She said Monday night that the team reached out to over 70 local organizations. The survey received 243 responses, which the tea identified as seven cross-cutting issues.
- Open, transparent, accessible City government. This was the most frequently mentioned theme. Respondents emphasized the importance of frequent, proactive communication between City Hall and the community, and there were a number of suggestions of how to achieve this goal.
- A community-wide visioning process to guide decision making and the 2016 Comprehensive Plan update.
- A proactive, integrated strategy for economic development that combines the efforts and resources of the City, Port, County, State, citizens and private sectors.
- A safe environment, which means sufficient police and fire coverage; proactive efforts to address drug and crime issues; and repairs to streets and sidewalks.
- Steps to protect our natural environment and reduce pollutants. Forest lands and the marine environment were cited again and again as valuable resources underpinning the community’s quality of life and ability to attract appropriate new business.
- Clear, simple City administrative processes. Make it easier for businesses to locate here by clarifying the land use code and streamlining bureaucratic regulations.
- Work in tandem with local, county and state entities. The City faces many issues that would benefit from public-private partnerships and from working with other government entities.
The report is available on the city’s Web site.