A Message from City Manager Dana McDaniel
The state of our City is excellent. Each year, in the spirit of transparency and accountability, we produce an annual report, which includes the City’s revenues and expenditures. These numbers are published in Dublin Life, which is distributed to every household in Dublin. This year’s financial report, as you will see in the coming pages, tells our story of strength and resilience.
Despite the challenges presented by the extended COVID-19 pandemic, the City’s finances are strong, and our economic outlook remains bright. Much of Dublin’s continued fiscal strength can be attributed to the resiliency and diversification of the City’s tax base.
In 2021, the City’s income tax revenues increased 9.6%, surpassing $100 million for the first time in history and ending the year at $101.1 million. While this historic achievement is worthy of celebration, we expect income tax revenues to fluctuate and possibly decline in 2022 as the economy adjusts to the expansion of remote work. As more Dublin businesses implement remote work policies, the number of employees contributing to the City’s income tax revenues is projected to decrease. The City has long recognized that the future of work is changing, and we are partnering with our businesses to fully understand these implications and adapt our workforce strategies. Through collaboration and innovation, we will continue to make Dublin a global city of choice for employers and their employees.
Although some companies are shifting to remote or hybrid work environments, many businesses continue to invest in high-quality spaces in Dublin with access to amenities that provide added benefits to their employees. In 2021, the City executed five economic development agreements with Ease Logistics, CollisionRight LLC, Andelyn Biosciences, Vargo and Nurx, adding to the city’s highly skilled workforce. Quantum Health continues to outpace job growth expectations and has quickly established itself as one of our top employers. The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Outpatient Care
Dublin facility neared its final stages of construction, with the 72,000-square-foot facility set to open in the second half of 2022. Mount Carmel Health System announced plans for a 190,000-square-foot in-patient hospital near the Sawmill Road corridor, which will see significant public improvements as part of the development. We broke ground on The Corners, a 13-acre mixed-use development project that will include restaurants, retail, offices and public park space. And the Bridge Street District continues to be one of the most sought-after business destinations in the country, with $425 million in private investments, $100 million in future investments, and $61 million in food and beverage sales in 2021. Bridge Park is also a premier housing option with a 98% residential occupancy rate.
2021 saw the launch of The Beta District. Dublin and its partners, Marysville, Union County, the Marysville-Union County Port Authority, the Ohio Department of Transportation and DriveOhio, and The Transportation Research Center Inc., have created a tech-ready region where four-season infrastructure and policies are in place for beta testing automated vehicle technology and other smart mobility systems. More than $100 million in public and private dollars have been invested in The Beta District to launch connected infrastructure projects and attract innovators from around the world.
The City also continued to provide world-class services to residents. Workforce shortages and lingering COVID-19
effects presented unique challenges, but our dedicated employees remained steadfast in their commitment to serving this great community. The Dublin Connector, our complimentary rideshare service for seniors, residents with disabilities and people who work in Dublin, provided more than 7,700 rides. Our food composting program expanded to include pumpkin disposal, and we launched a new Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area to support businesses with enhanced outdoor experiences in Downtown Dublin.
The Dublin Community Recreation Center provided more than 1,700 programs and had more than 223,000 visits. The newly renovated Dublin Community Pool North saw great success in its inaugural year. Dubliners demonstrated their love of pickleball at the City’s first dedicated courts, and Riverside Crossing Park opened, marking Dublin’s 64th marking Dublin’s 64th park. The Abbey Theater emerged from the pandemic with a fresh new brand, 17 productions and 5,102 tickets sold.
Perhaps most significantly, the Dublin community came together in new, important and inspiring ways. Despite scaled-down in-person programming, the City’s Outreach & Engagement division saw a continued outpouring of kindness, care and active involvement. Among new noteworthy programs was the launch of the Teen Buddy initiative, a one-on-one matching volunteer program of teens and senior citizens. Thirty-four residents’ lives were enriched through these matches, and the effort has already doubled to more than 60 residents in early 2022. Forever Dublin kept its focus on aging in place, offering one-on-one services for older adults including smart home tech, transportation solutions and home care referrals.
The City also continued ongoing efforts to connect and convene nearly 20 area nonprofits, faith organizations and schools during the ongoing pandemic, and we hosted all of our signature events, albeit some in modified formats. We stayed focused on having fun, despite the challenges of gathering. St. Patrick’s Day saw the City’s first-ever “reverse parade,” in which attendees drove through the parade lineup instead of the traditional setup. The Dublin Irish Festival presented “Dublin Irish Days,” a five-day festival experience spread out across various venues in Coffman Park and Downtown Dublin to limit crowd sizes during the ongoing pandemic. And The 2021 Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide was safely held at the newly redesigned Muirfield Village Golf Club, bringing golf professionals and fans from all over the world.
Dozens of residents connected with the City through community inclusion initiatives. The Community Task Force and Chief’s Advisory Committee, formed in 2020, have served as advisors to the City on social justice issues, helping combat bias, inequity and racism, as well as promote opportunities for understanding and inclusion. The Community Task Force developed a proposed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Framework and presented its findings to City Council. Among the recommendations was a Non-Discrimination Ordinance, which Council passed unanimously in November. The Chief’s Advisory Committee contributed to the proposed framework and also worked directly with the Dublin Police Department to provide valued advice, perspective, recommendations and feedback on significant community-police relations issues.
Through it all, safety has remained our top priority. From ongoing crime prevention programs to mental health awareness conversations to the ongoing promotion of health-related protocols and information, your City continued to create a safe, welcoming and vibrant environment for all people who live in, work in and visit Dublin. We look forward to working with you, the Dublin community, to provide a model democracy, best in class services and a robust local economy in 2022 and beyond.
Sincerely,
Dana McDaniel
Dublin City Manager
