Clevelandurbannews.com and-Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief, associate publisher and political and investigative reporter -CLEVELAND, Ohio- Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson delivered his State of the City address Thursday evening at Cleveland Public Auditorium before a live audience, the Black mayor's final address before he leaves office at the end of the year.

A former city council president and four term Democratic mayor in his 16th year as chief executive of the largely Black major American city of some 372,000 people, Jackson is retiring and did not seek an unprecedented fifth term this year.

Council President Kevin Kelley and newcomer Justin Bibb, also Democrats, will face off on Nov 2 for a nonpartisan general election runoff. It is the first time the mayoral seat has been open since Jackson ousted  then incumbent mayor Jane Campbell in 2005.

“For the past 16 years, I have worked as mayor to stabilize the city, position it for the future and ensure that all can participate in a better quality of life,” Mayor Jackson said in a press release leading up to Thursday's State of the City address. “This is my last State of the City address and I look forward to speaking directly with residents not only about the past year, but also my vision for the future of this city.”

The mayor's speech went on for nearly an hour as he  discussed his accomplishments as mayor and his vision for the city under his upcoming successor. He did not mention Kelley, whom he has endorsed for mayor.

He said that Cleveland is not in the red, largely because of his leadership.

"Cleveland is well positioned for the future," said Jackson, 75, who downplayed his age and added that "I know I ain't that old."

While he touched on a host of issues from economic development to neighborhoods, tax abatement and the city's safety forces, he said the city's largely Black public schools, which the mayor controls per state law, have sparingly improved and he highlighted that under his tenure voters have passed "two operating levies and a capital levy."

The mayor said that as the debate continues over resources allocated for downtown Cleveland and inner city neighbors that you need both and "you can't have one without the other."

He talked about job opportunities, construction contracts and small businesses, and he said minority contractors remain important and that "we addressed racism as a public health issue."

He said that Cleveland, one of the poorest cities in the country, is a viable city, even though it struggles with what other large urban cities struggle with__ poverty, struggling public schools, heightened violence, and apathy.

"Yes we are a successful city and yes we are well positioned for the future," the mayor said. "I have run my leg of the relay.  I ran my relay, and much has been done but there is so much more to do."

He thanked members of his cabinet, city employees, his wife Edwina, and Clevelanders in general.

The mayor did not specifically mention his late grandson Frank Q. Jackson, who was shot and killed last month but said that "it is hard to live in a bubble." And he said that "I have to accept reality no matter how painful it is."

The mayor said that being mayor was the opportunity of a lifetime and that he is appreciative for having been elected four times to lead the city.

"It was my honor and privilege to serve as your mayor for 16 years," said Jackson as he closed his speech and alluded to the murder of his 24-year-old grandson. "Thank you for allowing me [to be] your mayor I want to thank you for your kindness and prayers during our bereavement."