I’m starting today filled with immense gratitude and appreciation. Last night, Citilink reached a pivotal moment as the Fort Wayne City Council approved our 2025 budget with key amendments, ensuring we can keep services running next year. This success is directly because of you—your voice, your passion, and your belief in the vital role we play in our community. Without your advocacy, we wouldn’t have been able to show our elected officials the true value of what we do every day when we link people to life.
I want to extend special thanks to the Mayor, City Controller, and City Council for stepping up with a direct, one-time financial investment—a first in Citilink’s history. This commitment brings some much-needed relief and ensures we can avoid significant service cuts and workforce reductions in 2025.
Councilwoman Rohli Booker and Councilman Nathan Hartman deserve a special shout-out for working across party lines to make this happen. The 8-0 City Council vote (with one abstention) speaks to the incredible local support we’ve built. It shows that when we come together and use our collective voice, real change happens.
That said, there’s still work ahead. Citilink continues to face a $2.5 million structural deficit. This budget helps us get through 2025, but it relies on using much of our reserves and delaying important investments. As we look toward 2026, we’ll need to push for sustainable, long-term solutions, especially when it comes to securing increased state funding.
Your voices were critical to this win, and they’ll be just as essential moving forward. What we’ve achieved together shows what’s possible, and I’m confident that, together, we can keep pushing for the solutions our community deserves.
To celebrate this important moment and to keep us moving “full steam ahead,” I want to share a song that truly captures our mission and the spirit of Citilink. It’s a reminder of why we do what we do, and I hope it fills you with the same energy and purpose that I feel today. Click here to enjoy it!
Thank you for standing with us through these challenging times. I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished, and I’m even more excited about where we’re headed. Let’s keep the momentum going!
With gratitude,
Casey Claypool
Marketing & Development Director
