By Breven Honda
On March 4, Mesquite Mayor Jesse Whipple delivered his annual State of the City address at City Hall.
A large number of residents attended the speech, including Whipple’s wife and mother. Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley was also in attendance.
During the address, Whipple highlighted many of the citizens and organizations that contribute to the community, including nonprofits, educators and members of the city’s public works and public safety departments.
“If this talk tonight seemed like a love letter to Mesquite, that was what it was meant to be,” Whipple said. “This is a great community and we are so lucky to live here and have so many people willing to volunteer, spend time and be engaged. Some of them yell at us, which is hard. But they’re engaged, they care and they are passionate.”
Whipple also discussed ongoing projects, new leadership at City Hall and an optimistic outlook for the city.
“We have a lot to be proud of,” Whipple said, pointing to community engagement, dedicated city staff and continued economic activity that keeps the city moving forward.
He also noted new leadership positions in public safety, including Ryan Thornton as the new Fire and Rescue deputy chief, Tracy Fails as the new police chief — with the interim designation removed — and Becca Schrupp as the new city manager.
Whipple also highlighted the Breaking the Cycle program, which helps people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction rebuild their lives. Led by Judge Ryan Toon, the program is now in its 10th year. On March 10, the program celebrated its 40th and 41st graduates.
“Hopefully we can get a lot of these people on the right path so their lives go in a different direction,” Whipple said. “For quite a lot of them, it has been very successful. We appreciate Judge Toon and all he does, along with everyone in our justice department.”
There are currently 13 people enrolled in the program.
Several infrastructure and community improvement projects were also highlighted during the presentation, which included videos and visual presentations.
Among the major initiatives is construction of a third fire station, which city officials say will improve emergency response times, particularly in the growing Sun City area.
The city has also completed upgrades to the Mesquite Animal Shelter, adding meet-and-greet rooms and additional space for animals awaiting adoption.
Other improvements include expansion of the city’s justice facility to increase jail capacity and add office and evidence storage space.
City leaders also noted the installation of hydration stations throughout Mesquite parks and public areas, providing residents with convenient access to drinking water while helping reduce single-use plastic waste.
Whipple also highlighted new resources for veterans in the community. Nearly 4,000 Mesquite residents previously served in the military. A mobile medical unit from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs now visits the city monthly, and a new veterans clinic on Pioneer Boulevard is expected to provide additional services, including telehealth appointments.
The mayor also provided an update on local schools and community organizations.
With the help of Virgin Valley High School Principal Stephen Waite, graduation rates have climbed to nearly 95%. The increase came after school officials identified students who had moved out of the region but had not been officially reported to the district. Waite and his team worked to update those records, improving the accuracy of the graduation data.
In addition to graduation rates, Whipple highlighted successes in Bulldog academics, arts and athletics, with students and teams competing with others from across the state.
