By Rusty Nixon Correspondent
PLYMOUTH — “We are Plymouth; we are Hoosiers; we can do anything.”
That was the message of Plymouth Mayor Mark Senter in his “State of the City” address before the Plymouth Common Council Monday evening. The basis of Senter’s remarks were that times were tough, but the city is prepared to meet the challenge.
The Mayor began the address praising the city’s department heads, workers and elected officials for their hard work and dedication to the city. Calling it a “team effort all the way” Senter outlined what he feels are the achievements  as Plymouth’s Mayor.

Senter praised Toni Hutchings , Plymouth clerk-treasurer, for bringing the city another balanced budget for the year 2010.
The city has weathered three of the top 10 flood levels of the Yellow River in the two years of the administration, and while the city has made progress on flood mitigation, Senter pointed to “…red tape…” as a problem with the city receiving reimbursement for an investment made in property along the river flood plain. Senter said that the city hoped to be reimbursed for property bought and demolished along the river within 30 to 40 days.
While Marshall County found itself in the state’s top two counties in methamphetamine arrests, Senter feels that the attention brought to the city’s problems and the increased activity of law enforcement have made the city better off. He pointed to the task force formed by city and Indiana State Police officers to fight the problem and the involvement of State Senator Ed Charbonneau in seeking tougher legislation in the state house as accomplishments of the administration.
Looking forward to the coming year, Senter pointed to the recent PIDCO commitment to revitalization of Plymouth’s downtown as a major thrust. The formation of a Downtown Revitalization Committee to work on the project is a start for the city’s push.
The city will continue to work with Heart and Hands towards a bridging of cultures within the city in the coming year. The organization has taken up residence in the old firehouse office complex.
The Mayor also said his intention is to start a “Youth Council” with an eye towards bridging the gap between city government and youth involvement with government. Breaking ground on the Community Resource Center, the South Gateway and Pioneer Drive projects were also mentioned by Senter as projects that are important to the future of the city and key in 2010.