“I think it’s a great opportunity to update everybody on what we accomplished here in the first six months, and what we’re focused on moving forward,” he said. “It’s also a great chance to introduce the team.”
For the first time in nearly 15 years, the state of the city address will be delivered by a new city manager, as Bucheit succeeded Joshua Smith, who left the city in April to lead the Butler County Finance Authority. Often, the annual state of the city is where major projects coming up or initiatives are announced. While Bucheit said no major announcements would be made on Wednesday, he said, “It’s more about telling folks where we are, how we got here and where our next steps are.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
“The entire city has been a part of this incredible journey of revitalization, and this has been a community effort,” Bucheit said. “I think keeping everybody up to date, creating a clear picture for them of what the future holds in store for us, I think that’s important.”
When he took over, Bucheit did have some staffing decisions to make, as some members of the city’s executive leadership team had left for new jobs or retired. Bucheit had elevated some city staff members into those executive leadership positions, and Wednesday will be “an opportunity for me to introduce them to the broader community,” he said.
At last week’s city council meeting, Bucheit requested three current employees be elevated to the revamped executive leadership team.
The state of the city address will be a return to Shooters, the site of the 2022 address when the building was a shell of the former movie theater. The address will be held in the facility’s 6,000-square-foot Washington Event Center in the rear of the complex. Shooters Sports Grill is in the renovated former Danbarry Theater owned by Todd and Alison Helton.
“I think it’s good to revisit a location that has undergone an amazing transformation that’s representative of so many other amazing efforts and outcomes here, across the city,” said Bucheit.
The event can be viewed on TVHamilton’s Facebook page. The state of the city is planned to start at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday ahead of a reception.
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