The Force is with the city of Kirkland in 2022.

The State of the City Address for Kirkland was broadcast on Feb. 10 through the Kirkland Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page. The speech was pre-recorded to incorporate photographs and special effects, including numerous Star Trek references and themes.

“These are the voyages of the starship Kirkland. Our continuing mission: to seek out new ideas and new partnerships so that everyone in our community is safe, everyone is welcome, and everyone belongs,” said Mayor Penny Sweet.

Sweet described how the journey ahead will be shaped by the past journey. She brought up how in 2019, the state of Kirkland was booming through job and housing opportunities, as well as shopping and entertainment venues.

“In February of 2020, the USS Kirkland had launched. We’d set a course to maintain our small-town feel, while embracing the metropolitan energy that was attracting new jobs and new residents,” said Sweet. “We worked hard to make it so. And our mission to the moon and the stars was under way. Kirkland was now a regional force to be reckoned with.”

During the speech, Sweet noted that on Feb. 29, 2020, everything changed when Kirkland became the epicenter of COVID-19 in the United States. The community went from thriving to surviving due to closures, cancellations and loss, according to Sweet.

During the speech, Sweet acknowledged the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, which pushed the Kirkland community towards confronting issues with structural racism and the role of policing in communities.

According to Sweet, Kirkland’s mission cannot be accomplished without making the city a safe space for every single person.

For 2020 to 2021, the city’s goal was to assist businesses and community members with recovering from the pandemic, and prospering.

“We focused on those who needed help the most,” Sweet said. “We created comprehensive COVID resource pages on our website. We mailed multilingual postcards with emergency lines for food and assistance to every address in the city.”

Sweet relayed how the city distributed over $1.2 million of Federal Cares Act funds to human services organizations to assist residents with food, rent, and scholarships.

“In 2021, we were one of the first cities to adopt an American Rescue Plan Act, ARPA, spending plan and are one of the few cities actually allocating funds,” said Sweet.

According to Sweet, approximately $500,000 in checks were sent out to residents to assist with utility and rental bills. The mayor said there have not been any Kirkland residents, to the city’s knowledge, evicted for failure to pay rent due to COVID-19.

“We expect to provide another $1.5 million into direct ARPA support in 2022,” said Sweet.

For assisting with small businesses, the city launched the Kirkland Cares Small Business Relief Fund, which distributed over $1 million to 207 businesses and nonprofit organizations in the area.

Creating a more environmentally friendly city was another topic Sweet highlighted during the pre-recorded speech.

“Recognizing there truly is no planet B, we adopted the city’s first comprehensive sustainability master plan,” said Sweet. “Our plan provides a powerful blueprint by setting out clear environmental goals and identifying actions to fight climate change and protect and improve our natural resources to make Kirkland a green and healthy community, where environmental justice and equity are achieved.”

According to Sweet, 100% of energy used in city facilities is now purchased from Green Direct, a local renewable energy resource. Furthermore, sidewalks and bicycle lanes were renewed to create more walkability and connection.

In closing the State of the City Address, the deputy mayor and councilmembers gave brief speeches.

“The voyages of the past 2 years have tried us and tempered us. We have emerged wiser, stronger, and more connected than ever,” said the mayor. “The USS Kirkland is ready to launch again. The engines are warming, and the stem is rising. The countdown to ignition has begun. Together, let us boldly go where Kirkland has not gone before: into the bright future that awaits, where everyone is welcome, everyone is safe, and everyone belongs.”

To view the State of the City Address visit https://www.facebook.com/kirklandchamber/videos/6924294590973902