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“Right On!”: Decaturites Give Thumbs Up to Draft Plan

Feb 01, 2011

At the Drop-By Open House on Monday, January 31, residents got a good look at the latest steps towards an update of the City’s 10-year Strategic Plan. The process is fast approaching finalization, thanks to a record-level of community participation over the last year.

Next up: A final report that will represent a refinement of the draft content presented on the Open House display boards, integrating comments and addressing questions from citizens Monday night. Most heartening of all the comments posted at the Open House were ones like this, endorsing the process that has refined thousands of citizens’ ideas into key principles, goals, and tasks:

'Right on!,' says one commenter. 'Thanks for listening to the round tables!'

           

“We know there are always details to iron out, and there are plenty of passionate discussions ahead,” said assistant city manager Lyn Menne. “But it’s great to see the enthusiasm for the broader goals we’ve worked on together and the support for achieving them. It’s another only-in-Decatur moment.”

The January 31 Open House wrapped up a long community evolvement process that enjoyed record participation. The stakes were obvious. Decaturites were essentially creating a city-wide to-list for the next decade. For an overview of the goals of the process, check out the column to the immediate right. And to follow the steady development of ideas through each stage, read the posts preceding this one and watch the videos included in each report.

What are the big themes for the Strategic Plan? They’re the ones that emerged from early community Round Table discussions: Healthy growth in harmony Decatur’s character; diversity and community engagement; environmental responsibility; a safe, healthy, fulfilling community for people in all stages of their lives.

While these kinds of hopes are ones Decatur holds in common with lots of other places, the difference in Decatur is that the City, in collaboration with citizens, use the principles and goals to assign themselves specific tasks. Which means, together, we commit to list of actions we’ll all be held accountable for accomplishing.

And why not? We agreed together, through months of Round Table conversations and open houses like the one on January 31, that this is the direction we want to take our community and these are the things we know we have to do to get where we want to go.

Take a look at the posted boards to see the tasks we’re considering. And let us know what you think.

Take a tour through the evening’s photos below. And then post your own thoughts and ideas. We look forward to hearing from you.

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  • Headline

    SPU Logo

    Over the past ten years a lot has changed around Decatur, including our residents. We’ve seen an internet savvy generation come of age, looking for—and expecting to find—online ways to participate in city government. So in response, we’re using this 2010 Strategic Plan Update to try out something new: a dedicated and interactive project website. Now, in addition to the rigorous series of in-person Round Tables that will characterize the larger effort (more on that below), we’ll also be posting information here, as it happens, for your review and discussion.

    Your first question is probably “What’s this got to do with me?” The answer: Plenty. Ten years ago, nearly 500 Decatur residents came together to set the course for 2000’s first decade, and the resulting Strategic Plan laid out the roadmap for some of our greatest success stories. It influenced our priorities, our infrastructure decisions, our approach to growth, the services and programs offered by city government, and the ease with which we’re able to come together in the comfortable exercise of community.

    In short, the Strategic Plan has guided the decisions that affect all of us on a daily basis. Now, ten years later, it's time to ask the question, "Where to next?".

    We need your help to find out.

    Headline

    It begins with your commitment to four meetings. That’s it. Over the course of the next several months, we’ll be compiling an army of folks like you with an interest in our city’s future. You'll gather in one, huge kick-off meeting and then, thereafter, meet with an assigned Round Table group three times over a period of six weeks.

    You’ll share your take on life in Decatur. Where you think we’re on track and where we’ve stumbled. What you’re concerned about, and what ideas you have moving forward.

    From the chorus of voices, trends and priorities will begin to emerge which, later this year, will be used to set out a new ten year program of goals and initiatives: our Strategic Plan.

    We've met over 80% of the goals in our last Strategic Plan. That’s an amazing accomplishment and, according to Mayor Bill Floyd, "a testament to the aggressive—yet realistic—directives provided by our citizens ten years ago."

    A high bar, to be sure, but one we can exceed if we put our minds to it. Please lend your time—and your voice—to this effort. Take a look around this site, share your comments, and commit to take part.