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April 17, 2001
JAMES M. BAKER
Mayor, City of Wilmington
The byword for Mayor James M. Baker could
be "change." In his January 2nd Inaugural
Remarks, Mayor Baker, said, "Change is an inevitable
thing, so we must prepare for change as a City." Quoting
Margaret Mead, the Mayor challenged: "Never doubt that
a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change
the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has."
Change we are getting.
Before taking office, Jim Baker tapped a
bevy of professionals who answered his call to leave what
they were doing and go to work to help "make substantial
and positive changes for our City." But his challenge
goes beyond City employees: "It will take all of us,
Afro-Americans, Asians, Hispanics, and whites, every man,
woman and child of good will, with concern about each other
as fellow human beings, to affect change."
Shortly after taking office, Mayor Jim Baker
confirmed a potential deficit of $8 million and immediately
ordered a 5% budget reduction in all departments and placed
a freeze on all nonessential hires, travel, and purchases.
He reacted immediately to the existing problems with the Wilmingtonians
by cutting its funding and to the Suburban Street misappropriations
by canceling grants. He identified immediately the City's
constituent service problem and established one telephone
number (577-CITY) and one office (The Mayor's Office of Constituent
Services). This Mayor takes decisive action.
The Mayor has also hit the ground running
on broader issues, announcing plans to redeploy police to
reduce crime and drug dealing; reorganize the city's finances;
produce a master plan to coordinate economic development;
address environmental and infrastructure problems; and work
cooperatively with the County and State.
Catch your breath, and Jim Baker will share
his vision for Wilmington and his plans as its Mayor.
Beverley Baxter
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