By Josh Ortega | East Valley Tribune
It’s been more than two years since he could appear in person before an audience, but Mayor John Giles (pictured above) returned to address a packed house for his eighth annual State of the City address.
Building his theme around the title of his podcast – “It’s Always Cool in Mesa” – the mayor celebrated some of the city’s strengths during the pandemic and looked ahead to the coming year in a speech full of creative foodie videos, lighthearted antics that included City Council members channeling its inner jazz band and lots of neon light displays.
Some of the plans highlighted include purchasing the city’s first electric fire truck and hiring 200 new public safety employees.
“It’s really been a combination of our best times and some of our worst times,” he said.
