In June, I delivered the State of our City address. Meridian is stable and remains focused on the things that matter most, like keeping our community safe, protecting taxpayer resources, enhancing quality of life, and addressing challenges as opportunities.

Transportation continues to be one of the top concerns of residents. Several projects are underway like the Linder Road Overpass and the Highway 16 extension, both scheduled to open in 2027. We’re also working with the Idaho Transportation Department on a new variable speed corridor on Eagle Road and improvements to Meridian Road (Highway 69) from Victory to Columbia Roads to improve safety and traffic flow.

Public safety remains one of our highest priorities. Our School Resource Officer program was recently named a Model Agency by the National Association of School Resource Officers. I’m also proud to share that Meridian was once again recognized as one of the safest cities in Idaho, according to FBI crime data compiled by Safewise. In 2024, we saw a decrease in total offenses and per capita crime rates, and that trend continues into 2025.  And thanks to upgrades to our Opticom traffic control system, we’ve also cut emergency response times by an average of 23 seconds since the start of the year.  This is a clear indication that even though Meridian is growing, our police officers and firefighters are still doing an exceptional job of keeping our community safe.

And yet, funding growing public safety needs continues to be our greatest challenge. if we want to hire and retain police officers, ensure that crimes that the police are enforcing against are prosecuted, and have more firefighters on each shift to respond to fire and healthcare emergencies.  That is why I proposed a levy to fund these needs which you can find more about on Meridian’s plan to fund public safety. 

In 2024, Meridian also welcomed more than 1,800 new jobs across hundreds of new businesses, and the percentage of local jobs filled by residents continues to grow. This success reflects the intentional planning of the city, and also brings opportunities, more amenities, better access to jobs, and stronger local partnerships.

As we look to the future, healthcare access remains a critical issue. Idaho ranks last in the nation in physicians per capita, and we must change that. I’m committed to working to make Meridian the medical epicenter of Idaho and continue to invest in healthcare education and employment opportunities in the City. With new investments from Grand Canyon University, Idaho State University’s campus expansion, and the potential state purchase of Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine, that vision could become reality.

Meridian’s future is filled with opportunity, but it will take continued commitment and thoughtful investment to keep our community thriving. Together, we can ensure Meridian remains the premier place to live, work, and raise a family.

To watch the full address, visit the City of Meridian’s YouTube page at www.youtube.com/@cityofmeridian.