Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman shook things up a bit for his 16th and final State of the City event last night. Instead of making a speech at the Palace Theater, Coleman was interviewed by a personal friend and former TV news anchor, in a format similar to the annual year-end interviews he has conducted with WCBE since taking office in 1999. He talked about successes like neighborhood improvements, and failures, such as his inability to reform the Columbus City Schools. Coleman also announced some new initiatives, including plans to bring affordable rental housing to downtown.
Coleman also announced a Columbus-based manufacturer of fitness equipment will move its headquarters from the Northwest Side to the closed Timken plant site near Cleveland and East 5th Avenues.
Coleman also said an airline is adding non-stop flights from Port Columbus to Oakland and Boston, bringing a projected 20 million dollar economic boost to the region. He says the city and county are setting aside taxpayer money for the airline to help ensure the routes are successful.
The city's first African-American Mayor also said he could not leave office without announcing Columbus' tenth sister cities agreement and first with a city in Africa. This one is with Accra, Ghana.
Coleman displayed more emotion than he has in his previous speeches. He concluded the event with a thank-you from the podium.
Coleman told WCBE last December that his future lies in the private sector.
