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WORCESTER — City Manager Eric D. Batista will deliver the 2025 state of the city address on Wednesday, May 21, inviting residents to reflect on a year of sweeping changes and to look ahead to the work still to come.
The event, hosted by city and the Worcester Regional Research Bureau, takes place at the Jean McDonough Arts Center and will feature a reading from Poet Laureate Oliver de la Paz and a cash bar reception.
“We will come together once again to reflect on the successes and challenges the last year brought,” Batista said in a statement. “It was a transformative year as the City of Worcester implemented several pivotal plans – including the Strategic Plan, Vision Zero, and Worcester Now | Next. Now, we must deliver on these plans and ensure that we remain steadfast in providing our core services. Join us as we celebrate our community and its great people.”
The annual address offers a rare chance for the community to hear directly from the city’s top executive about the direction Worcester is heading.
Paul Matthews, executive director and CEO of the Worcester Regional Research Bureau, emphasized the event’s significance. “The state of the city is a great opportunity for the entire community to hear firsthand from the city manager about the ongoing challenges, opportunities, and successes that Worcester is experiencing this year,” Matthews said. “Much has changed since last year’s address, which demonstrates the importance of hearing from the city’s Chief Executive Officer about how our municipal government is responding and leading the way on important initiatives that impact every resident.”
With a year of major initiatives behind them and high expectations ahead, Worcester’s leadership is aiming to strike a balance between celebrating progress and rallying continued momentum across the city.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the event begins at 6 p.m. at the Jean McDonough Arts Center (JMAC), 20B Franklin St., Worcester. The address is also livestreamed on the city’s website and Facebook page.
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