Mayor Ron McIntire delivered Hayden's 2014 State of the City address at the monthly Hayden Chamber of Commerce breakfast Thursday.

The longtime mayor opened his presentation by assuring attendees that the city of Hayden is a healthy and growing concern, following its "slight down-tick a few years ago. The city vision seeks to balance growth, while preserving our small-town character and semi-rural charm."

The list of the past year's municipal accomplishments includes the near-completion of the 8-acre Stoddard Park, which is located on Prairie Avenue. The property was initially purchased seven years earlier. With a pricetag of more than $750,000, the project will be completed in the spring.

To be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Hayden recently inventoried more than 600 pedestrian ramps, a task McIntire described as a "huge project."

Additionally, a new lift station handling almost half of Hayden's sewer flows was built in 2013. With National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements now in place, Hayden is facing a significant investment in sewer treatment capital improvements, McIntire said. Because of this, sewer rates will increase in March of this year.

And there has been no shortage of upbeat events in Hayden during the past 12 months. In addition to several festivals and celebrations, the city offered almost 40 recreational, special interest and sports programs for residents.

On the financial side, Hayden recently doubled the number of residential building permits granted in 2011. Five annexations, totaling 600 acres, were processed.

In the year 2014, the city expects to take in $4,080,750 in revenue, the bulk of that coming from property taxes and state shared revenue. On the debit side, the largest expenditure will be street maintenance, followed by administrative services.

As the city continues to expand, the need for law enforcement increases.

"Because of the city's extremely low property tax rate," McIntire said, "our law enforcement services as compared with those of neighboring communities are under-funded by at least 700 percent."