(You can read & listen to the entire address here.)
Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks mixed some nostalgia along with a view toward the future during her 11th and final State of the County address on Wednesday night.
She delivered the address at the Irondequoit High School, in a town where she says she and her family have roots. And she looked back not only on her childhood in that town, but also moved forward through her political career as county legislator, clerk and eventually County Executive. Due to term limits, this is Brooks last year in office. She was first elected in 2003.
The Republican County Executive talked about holding the line on taxes, and also defended incentives given to businesses through COMIDA, despite some critics along the way.
Brooks made it a point on at least a couple of occasions to talk about having a solid relationship with Democratic Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren, referring to the work they did together to get approval for the CityGate-Costco project.
There was some news during the more than hour-long speech, as Brooks revealed that CGI Communications, which is now in the Granite Building on Main Street in Rochester, will purchase the long vacant Gateway and Atrium Buildings, which are nearby.
CEO of CGI Communications, Bob Bartosiewicz tells WXXI News he now has about 335 employees, and with this expansion, hopes to add about 200 more over the next several years.
Brooks also talked about the county supporting a major renovation at Frontier Field that will cost $7.5 million on top of the $2.4 million the county has already included in its capital budget to replace aging utilities.
The county executive also talked about the initiative that began last year, called Monroe 200, to better engage the millennial generation. She says a report released by that group shows that many of them who were surveyed would like to be able to stay in the Rochester area, saying that they like the easy commutes and the convenience of living in Monroe County.
In reflecting on what her legacy might be, Brooks says it would be that she stayed the course because she believes in Monroe County.
