On the morning of Thursday, February 20, The City of Portage and Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce held the annual State of the City Address at Woodland Park’s Oakwood Hall. Mayor of Portage Austin Bonta was the event’s featured speaker. Local elected officials, chamber members, and representatives of local organizations were in attendance.
Organizations like Surf Internet, Plumbing Pilots, and Olthof Homes were among the sponsors of the event. Strack & Van Til provided the attendees with a delicious luncheon. The attendees participated in a 50/50 raffle with a $162 prize and a raffle for gift cards that could be used at a variety of local businesses.
Before Bonta made his address, chamber members took to the podium for the event’s “30 Seconds of Fame” portion. Representatives from organizations like the Portage Department of Parks and Recreation, the Gabriel’s Horn Shelter for Women and Children, the YMCA of Portage, and the Portage Recovery Association were allotted a brief amount of time to announce their organizations’ upcoming events.
Upon the completion of the “30 Seconds of Fame” segment, Bonta took to the podium to give his address. He began by sharing some of the insights he has gained during his first full term as mayor.
“Being the mayor is something like being a maestro or a conductor in an orchestra," Bonta said. "I might not know how to play every instrument, or maybe even any of the instruments, but I’m the person who's there to maintain the harmony and make sure everything sticks together. We have an incredible team that is committed to doing things the right way. We're starting to see signs throughout Portage that our hard work is paying off. As recently as the start of this year, people who grew up in Portage and then moved away have reached out to me saying that they're excited to move back. Whatever their reasons for returning, they've been paying attention to the current state of Portage. They like what they see and are looking forward to being a part of the community again. I find that super encouraging.”
Bonta described how he and his team worked to develop a healthy balance between Portage’s school funding and city funding, ensuring that the school system can gain more students while residential growth is properly managed. Bonta went on to relate how he and his team put together a non-political fiscal plan that lays out the purchasing of vehicles for Portage’s Fire and Police Departments from now to 2060.
Bonta, himself a native of Portage, is firmly committed to securing a bright future for his beloved hometown.
"Some politicians say that they’re in the ‘What have you done for me?’ business,” Bonta said. “That's never been my business. As a teacher and as a mayor, I consider myself to be in the ‘What have you done for my child's future?’ business. It’s important to remember that the things we do now are the foundation for our kids’ future. Everything we're doing in Portage right now is for the children. We want them to feel safe here and want to stay here even after they grow up. We must set up our city in such a way that, even if they leave for a time, they’ll feel comfortable coming back to Portage.”
Bonta also discussed how members of his administration have helped breathe new life into Portage’s long-running Market on the Square by inviting farmers from across the Region to come and sell their wares. He also highlighted the construction of Miami Park which was completed last year and boasts state-of-the-art playground equipment. Bonta closed his address with a screening of an Indiana Dunes Tourism promotional video entitled “There’s More for You in Portage.”
As he continues his tenure as mayor, Bonta plans to elevate Portage to greater heights, honoring the city’s past and building a better present and future for its residents.
“The work we are doing in Portage is not just for the sake of our kids’ future, it benefits us in the present as well,” Bonta said. “As we look forward to the future, we remain committed to respecting the past as well. For instance, instead of completely demolishing the Portage Mall, we want to build around it and make it successful. There are so many things in our city that we want to preserve, not just make new. We are really striving to make Portage a timeless city. The best part of Portage is what’s next and that’s because the best part of Portage is its people.”
Stay up-to-date on the City of Portage’s upcoming announcements by visiting portagein.gov. You can learn more about the Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce’s future projects and events at portageinchamber.com.