At a special Nov. 19 meeting, the Airway Heights City Council set some goals and objectives in hope of growing the city and improving the way it communicates with its residents.
The council selected eight main goals, based on feedback from residents and staff for the next two years. These include:
● Expanding recreational improvements and programs.
● Enhancing public safety improvements to meet the needs of the community.
● Implementing plans to improve the safety, use and looks of the highway.
● Developing multimodal improvement for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists.
● Improving the quality of life throughout the community.
● Developing financial policies and programs to grow with service delivery.
● Providing meaningful, relevant and convenient ways to participate in decisions and actively participate in civic life.
● Supporting and growing economic development opportunities within Airway Heights.
City Manager Albert Tripp said the various City Council committees will meet, come up with ways to help implement these goals and return to the council with their ideas.
The council agreed that public outreach was a major concern. Tripp suggested the city come up with new ways to engage residents.
“We might need to get away from the traditional public forum,” Tripp said. “Maybe that involves going to somebody’s house with coffee and donuts and talk about the importance of voting for the EMS levy or cars for the police department. We could strive to meet them where they are, rather than getting them to come to us.”
Development Services Director Derrick Braaten suggested that the council include the East Annexation Area, located east of Hayford Road, when they think of ways to improve public outreach.
City staff also described how quality of life in the city has changed over the last several years.
“As the demographics have changed, so have the expectations for quality of life,” Parks, Recreation and Community Director J.C. Kennedy said. “You’re attracting a different citizen to the community, but that citizen is wanting something different. They want more.”
In addition to its goals, the council will focus on ways to improve communication with city staff.
Deputy Mayor Kevin Richey asked if the council should prioritize the goals in a specific order. Tripp suggested they not, as some goals would be easier to accomplish.
“Some of these are going to be low-hanging pieces of fruit and we’ll have the money and the means to accomplish them real quickly,” Tripp said.
Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].
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