Patrick Titterington, director of Public Service and Safety for the city of Troy, presents the State of the City of Troy, along with Troy Mayor Robin Oda, who looks on next to him at the front of the room. Various members of the community attended the event Thursday morning, April 20, at the Troy Country Club on Peters Road.
Sheryl Roadcap | Miami Valley Sunday News
By Matt Clevenger
TROY — Troy Mayor Robin Oda and Director of Public Service and Safety Patrick Titterington delivered an update on the city’s current progress and future projects at the Troy Country Club on Thursday, April 20, during the annual State of the City event hosted by the Troy Chamber of Commerce.
“Our mission today is the same as it was in 2022, and has been for the last two decades,” Oda said. “This formula has led to the success that has empowered us to continue to grow in our top three priorities of economic development, public safety and quality of life.”
Oda also honored department heads and other city staff members who attended the event.
“I’m so proud of this entire team and the work that they do to make this city function,” she said. “I so appreciate their service to the community.”
Highlights from 2022 included business growth and the creation of two new business and residential loan programs. Pedago Electric Bikes, Oh Boba! Tea, Provisions and Co., Jersey Mike’s Subs and Crafted and Cured opened in Troy during 2022 and 2023.
“In 2022 and 2023, we welcomed several new businesses to Troy,” Oda said. “Later this year we hope to welcome the A.M. Scott Distillery, Speakeasy Miso and Old Scratch Pizza.”
“Several of these new businesses have taken advantage of the city’s revolving loan funds,” she said. “For 33 years, the city has incentivized new business expansions with our two low-interest loan programs, which have provided over $10 million to over 100 different businesses.”
“Troy Main Street, using federal ARPA funds, created a downtown façade program to assist our downtown properties with improving their building exteriors,” Oda said. “Troy Main Street has awarded $150,000 to 11 downtown businesses, to match almost $350,000 in building owner investments in their downtown historic buildings.”
“Also in 2022, we implemented a new residential loan program for owner-occupied homeowners to make renovations,” Titterington said. “We’ve already assisted five homeowners, and loaned out $44,000.”
In 2023, city leaders also plan to conduct a trade mission to Japan to visit the headquarters of Troy’s Japanese companies for the first time in four years.
“A large part of Troy’s continued economic development success is our rich history of international partnerships,” Oda said. “We have nine different Japanese companies in Troy.”
“As part of our Japan trade mission, we will also once again visit our sister city, Takahashi City, with whom we’ve had a very important relationship since 1990,” Oda said. “They’re also working on planning their next visit to Troy.”
Oda and Titterington also gave an update on several current and future city projects, including the $16.7 million West Main Street project.
“Phase I repaving and the utility line relocations underground, that should be finished by the end of the year,” Titterington said. “Phase II will be a 2024 project, from Ridge Avenue out to approximately the McDonald’s area.”
Also in 2023, the city is planning to partner with the county for the installation of a new water line connecting Casstown to the Troy Water Treatment Plant, and will complete an $11 million expansion to the existing water treatment plant facility.
“It will give us 2.2 million gallons treatment per day capacity that we don’t have now,” Titterington said. “Over the next 10 to 15 years, we’re projecting that we’re going to need it for residential and industrial growth.”
Other upcoming projects include renovations to the downtown square, and the creation of a new strategic development plan for the east side of Troy.
“We do plan to include some permanent safety improvements in the 2024-2025 streetscape project, which will involve completely tearing out and re-doing our streetscape’s brick pavers, etc.,” Titterington said. “We are going to replace those decorative bricks with what you will see soon in front of the county courthouse complex.”
“We’ll do that for the rest of the downtown,” he said. “We’re also going to include some safety improvements.”
The strategic plan developed for the east side of Troy will directly connect the river with the downtown and Herrlinger Park areas, Titterington said.
“That project will include a rec trail on the south side of the river, on the east side, a bike lane along Crawford Street, a future canoe and kayak launch as well as activated view points along the river,” he said.
Other major projects for 2023 will include renovations to the Troy Senior Citizens’ Center and the baseball fields located on North Market Street. The city is also considering renovations to the Troy Aquatic Park sometime in 2024.
“Using federal funds, we will be making needed upgrades to the senior citizens’ center including a handicapped-accessible entrance way and ramp, as well as a new covered patio,” Oda said.
“The Troy Baseball Parents Association accepted a check for $100,000 from Superior Credit Union, kicking-off plans for a multi-phased improvement of the North Market Street Ballfields,” she said.
The Troy Aquatic Park attracted over 37,000 visitors during 2022, Oda said.
“As we approach its 20-year anniversary, serious renovations will need to be made to re-coat the pool linings, upgrade the concessions area and repair or replace restroom facilities,” Oda said. “These are questions we need to explore with a consultant, probably in 2024 with an eye to making those changes in 2025.”
Titterington also delivered an update on the city’s financial performance in 2022, and Oda closed the event with a discussion of special events planned for 2023 and 2024.
“In 2022, we collected $5.2 million more in revenues than we did in 2021,” Titterington said. “That was a 9.5% increase; our expenses only rose by $200,000.”
“Also in 2022, we paid off five of the six bond notes that we had outstanding, which results in us saving $1,7 million every year,” he said.
“Troy has a rich tradition of hosting an incredible line-up of outdoor activities every year, especially in our historic downtown,” Oda said. “Even in the pandemic, we kept as many events going as we could.”
“In 2024, we hope to coordinate with the Miami County Visitors Bureau, and other organizations, for a unique celebration focused around the once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse, whose path will go right through Troy.”
