It was a capacity crowd that turned out for the annual State of the City address for Oakdale on Jan. 28, staged at the Gene Bianchi Community Center. Remarks from Mayor Cherilyn Bairos were due to begin at 12:15 p.m., after the luncheon, but the turnout was so large that some people still had not been able to get through the food line by then, so the start of the formal program was slightly delayed.

But with business people, city and county officials, first responders, and local residents all in attendance, the tables were full and the conversations flowed easily while diners awaited the main event.

Oakdale City Manager Jerry Ramar took the microphone shortly after 12:30 p.m. to kick off the program.

“As your City Manager, I’ve had the honor of working closely with our leadership team, every day, to keep Oakdale moving forward,” Ramar said in his opening remarks in bringing Mayor Bairos to the podium. “And today it’s my great pleasure to introduce the leader who embodies the heart, energy and dedication that make our Cowboy Capital of the World so special.”

He noted her work first as a city council member and then stepping up as mayor as being important to the city’s forward movement.

“Her passion for our agricultural roots, our cowboy heritage, our families and our community shines through in every decision, at every event and every interaction with residents,” said Ramar.

The mayor was greeted by a standing ovation from the crowd, the majority seated at tables after finishing their lunch, with a couple dozen chairs set up in the back of the room for residents who just wanted to attend the presentation but not the luncheon.

As Bairos stepped to the podium, she also offered her thanks to Ramar, the city’s police chief turned city manager, who was the choice to succeed longtime City Manager Bryan Whitemyer when he left for a position in Folsom.

“I just want to say Jerry, you stepped up to the plate, you had big shoes to fill, you’ve filled them, thank you for putting up with me, and I just wanted to say you’re really doing a great job, so thank you very much,” Bairos said.

Her words brought applause from the audience for Ramar, before Bairos delved in to her talk.

“Oakdale is a city rooted in pride; pride in who we are, where we came from and where we are going,” the mayor told the audience. “This past year, that pride showed up again and again. It showed up in the way our community came together at events that brought families, neighbors and generations together, celebrations that reminded us that Oakdale is not just a place to live, but a place to belong.”

She said as a team, city officials have stayed focused on responsibility, planning and long-term stability.

“We’ve protected our financial future by maintaining a 40 percent reserve, not because it’s easy … because it’s the right thing to do for our residents, today, and for generations to come,” the mayor noted. “That reserve represents preparedness, discipline and respect for taxpayer’s dollars.”

The mayor was quick to point out, however, that numbers don’t tell the full story, going on to highlight the service of city staff, volunteers, business owners, first responders and residents, she said, who “care deeply about our community.”

Sharing her view of her role as mayor, Bairos said it will always be about the people she serves.

“My job as your mayor is not to govern you,” she said, “it is to serve the community of Oakdale. To listen, to show up, to work alongside you and to help ensure that Oakdale remains a city that reflects the values of the people who live here.”

She said serving as mayor is both a “privilege and an honor” and it is not a job she takes lightly.

Bairos said the city council has made it a priority to not only save for a ‘rainy day’ but also make sure there are adequate funds for necessary purchases for public safety such as fire engines and police vehicles.

The wide-ranging talk also touched on street improvement projects done over the past year and some that continue, the arrival of new businesses and the hopes for more in 2026 and beyond, including a new 50,000 square foot Walmart Neighborhood Market to be established at the site of the former Kmart, once the existing building is demolished and a new one built. The 91,000 square foot Kmart closed in 2019 and has been vacant since.

More parks, more homes, more opportunities … the mayor said all are in the plans for the city and progress is being made in those areas.

She pointed to the city’s signature events, from the annual Oakdale PRCA Rodeo, the All-American Bash, the award-wining National Night Out and the popular Small Town Christmas, which this year also expanded to include the Julia Haidlen Memorial Ice Skating Rink. The rink became a fan favorite, drawing in families from throughout the area during December and on in to early January.

Development is also due on the east side of Oakdale, with a hotel lined up and plans for a ‘market hub’ being explored.

Ross Dress for Less is on target to open in the former Rite Aid building on East F Street in August, having been given approval to make renovations to the facility.

The address included a review of work done by the police and fire departments, recognition for the first responders in the audience, and thanks to various county officials in attendance who have worked cooperatively with the city on multiple efforts.

Mayor Bairos said there are many ways to measure a year and for her, it comes down to a few important things.

“We measure it not just by what we accomplished but how we treated each other along the way,” Bairos said. “By the pride we felt standing together at community events and the responsibility we showed in planning for the future, and the care we took to make sure every voice mattered.”

She said the “story of Oakdale” is written every day, by the city employees who show up “with professionalism and heart” and by the volunteers “who give freely of their time” along with the businesses that invest here and the families that choose Oakdale as the place to put down their roots.

“I’m proud to serve a community that understands that progress and tradition must go hand in hand,” Bairos said. “My commitment remains simple and firm … my job is not to govern you; my job is to serve you, to listen first, to lead with integrity and to always place the good of the community above everything else.”