Forward Janesville - TheReport - First Quarter 2021

It has been an interesting year to say the least. A year ago, I don’t think any of us would have imagined the significant impact that an unknown and unforeseen virus would have on our daily lives. But it has certainly affected all of us. We’ve added new words to our everyday vocabulary: quarantine, social distancing, isolation, COVID positive, and so on. We’re wearing masks, using hand-sanitizer regularly, foregoing large gatherings, and even stock-piling toilet paper. Some have experienced the virus personally with no symptoms and yet others have been placed on a ventilator to get through the worst of it. Sadly, many have lost loved ones and close friends. To make matters worse, we’ve seen violent national unrest, highly politicized campaigns, and contested election results. I think most of us are excited about putting 2020 behind us. That said, I cannot help but feel a sense of fatherly pride when I think about the amazing and professional job that our community and specifically our City team has done this past year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We faced the threat; we responded appropriately; we adapted to the evolving situation; and we continued to live, work, and play in this resilient community that we call home. In my opinion, 2020 was also an impressive year: a year where our compassion, courage, and common sense carried this community through another significant and difficult period. We’ve adapted to our new biological operating environment, all while remaining sensitive to the personal and emotional health needs of our community. As I look around the community, I’m a firm believer that 2021 will be a better year. Vaccinations are underway as I write this article, and we are beginning to discuss when and how our community will return to a state of normalcy. The City will undertake some big projects in 2021: reconstructing West Milwaukee Street; conducting a community satisfaction survey; exploring a Main Street program in our downtown; exploring consolidation with the Milton Fire Department; exploring the establishment of a transportation utility; and developing a recreation master plan. I don’t have a crystal ball for 2021, but I am confident that this community will continue to stand tall, stand firm, and stand together to achieve collective goodness. We are Wisconsin’s Park Place—a community where diverse people choose to live because no matter their background or beliefs they can realize all of life’s opportunities. 2021 will be a great year because we are #JanesvilleStrong! As the calendar turned from 2019 to 2020, few could have foreseen what was to come. Not only did the pandemic upend society, but the nation’s reckoning with racial justice and the fragility of our democracy also caused much soul searching. A year later, as we embark on 2021, the optimist in me says that despite the challenges that lie ahead we are now a community that is wiser, more understanding, and more appreciative of what we have. Our first challenge is the ongoing COVID-19 response, particularly as it relates to vaccine administration. This is a massive undertaking. I can guarantee it will not go as smoothly or quickly as everyone would like. However, there is a light at the end of this very long tunnel. If we continue to be patient, abide by public health guidance, and understand that there are those in the community who need the vaccine before we do, we will come out of the pandemic strong. I believe this strength will manifest itself in a surging post-pandemic economy fueled by a pent- up demand for entertainment, travel, and gathering (at more than 50% capacity) at eating and drinking establishments, leading to local job growth. Having learned the importance of supporting local businesses run by our friends and neighbors, we will bring back our spending from the internet to bricks and mortar retail. County projects, such as the opening of the Dr. Daniel Hale Williams Rock County Resource Center on the site of the former Pick n Save, will support economic growth on the south side of Janesville, provide a centralized location for serving those in need, and serve as a reminder of our shared, diverse heritage. The completion of the Interstate project will also be a welcome milestone that will contribute to economic development for years to come. Despite its trauma, 2020 has taught us important lessons: value diversity and inclusion, respect those with different perspectives, prioritize others more than self, and maintain your integrity. These principles are the foundation on which the strength of our 2021 recovery will extend beyond the coming year. FIRST QUARTER 2021 • 15 * Interviews have been lightly edited and condensed for clarity and brevity. #JanesvilleStrong Mark Freitag • City Manager, City of Janesville Optimism and Growth Josh Smith • County Administrator, Rock County “In my opinion, 2020 was also an impressive year: a year where our compassion, courage, and common sense carried this community through another significant and difficult period.” “I believe this strength will manifest itself in a surging post-pandemic economy fueled by a pent-up demand for entertainment, travel, and gathering (at more than 50% capacity) at eating and drinking establishments, leading to local job growth.”