As we come to the close of 2024, I find myself reflecting on an extraordinary year filled with growth, collaboration, and achievement. It’s been my honor to serve as your mayor, and I am grateful for the partnership of our community. Together, we’ve made remarkable strides, and I’d like to take a moment to celebrate all that we’ve accomplished.
Infrastructure and Safe Streets
At the heart of everything we do is our commitment to improving the quality of life for every Roswell resident. This year, we made significant headway in strengthening our infrastructure and enhancing transportation. New sidewalks and multi-use trails across the City are helping us stay connected in smarter, more sustainable ways. We’ve established a new policy for traffic-calming measures and have made strides in pedestrian safety, installing solar lighting on Scott Road and implementing crosswalk improvements near several schools. We have completed much-needed improvements at King Road and SR 92, and we’re gearing up to start phase I of the catalytic Big Creek Parkway project.
Economic Development
Economic vitality remains a cornerstone of our vision. In 2024, we saw incredible momentum with projects like the Southern Post mixed-use development and Roswell Junction, the City’s new food hall on Atlanta Street. Forthcoming projects, like the Hill Street Mixed-Use Development, will continue to transform our City, driving economic growth while generating new City revenue streams to help keep property taxes low for residents. Perhaps most exciting this year is our partnership with the United Soccer League to bring professional soccer to our City. The proposed stadium and entertainment district will energize our local economy and further position Roswell as a hub for innovation and opportunity.
“As we look ahead to 2025, I am filled with optimism. Together, we will continue to build on this momentum and work toward our shared goal of making Roswell the number-one family community in America!”
Mayor Kurt Wilson
Public Safety
Our community’s safety has always been a top priority. This year, we celebrated becoming one of the few cities our size with a fully staffed police department and approved best-in-class pay for our firefighters and 911 operators. We also selected and purchased the sites of our new E-911 Center and Public Safety Headquarters, made possible by the Bond approved by voters in 2022. We are continuing the transition to a full-time fire department and have implemented an innovative 48/96 schedule pilot to enhance the safety, health, and effectiveness of our first responders.
In 2024, the City also continued its relentless fight against human trafficking, with the approval of ordinances that put new restrictions around licensing and permitting for massage and spa establishments within the City. Through investigations conducted by the Roswell Police Department, the City has made multiple arrests and has rescued more than 50 victims of human trafficking to date.
Parks, Recreation, and History
Roswell is known for its gorgeous parks, and 2024 saw improvements and enhancements come to several, including Bond-funded renovations to the Big Creek Greenway boardwalk and new turf fields at multiple parks throughout the City. We also completed the Ace Sand Phase I project, the first project of the River Parks Master Plan, which will redefine Roswell’s riverscape. We also purchased the former Crabapple Middle School to expand parks programming to our residents.
The City of Roswell celebrates its rich history around every corner. We are committed to preserving our historic assets while also making these unique experiences available to more residents and visitors in the years to come. This year, we completed improvements to Historic Town Square Park and Mimosa Hall, which received renovations to enhance the safety, accessibility, and versatility of this special events facility. These upgrades are just the beginning. We are envisioning what we are calling Founders Park – an inspired plan to activate our contiguous historic properties (Bulloch Hall, Mimosa Hall, and Holly Hill) into a unified destination, offering rental venues, serene gardens, locally curated art, educational programming, historical tours, and vibrant cultural events.
None of this progress would have been possible without the residents of Roswell. Your enthusiasm, support, and engagement are what fuel our City’s success. I am profoundly grateful for your contributions and for the opportunity to serve such an incredible community.
As we look ahead to 2025, I am filled with optimism. Together, we will continue to build on this momentum and work toward our shared goal of making Roswell the number-one family community in America!
Mayor Kurt Wilson