Broken Arrow State Of The City Address Delivered Virtually

Broken Arrow leaders said despite the pandemic consuming most of last year, the city still made significant progress.

City leaders said the number of people living in Broken Arrow has skyrocketed in the last 10 years and they said their accomplishments over the past year reflect in that growth. 

Broken Arrow’s State of the City address was held virtually this year. Their video montage showcases businesses and leaders highlighting what the city has going on.

"2020 seems like a blur to me. So much was happening in 2020 just part of the normal operations and things we were doing in local government, and then came the unprecedented pandemic, which exponentially increased the cities need for services and demand for resources," City Manager Michael Spurgeon said.

Spurgeon said even though drastic steps had to be made, they continued to get work done. The address focused on new businesses coming in, the expansion of the Rose District, and new developments for families in southern Broken Arrow.

"When we talk to developers, they always ask, what's the rooftop count, what's the population count down there, so that's what they look for, so having those increased numbers happening more development to come," Director of Community Development Larry Curtis said.

City leaders also point to public safety in Broken Arrow over the past year. They said Broken Arrow is the 11th safest city of over 100,000 people in the country, with big upgrades for the police and fire departments. Spurgeon said construction all over town is more evidence of Broken Arrow moving in the right direction.

"It just goes to show the confidence the private sector has in making those new investments. It's going to create more jobs, more places to shop local and make Broken Arrow continue to be a destination," Spurgeon said.

Broken Arrow leaders said they want to continue to develop partnerships to move the city forward.