that the current council works very well together, "we might not always agree but we listen and work to find solutions that are acceptable to all parties. Transparency within city government has greatly improved over the last 4-years." Cross said he wants to remain Toledo's mayor because Toledo is a special place. "I may have grown up somewhere else but with my dying breath I would say GO BOOMERS."
