Happy Thanksgiving to everybody. In the spirit of the holiday, here is a list of what we can be thankful for in Dublin:

• City Manager – Richard Ambrose has been the City Manager of Dublin for all but 3 months of Dublin’s 25 years as a city. This is phenomenal given that the average tenure for city managers is about 6-7 years. In this time, Dublin’s population has grown from 15,000 in 1982 to 43,630 in 2007. Some of the highlights of Mr. Ambrose’s tenure have included:

1. More than quadrupling Dublin’s property tax split with Alameda County from 6% in 1982 to 26% today (pre state take-aways).
2. Bringing BART stations and transit villages to East Dublin and West Dublin (Dublin Downtown).
3. Procuring nearly 360 acres of park space for residents and visitors (including the future Fallon Sports and Heritage Parks).

• Public Art – Dublin has installed public art in nearly every city park and many public buildings. Public art can also be found in many private developments (such as the Ulferts Center and Downtown Safeway). With an ordinance passed in 2006, all new non-residential and large residential developments must either provide public art on-site or make a contribution to Dublin’s public art fund. Please click here for one example at Dolan Park.

• Grand Events – the Dublin St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Day on the Glen are major events that are enjoyed by tens of thousands of residents from throughout the Tri-Valley and beyond. This year’s events upped the ante from past years. The 2007 St. Patrick’s Day Parade included arts and crafts for the kids, the world-famous green pancake breakfast, and the 5K fun run. This year’s Day on the Glen brought out over 15,000 residents and non-residents alike with the City Hall meet and greet, the Parrotheads concert (Jimmy Buffett covers), and the fireworks show.