Junction City Manager Gerald Smith has apologized to those in the public unhappy with his delivery during the recent State of the City address.

The address was videotaped and played for the public just over one week ago. It included information on the city’s debt and infrastructure needs.

Speaking Tuesday night at the City Commission Smith stated the video approach to deliver the message was due to health issues with his voice. “And I did not want to try to do a lengthy over the PA presentation of that State of the City address without running into some challenges on the podium.”

Smith also noted that there were suggestions that he was somewhat condescending, talking down to the public, and that he was disrespectful and unprofessional. “As you noticed it was done in choppy pieces. I did not really pay much attention in terms of my style of delivery, as much as I focused on trying to maintain a steady monotone articulation in terms of communicating. It was not my intent come across as being condescending or arrogant, or any of the adjectives that were described.”

Smith asked why would he come to Junction City to speak down to the community. ” I came to the community to work with the community to make a difference. I have a belief that this community can overcome its challenges and the obstacles that are before it. My focus was to try to point the attention to the challenges, not necessarily to my delivery style. For those who felt that I delivered it in a manner that was condescending, or in a manner that was arrogant, or for that matter unprofessional I apologize to you. But that was not my intent. My intent clearly was to try to provide information not just to those who already knew some of the information, but to the entire community, residents who weren’t aware of its history. Those are the people I was talking to.”