All right, good afternoon.

Thank you for taking the time to join us today for the 2026 State of the City Address.

I'm Carlin Sewood, Columbia City Manager.

Each year we pause to take stock at where we are as a community and where we're headed.

This is not a ceremonial exercise, it is an accountability moment.

It gives us a chance to look directly at the work being done, to be honest about what's working, and to acknowledge where we still have gaps, and to reaffirm where we're trying to build together.

Now my fifth year as city manager, I've had the opportunity to see this city through a period of significant change.

We've navigated the effects of a global pandemic.

We've grappled with challenges that communities across the country continue to face, including crime, housing affordability, and broader economic pressure.

And we've managed continued population and economic growth that has reshaped demand for service across every department.

What stands out to me most is not a single project or a single initiative.

It is the consistency of this community.

Colombia is a city that shows up.

Residents engage, staff responds, partners collaborate.

And even when we don't agree on every detail, there's a shared expectation that we will keep moving forward.

And I do want to take a moment to acknowledge how fortunate we are to have a community that shows up.

We have an engaged Marin City Council who are present, accessible, and committed to working through complex issues with care and diligence.

Let's give a round of applause for our Marin Council.

We have more than 1,900 employees across 19 departments that show up every single day to serve this community, often behind the scenes, often without recognition, but always with a commitment to making Columbia better.

Let's give a round of applause for our employees.

That level of commitment across the entire organization is not something we take for granted.

That is what today is about.

That theme is not decorative, it is descriptive.

Because nothing you will hear today is accomplished by one department alone, and nothing is accomplished by a city that's working in isolation for the community it serves.

Every initiative, every investment, every improvement that we will discuss today reflects a coordinated effort across this organization, across partners, residents and neighborhoods, and businesses and the community organizations throughout Columbia.

Progress happens when we all have a shared understanding and a shared responsibility.

The city may facilitate the work, but the outcomes belong to all of us.

Let me say that one more time.

The city may facilitate the work, but the outcome belongs to all of us.

At the core to local government, it's one simple responsibility to deliver service that improves the quality of life for our community.

And in today's environment, service delivery alone is not enough.

Residents deserve to understand how decisions are made.

They deserve to have know how our priorities are set and have their input as reflected in the outcomes that we see in their neighborhoods and across the growing Columbia.

That expectation is especially important in a city like ours.

Columbia is not static.

We're a growing in population, we're growing in housing demands, infrastructure needs, and the complexity of issues that are being asked to address.

That includes housing affordability pressures, continued expectations around public safety, and the need to ensure that economic growth is inclusive and sustainable.

As the city evolves, the relationship between the government and the community must evolve with it.

That is why engagement is not a side function of city government.

It is central to how we operate.

Over the past year, we've continued to strengthen and expand our engagement efforts across Columbia with that reality in mind.

We held our second annual community summit, bringing residents, staff, and community partners together in a place to discuss priorities and challenges directly.

This event was not just a presentation, it was a conversation.

And what we hear in these conversations directly informs how we respond to growth pressures, service demands, and long-term planning across the city.

We also completed the second post-pandemic community survey.

This remains one of the most important tools we have, and it helps us understand how residents are experiencing city services.

It tells us where expectations are being met, where we are falling short, and where we need to adjust as demands on local government continues to increase.

We continue to invest in neighborhood engagement through block parties, community gatherings, and direct outreach.

These efforts matter in a city like Columbia because growth does not impact every neighborhood the same way.

These spaces allow us to hear directly from residents about how changes felt at the local level were related rather related to development, traffic, housing, or access to services.

We've also grown our Civic Academy and continued community classroom series, which helps residents better understand how city government operates.

From budgeting to infrastructure planning to public safety, these sessions are about transparency.

As our city becomes more complex, understanding how decisions are made becomes even more important for maintaining trust.

Our budget town halls have also expanded.

The budget is not just a financial tool, it is a reflection of priorities in a growing community where needs often exceeds available resources.

Residents deserve to understand how these decisions are made, and they deserve meaningful opportunities to help shape them.

Through community connectors and Let's Talk Local, we continue to meet residents where they are.

Whether that's in neighborhoods experiencing rapid growth, long established communities, or emerging areas of development.

Our current strategic plan was adopted in 2021.

As Columbia continues to grow and evolve, it's important that we revisit that framework to ensure it still reflects current realities and continues to guide us effectively into the future.