There’s a new energy in the city of Meridian and a new willingness to work together to move the city forward, city officials said Monday.

 

At a Council of Governments meeting, Meridian City Councilwoman Romande Walker said the new city administration under Mayor Percy Bland, who took office July 1, along with three new City Council members, has brought excitement and new energy to the city’s departments.

 

“The atmosphere is very good. We’re starting off pretty good with Mayor Bland and our new council, I think. It’s a breath of fresh air,” she said.

 

Walker said she is especially happy to see increased police presence on the streets of Meridian. Meridian Police Department is now visible in areas of town where police were not often seen before, she said.

 

“I love the presence of the police. It’s think,” she said. “I see it more often, and I see it in places that I know I feel was needed.”

 

Councilman Dustin Hill, who is one of the three new council members, said there has been a marked change in the energy surrounding city government within the past few weeks. The new administration and council are working together well, he said, and share the common goal of doing what’s best for Meridian.

 

“There’s definitely an upbeat and positive energy inside our city right now, which is fantastic,” he said.

 

Hill said the first order of business has been tackling maintenance on some city rights-of-way, as well as code enforcement actions that are needed. The increase in police visibility has also been very welcome, he said.

 

Fire Chief Michael Evans said he believes the city is on the right path and looks forward to working with both the council and administration over the next four years. With the new administration and the start of Compass Data Centers’ $10 billion data campus investment, residents will see a lot of change within the city over the next few years, he said.

 

Meridian Chief Administrative Officer Craig Hitt said the new city leadership is hitting the ground running. One of the first tasks for both the mayor’s office and council is the creation of a budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. With several department heads and council members new to the process, there is a tight learning curve to get up to speed while still making the deadline.

 

“We’re coming in with a new administration and basically in three months we’ve got to have a budget in place,” he said.

 

Hitt said the city is working to get its figures together and hopes to have a budget complete by mid-September.

 

As a newcomer to the budget process, Hill said council members Romande Walker and Dwayne Davis have been extremely helpful in guiding him and the other two new council members.

 

“We have a good group, and I’m looking forward to it,” he said.