Council holds annual strategic planning session

The Winslow City Council held its annual strategic planning session last week.

Peggy Fiandaca of Partners for Strategic Action was on hand during the session to help the council focus on its objectives.

She began the day by having those in attendance break into groups and create lists of issues the group felt needed to be dealt with over the next year.

Among the top issues were economic development and water/wastewater.

The group then reviewed the goals from 2005, and which tasks were completed.

When the review was complete, it was decided that much of the failures of certain goals was due to lack of assignment, meaning city staff was unsure who was in charge of what.

The 2006 goals include protecting water rights. Fiandaca asked what the current situation with water/wastewater was, and how the city could solve the situation.

Utility Manager Allen Rosenbaum explained that there had been problems with the wells, and that the treatment plant was starting to show its age. He added that right now, the city was doing the repairs it could with the money it has.

With economic development, one of the biggest things discussed was finding funding.

The council is presently focusing on becoming proactive, by trying to update and put into place policies to handle development, including the possibility of business registration.

The council will be readdressing issues throughout the calendar year, and will revisit funding allocating for the Renaissance Phase II.

Mayor Allan Affeldt noted that after reviewing the plans, funding may be available for use in other areas.

It was noted that the council need to decide what image it wanted to create, and that it should say the city has pride.

The council agreed that working on a shelter was a priority, and would be meeting with officials of the Hopi and Navajo Tribes in a meeting with the Winslow Indian Health Care Center at 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 21 at the St. Paul Episcopal Church.

Another issue the group agreed needed to be addressed this year is staff shortages and training. This will be addressed by creating a training program this year.

City Administrator Jim Ferguson explained that the program would focus on training in-home.

It was noted that the Capital Improvement Plan, or CIP, was out of date, and that the city needed a new one.

Housing options was another issue brought up, with focus on market rate rentals and executive homes.

More on the strategic session will be published in the Feb. 22 edition of the Mail.

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