Letter from the Mayor: May 2023

April 27, 2023

It’s Spring and things are changing in Nixa. The amazing class of 2023 will be graduating soon. Other kids in our community will be moving up to a new grade. The lawns and trees are all green again. And for the first time since 2014, you have a new mayor. We have had our ups and downs as a community over the past few years. We have come together to celebrate successes, we have helped each other through tough times, and at times we have become divided over political issues. Socrates said, “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not fighting the old, but on building the new.” That is exactly what I plan to do.

I have been blessed to serve the Nixa community for the past six years and along that journey I have met so many amazing people. I realize there are many people in our city who I have not yet met and who do not know anything about me. As I look forward to getting to know more of you, I thought that with my first letter to the community I should let you to get to know a little about me.

I first moved to Nixa when I was 19, and quickly concluded that this is the place I want to call my home. My wife Ashley and I have been married since 2008, and we have two beautiful daughters (Alivia, 15, and Elise, 12) who have attended Nixa schools since kindergarten. I have given countless hours of my time to our neighborhood’s schools, parks, fundraising events, the Nixa Chamber of Commerce, and other activities and organizations. We have always been happy to call Nixa home and we are proud of our community.

Prior to being elected to city council, I served as a commissioner on the Planning and Zoning Commission, which helped me appreciate the processes and procedures of city administration. I realized that I wanted to be more involved and aid the Nixa community as much as possible, so I sought out the opportunity to serve on Council. For me, the best aspect of my position as an elected official is the ability to assist others in our community. I have served as Mayor Pro Tem for the past two years, which I believe has qualified and prepared me to serve as your mayor.

As mayor, my key priorities for the City of Nixa are to improve infrastructure while also developing strategies for long-term sustainable growth. Improving the quality of life in Nixa is and will continue to be a high priority for me. I also believe more activities for the Nixa community are needed and we need to develop new incentives to attract new businesses and jobs. All these elements are necessary for optimal growth. Additionally, I also intend to collaborate with all city departments to identify cost-cutting opportunities so that we can develop reserves and reinvest tax dollars back into the community.

So, what is first? If you attended or watched the city council meeting on April 24^th then you are aware I have instructed city staff to bring back a budget amendment so we can hire two additional police officers as soon as possible. We need to work harder to help our officers achieve a healthier work-life balance. I will also start working on a volunteer program to support Nixa Parks & Recreation. We haven’t finalized all the details, however, my goal is to bring the community together to help the beautification efforts of our city parks. I will be volunteering as well, as I believe it will give me the opportunity to meet more of the amazing people in our community and get to hear feedback and suggestions from our volunteers.

I look forward to serving as your Mayor and I encourage you to reach out to me at any time with ideas, concerns, and discussions as we all work together to build the future of our amazing community.

Sincerely,

Mayor Jarad Giddens