NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — Mayor Jon Mitchell highlighted New Bedford’s continued growth this Wednesday afternoon to an audience of more than 500 business leaders, elected officials, stakeholders, and others at the annual State of the City Luncheon at New Bedford High School.

Technological advances were at the forefront of where Mitchell saw the City heading in 2025 and beyond, and were some of the most noteworthy aspects of his speech, which ran about 50 minutes.

“New Bedford is stronger today than it was a year ago,” he said. “Despite all the sound and fury at the national level, our city forged ahead. In the tumultuous year that just passed, we demonstrated again to ourselves that we can succeed when we keep our eye on the ball.”

Mitchell made a specific note in his address that his administration has made upgrades in their data management software, and that department heads in the public safety sector have become more sophisticated in using data to understand how to achieve goals.

“The improved performance is becoming more evident,” he said. “How we manage data is now at the center of how we manage city government. Bloomberg Cities, we’re in the midst of a multi-year effort to install new software across multiple departments that will make data far more accessible and easier to manage.”

Mitchell announced the hiring of New Bedford’s first Director of Data Management, Christina Cotsoridis, who helped launch the city’s original performance management system.

“Her job is to help bring these systems online, enable department heads to make sound decisions based on their data, and ensure that the city is using artificial intelligence applications effectively and appropriately,” he said.

Mitchell also announced the City’s collaboration with Bloomberg Cities and Johns Hopkins University, this collaboration being the City’s first official data strategy. This strategy will be released in the coming months and guide New Bedford’s work with data for the next several years.

Mitchell emphasized the importance of these data initiatives and clarified the goal these initiatives have with bettering the lives of the people of New Bedford.

“One might ask why does this effort around data matter? The answer is it will enable us to deliver better services and manage costs. As residents can see more clearly what they’re getting for their tax dollars, our utilization of data will engender their confidence and trust,” he said.

READ MORE: Mayor Mitchell's 2025 State of the City Address

On top of this data revolution, Mitchell announced the launch of New Bedford’s new mobile app, NBConnected, which will roll out in the weeks ahead. It places City services at residents’ fingertips, allowing quick and easy access to pay bills, apply for permits, pay for parking, or submit a request for non-emergency services, like a pothole or an overflowing trash can.

“You’ll still be more than welcome to visit us at City Hall, but you’ll be able to do much of your business with city government in the palm of your hand,” Mitchell said.

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