Andrew Caplan @AACaplan

Elected officials and city employees packed into the Hall of Heroes at the Gainesville Police Department Tuesday for the annual State of the City address and heard how Gainesville is becoming the New American City.

At the address, Mayor Lauren Poe sat with University of Florida President W. Kent Fuchs to sign an agreement that signifies a city and UF partnership. The agreement will address disparity issues and growth throughout Gainesville in hopes of achieving goals outlined in each partys strategic plan.

Fuchs said he hopes the public signing will encourage citizens to hold all parties accountable moving forward.

This (memorandum of understanding) formalizes that were not just going to consult with each other or loosely collaborate, Fuchs said. We will actually address problems together.

Speakers at the event included Poe and Fuchs, as well as City Manager Anthony Lyons, Gainesville Regional Utilities General Manager Ed Bielarski and UF Vice President Charlie Lane.

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Lyons told the room Gainesville is on the cutting edge of redefining how cities support the aspirations of its people.

Lyons said four areas of focus which revolve around having a stronger economy, greater equity, a better future and becoming a community model will guide city officials along the way.

We will not stop, we will not be satisfied until Gainesville and UF are recognized as preeminent leaders and partners in this growing movement, he said.

Bielarski outlined moves GRU recently made to move towards becoming a 21st century utility. He said the way it deals with the biomass plant has been the most obvious change in recent years.

GRU has withheld almost $8 million from the biomass plant through disputed billings, he said, which is being discussed through arbitration. While keeping the biomass plant on standby and buying cheaper energy elsewhere, Bielarski said, GRU has saved more than $12 million under its current contract with the biomass plant. Bielarski said customers have reaped the benefit by having fuel rates cut by more than 10 percent.

Rate relief is GRUs absolute, top priority, Bielarski said.

Bielarski added that GRU discontinued electric shutoffs for customers on Fridays, reducing loss of service over weekends. Additionally, a dispatch agreement with Jacksonville Electric Authority has resulted in $1.8 million in savings for eight months of 2016, he said, and anticipates between $3 million to $5 million in savings annually in future years under the agreement.

I believe our actions prove that our potential to enhance the quality of life in the communities we serve has never been greater, Bielarski said.

Lane took to the podium to speak about UFs strategic plan and how it plays a part in the citys development goals. He said the plan calls for development eastward in the city and includes addressing environment issues, housing, education and health.

Poe wrapped up the event by pointing out other recent accomplishments, such as the opening of Depot Park, but spoke of shortcomings across the city.

Poe said the city has recently seen a reduction of violent crimes and juvenile arrests, but still has the highest concentration of poverty in the state. The city also has one of the highest rates of income disparities in the nation, he said.

After the address, Poe said the agreement with UF, in part, acknowledges that neither party will be successful if the other isnt.

What I hope to see out of this is a model, a partnership that can then be expanded to include all our other local institutions and organizations, he said. We have the chance to do something special if we get it right.

Contact reporter Andrew Caplan at andrew.caplan@gvillesun.com or on Twitter @AACaplan.

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City, UF sign partnership for progress - Gainesville Sun