As I begin my fourth month serving as mayor of Fort Dodge, I want to begin with a simple but heartfelt thank you. I am deeply grateful to the citizens of our community for the trust you’ve placed in me to lead. It is truly an honor, and I will do my best to make our city and region a better place to live, work and recreate.

I would also like to recognize two individuals who helped shape this community, former Mayor Terry Lutz and former Mayor Matt Bemrich. Having served alongside Mayor Lutz for two years and Mayor Bemrich for 16 years, I witnessed firsthand their dedication to Fort Dodge. I am thankful for the opportunity to build upon it.

As I look ahead, one of my top priorities is clear: the continued revitalization of our downtown. Like many communities, we face challenges with underutilized and vacant buildings, as well as the growing concern of homelessness. These are not easy issues, but they are important ones, and they deserve thoughtful, proactive solutions.

My vision is to transform our downtown into a vibrant “central village”, a place where people can live, work, dine, and gather. A walkable, human-scale environment that invites activity, supports local businesses, and creates a sense of energy and connection. This means encouraging upper-story housing, supporting restaurants and retail, and designing spaces that make people want to spend time downtown.

We have already seen what focused investment can do. The Corridor Plaza reinvestment district stands as a strong example of how public and private partnerships can drive growth and create momentum. That success provides a roadmap. I believe we can bring that same energy and strategy to our downtown by establishing a reinvestment district in the heart of the city.

In addition, we have been awarded $3.5 million from the state of Iowa to support revitalization efforts in the newly established reinvestment district in the downtown core from roughly 12th to the Central River District. This is a significant opportunity, one that allows us to take meaningful steps toward addressing blight, improving infrastructure, and preparing sites for redevelopment. These funds will help us move from vision to action.

Revitalization is not just about buildings, it’s about people. It’s about creating a community where residents feel proud, where businesses can succeed, and where visitors want to return. It’s also about addressing the needs of those who are struggling, ensuring that our approach to issues like homelessness is both compassionate and effective.

Fort Dodge has always been a community built on resilience, hard work, and pride. I believe our best days are ahead of us, and I am committed to working alongside all the residents, business owners, community leaders, and partners, to make that future a reality.

Thank you again for the opportunity to serve. Together, we will continue to move Fort Dodge forward.

David Flattery is the mayor of Fort Dodge.