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families and make life better for the next generation. The story of Studebaker is woven into the fabric of South Bend's history. Studebaker, Oliver, Bendix, Singer, South Bend Toy and so many others, helped to make South Bend World Famed. So, we honor and celebrate that past, and look to draw on the best parts as we restore our hometown pride and build for the future. Someone mentioned to me that the new museum makes one proud to say Studebaker again. Yes, it does. Last year I said that South Bend is a City of Champions. Many years ago, we were not only a City of Champions, like the one in the rotunda behind me, but also of Commanders and Hawks (both Silver and Golden), of Dictators and Presidents, and of Larks and Avantis. Sa, let's remember and celebrate that history as we reclaim the spirit, energy and creativity of Studebaker's people. I invite you to tour the museum after the speech to see for yourself what a great lineage we have. Getting Things Done .. . This has been a year for getting things done all around the city. One doesn't always see all the progress. Sometimes that is when we are working hardest _ putting things in place for zna}or developments. To~aight we vaill map out fox you the extent of our work. I am proud of our city workforce. They are dedicated and talented. We are committed to continuous improvement through training and providing the best tools for our workers. Better project and program management will help us to accomplish our goals, drive higher performance and yield savings far our customers. Several of our departments perform behind-the-scenes work. They allow other departments to shine -it's like being a pit crew at the Indy 500, or the grounds crew at the Masters. Their work is important, but not in the spotlight. Our Legal staffprovides support and advice to all departments and divisions of the City, as well as to numerous boards, commissions and authorities. They send out the Nuisance and Drug House letters , 310 in 2005, which help to make our neighborhoods safer by keeping pressure on disruptive behavior. They also investigate and defend claims against the City. Last year the number ofnew claims filed was down 15% from 2004, at its lowest since I have been Mayor. Much of this is due to better safety A-lb