Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward said the city continued progress in the last year despite strong headwinds from the Florida Legislation and fiscal challenges. “As with all our staff and commissioners, our charter officers were called upon to perform in ways no one could have predicted in 2023, and everyone was up to the task,” said Ward at Tuesday’s State of the City address. “When it felt like the tide was rising around us, rather than allowing the ship that is our city to take on water, our crew set sail.”