SUFFOLK, Va. — Suffolk Mayor Michael Duman is highlighting the growth the city has seen over the past 50 years and is continuing to see in 2024.
That was the theme of the mayor's 2024 State of the City address.
It was held Tuesday at the Hilton Garden Inn in Suffolk.
News
State of the City: What does the future of Suffolk hold?
Suffolk became the city it is in 1974 when it merged with Nansemond County.
Since then, the population has more than doubled to over 100,000.
Duman talked about numerous housing, roadway and industrial projects underway in the city.
He said he sees the growth as a challenge, not a problem.
"A problem would be if no one wanted to move to our city, but it’s exactly the opposite," said Duman. "Our challenge is to constantly weigh the pros against the cons. That has to do with development and growth as well, but we have to continue to have that development and have that growth to provide the revenues to take care of the quality of life issues that our citizens are looking for."
Talking with reporters after the address, Duman was asked about the traffic the growth is creating and if public safety resources can keep pace with the growth.
Watch: Suffolk mayor discusses traffic, public safety
Tuesday's address is the last in the Hampton Roads Chamber's State of the City Series.
Since March, the mayors of Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Portsmouth have given speeches about the state of their cities.
According to the Chamber, the addresses highlight key business development initiatives, provide strategic municipal progress updates, address challenges and opportunities and provide a glimpse into each of the cities’ future.
