2020 was an extremely hard year on many. National and state-forced shutdowns of businesses took its toll on many of our small and large businesses. As your Mayor, I worked tirelessly with our Council, our City staff, and our business leaders to find solutions to these complicated problems. We did our very best to keep Grapevine open and safe during the hardest of COVID times.
I advocated in Austin on behalf of our wineries and our brewery to be allowed to be open knowing that we couldn't lose them as they are vital to our local economy and I'm proud to say that it worked and the Governor allowed wineries and breweries to once again open.
The Council and I approved funds to make sure that the Christmas Capital of Texas happened so that we could help support our businesses and offer vistor attractions for many to come and enjoy our Main Street safely.
I have a proven track-record of being pro-business and pro-Grapevine for all of our residents. I have the leadership experience to help navigate us through these trying times. I will continue to put the economic recovery of our great city at the forefront, and I will continue to work with City staff and Council to restore Grapevine to it's highest potential.
During COVID, our city leaders and employees had to move quickly to support the residents of this community. First we studied and followed the guidelines set forth by the county, the state, and the federal government. Next, we took extensive steps to make sure our most vulnerable residents could still gain access to the things they needed: food, shelter, medical needs, transportation, information, and mental wellness checks. To date, the staff has delivered thousands of meals; made tens of thousands of wellness calls; and transported residents to medical appointments or brought groceries safely to our most vulnerable residents in Grapevine. These efforts still continue and are appreciated by all who have utilized the services.
From a safety standpoint, under my leadership, we have built a new Administration building for our Police and Fire departments; built and/or renovated 5 Fire Stations (4 in the last 4 years); increased our community visibility; established the Community Outreach Center to serve our residents; and established our Volunteers in Patrol (VIPS) to assist our residents and officers. Grapevine is one of the safest communities in the nation and it's one of the many reasons families desire to move here and establish roots.
Grapevine leadership has continually pursued top-line businesses to help impact our community in a positive way. Businesses have thrived here and we will continue to see others follow suit as we work to finish out the small amount of available land we have left.