The following is the City of Irvine State of the City Address, originally delivered March 7, 2023 by Mayor Farrah N. Khan
Good evening, and welcome to the 2023 State of the City Address. I am honored to stand before you as mayor of this great city, and it is my privilege to share with you the progress we have made, the challenges we have faced, and the vision we have for the future. Can you please give a warm round of applause to the students, our vision for the future, for their participation this evening? Thank you! I would like to take a moment to express my gratitude to my City Council colleagues for their dedication and service to our community. The work that we do would not be possible without their tireless efforts and commitment to making Irvine a better place for all. I would also like to welcome our city commissioners, committee members, state and regional elected officials, military leaders, and international officials joining us today. Thank you for your efforts to enhance and support Irvine… California’s 13th largest city, the fastest growing city in the United States, and America’s greatest master-planned community. I would also like to introduce and thank our City Manager Oliver Chi. Our Assistant City Managers, Michelle Grettenberg, Pete Carmichael, Brian King and our Deputy City Manager Melissa Haley…And a special thank you to our Police Chief, Michael Kent. Additionally, I would like to recognize our City Department Directors, and our incredible staff for keeping Irvine the best place to live…work…and play. This month, we are celebrating Women’s History Month. As part of that celebration, we are honored to have 3 of Irvine’s women Mayors here with us this evening. Please join me in recognizing former Mayors, Christina Shea, Beth Krom, and Sally Anne Sheridan. It is a special treat that we have Sally Anne here with us as she spearheaded the development of the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Thank you ladies for all your work and for joining me here today. At this time, I would like to recognize, and express my sincere thanks and appreciation to the Irvine Barclay Theatre, this is the second year they have hosted the State of the City Address! Thank you!
A very special thank you to our Presenting Sponsors: UCI and UCI Health! And to all our sponsors who graciously supported this community event; thank you! And most importantly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my family for their ongoing love, and support of me, in my role as Mayor of this wonderful community we call home. Last year,….I spoke about a balanced community and our commitment to the principles of Irvine’s Master Plan, a living document serving as a road map for Irvine’s exceptional quality of life. As I reflect on our community's progress, I am struck by the incredible generational success that Irvine has experienced. From an idea, to inception, to a world-class city offering residents and businesses the best quality of life experiences. Our City's success is a testament to the contributions of each and every one of our community members, both past and present. From the founding fathers who had the vision to create a master-planned city, to the current generation who are working to make Irvine an inclusive, green, and vibrant place to live, work, and raise a family – Irvine is home. A home where everyone feels safe, has heart, and shows compassion. Today I also want to thank our community for their generosity and support in collecting coats and blankets for the countless victims of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. And, as you saw earlier today, we continue to stand in solidarity with the women in Iran. I am so proud of our community. Thank you.
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