Mike Wolanin | The Republic Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop addresses guests at the Rally in Support of the Asian American Community event at Columbus City Hall in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023.
COLUMBUS, Ind. — Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop will deliver the 2023 State of the City address in person, after two years of going virtual.
The event is set for March 6 at The Commons. There will be a 5 p.m. reception, with guests able to meet and greet with the mayor, Columbus City Council members and city administrative staff. The program begins at 5:45 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, city officials said.
“We intend to spend a little time talking about some of the accomplishments over the last seven years, but more importantly focus a little bit on the future and what we hope to get done here in the rest of 2023 and then perhaps kind of a stage we can set for what comes after me,” said Lienhoop. “We’ll also spend a fair amount of time talking about NexusPark.”
In 2021 and 2022, Lienhoop delivered his speech via a prerecorded video. Prior to the pandemic, the State of the City was a public event that showcased entertainment and local food and often included additional speakers.
City officials plan to have a virtual option for this year’s event but are still working out the details of what it will be, said Jody Coffman, the city’s communications and events coordinator.
“It’s great,” said Lienhoop, of the return to an in-person event. “I’m really looking forward to being able to interact with people and just get a little bit a closer to the folks we serve.”
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.
