News Article
Letter to Mayor on Vision for the Community
Thanks for asking me to come in and discuss visioning topics for the community.
After our discussion I wanted to jot some notes down that have been on my mind for awhile. I've tried to provide some short, mid and long term suggestions with a fair number of questions. Here's a list of the general topic areas that I'll cover.
1) 25th Street Upgrade 2) General appearance of streets 3) Reinvigorating the Entrepreneurial Spirit 4) Upgrading recreation and park infrastructure 5) NorthFork Riverwalk Project 6) Overall Vision for the Community --> Priorities (with a futures context) --> Citizen Buy-in --> Implementation Strategy
Happy New Year and good luck on your journey!
Mark Hall
1) 25th Street Upgrade. Thank you for attending the public forum concerning the 25th Street Upgrade. There was a lot of discussion on the multi-purpose trail. I believe we need a culture of change in our community to recognize the importance of endorsing such a basic and fundamental change in our city's infrastructure investment. Dennis Smith did a good job of explaining the safety reasons for an expanded path and the community's goal to connect more of our community’s resources such as the parks. The other part of the equation is the importance of the "safe route to schools" philosophy of tying our neighborhoods together with the respective school systems. We need to consider the "and/both" approach on many of these infrastructure projects. I only notice one other City Council member in attendance (Jim Lange, Dale Coy left before I arrived at 5:40).
To gain acceptance by the citizens with property along the path would the City agree to clear snow during the winter? This expense could be paid for by Keno revenues. The City plans to hire 2 new employees as part of the Keno revenue. [Should we consider outsourcing some of these "less critical" tasks to private firms?] There could be a posted sign or a place marker in or next to the path to let citizens know that this infrastructure is being supported by Keno revenues. Here again tying the revenue directly to the benefit/service that individuals will see every day.
2) General Appearance of Streets and right of ways. I'm concerned that we are not putting our best face forward when people visit our community. For example, we continue to paint over chipping paint on road side curbs, this is just like painting a house with peeling paint, it might look bright but it is still looks ugly.
Even through the summer there was still winter gravel in the turn lanes on 13th Street. For months I would still see gravel along the curbs on 13th Street in the commercial areas.
Over 30 years ago the curbs along the right-away were edged with a City machine to remove overhanging grass and weeds. This process was discontinued at some point. We have a very expensive curb grinding machine that I don't believe is getting much use. Can this equipment, with an attached edger, be used in collaboration with the Street and Parks departments? This same machine could be used to brush off the peeling paint on the curbs before painting. In addition is this one of those "less critical" tasks that can be outsourced to reduce costs?
Why can't the once used gravel from sanding the streets in the winter be used to fill the pot holes at the Memorial Park parking area? My hope is there can better collaboration between the different division, e.g., street department sweeps the streets and puts the used gravel in the Parks' associated parking areas. These pots holes have not seen much attention since 2000 and I think some of them have been in existence since 1978.
3) Reinvigorating the Entrepreneurial Spirit. From the Visioning 2026 project there was a ground swell of interest and energy in improving our live long learning opportunities in our community as well as fostering economic development initiatives focused on entrepreneurial skill development. Besides experiencing a growing chamber of commerce membership we now have a local SCORE chapter with a close tie-in to the Elkhorn Valley Economic Council. It is encouraging the chamber is sponsoring the Connecting Leaders in the Community (CLiC) and the Workforce Development Committee. The one thing we are missing is the culture of entrepreneurship in our younger population. Here again over 15 years ago there was a local Junior Achievement chapter but has since died. I believe there is a great opportunity to reintroduce JA to our community with increased young professional interest and our business leaders collaborating with our local schools system leaders. The introduction of JA is a valid service to the youth and community just as the junior high has seen the increased need for after school programs (beyond the traditional programs of sports, band, clubs). The JA program can be an excellent parallel activity with similar high school programs such as Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) and Future Problem Solvers. As far as I’m concerned this is a key long-term economic development priority that needs to be funded with monies and people.
What can we leverage to improve out entrepreneur spirit? One thing that is helping and can be expanded upon is our broadband capabilities. With fewer dollars for other federal and state supported infrastructure projects, e.g., roads, we need to extend our thinking on other transformational skills to help our current and future citizens. How can we create a center of excellence for entrepreneurial skills, a creative molecular economy incubator center (http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=143752&trk=anet_ug_grppro, http://communitiesofthefuture.org, http://communitiesofthefuture.org/projects.htm)? For example, expanding our current efforts for internships and supporting these interns and firms, scholarships for participating in a CME incubator through technology introduction and giving back to the community through their exchange of knowledge.
NPPD is implementing new electrical monitoring equipment and processes in parts of the state (Two-Way Automated Communications System (TWACS)). Norfolk will be scheduled in the future. How and when is the City preparing to take advantage of newer technologies to improve service and reduce costs? How can our broadband capabilities, along with remote sensing (e.g., RFID) improve the services being offered (e.g., water meter readings)? http://www.nppd.com/Newsroom/NewsRelease.asp?NewsReleaseID=346 What City website services should be incorporated, e.g., real simple syndication (RSS) for automatic notices of postings?
Recycling is another subject that was always put on the back burner, in part due to huge commitment to the Clarkson Landfill. The community has voiced their agreement to support recycling, even if there is a small additional charge (refer to Chamber of Commerce polling last summer). GreenFiber has been an excellent recycling business leader putting out and collecting recycling without costing citizens any money out of their pocket, just time to drop it off. Another recycling business has expanded their hours since last summer. Recycling gets the whole community involved, from the great depression area grandparents to grade school children--and is better for the environment.
4) Upgrading recreation and park infrastructure. Pat Mrsny has done an admirable job given the budget he has had to work with the past 20 plus years. The facilities reflect the neglect of spending on infrastructure and the needs of a thriving and progressive community. For example, the $8k spent on disc golf courses at Skyview Lake and Ta Ha Zouka is resulting in a lot of use by multi-generation participants. I believe the community needs to conduct an in depth comprehensive plan for the next 20 years in relationship to future trends (e.g., changing school year schedules, fuel costs, technologies, aging demographics, etc.). The Visioning 2026 project 5 step process model would be excellent reference point to start from.
What are the community's priorities for the park and recreation infrastructure and programs? Have there been any customer and community surveys done in the last ten years? Who are the stakeholders in the community that would have an influence on future plans? How do we compare with other communities our size, climate, and trade area? How are we communicating Pat Mrsny's priorities that were presented to the City Council last summer (Keno revenues) to the rest of the community? Is it posted on the City's website, are there news releases going out to media outlets, what is being discussed by the park & recreation subcommittee?
With two public entities involved in recreation, schools and the city, there should be a very close collaboration on how to maximize the use of public funds, e.g., sharing of equipment, facilities, etc. When you have an overused Memorial Football Field and an underutilized (# of events held) Middle School sports complex when it comes to football there should be a lot more communication and cooperation.
What recreation services could better pay for the infrastructure investment? For example, expanded and better quality RV service investments could be paid for through daily service fees? There are North Fork River corridor areas that could be suited for expanded RV services, e.g., north of Country Club, north of Omaha Ave. (east side of river) besides Ta Ha Zouka. This is where tourism can be seriously considered as an economic development priority.
During the $60K landscape study/plan I learned that a lot of communities have an arbor/tree commission that is an advisory board to the city council. Yes this would be another committee yet it would give another group of passionate citizens the opportunity to engage the City and the community for a positive and multi-generation impact. It would be great to have a trails and tree commissions collaborating together to move our community forward.
My ideas and comments concerning the pool replacement program is worthy of a separate discussion.
5) NorthFork Riverwalk project. I suggest we use the grass roots organization and participation of the NorthFork Riverwalk project to enhance the community involvement with park and recreation infrastructure future investments. For example, the project has positive activities related to city responsibilities such as: - helping foster a vision for the community -- improved communication and dialogue from across the community (business, life experiences) -- collaborate with other tax collecting entities to improve return on invested monies -- voted by Norfolk Daily News readership as the third top story of 2008. - encourage economic development -- increase property values through investments -- establish a destination for tourism other than for retail -- enhance opportunities for non-traditional ED -- pay for infrastructure through TIF (roads, sewer & water (broadband?)) -- increased sales tax revenues -- promote the use of more hybrid/electric vehicles - develop community amenities -- expanded trails network along with connection to Cowboy Trail -- expanded recreation opportunities for multi-generational users -- increase health awareness through walking to available services -- tying neighborhoods together along with the schools -- enhance multiple housing options close to city center - increase options for city land usage and exchange/swap - storm water drainage
6) Overall Vision for the Community. I'm encouraged to hear of a Citizen Advisory Council being considered by the City Council and the implementation of the Communicator group by the Norfolk Public Schools. This increased opportunity to dialogue is important for community involvement and commitment while encompassing trust and accountability.
Our community needs to implement LB840. We are already collecting the sales tax revenue which is not being directed to this program (other than $42k to EVEDC). The plan must be one that the community endorses, builds trust, ensures accountability, and provides for a process that takes into account future trends and their impact to the community and region. I believe we should integrate or at least collaborate closely with the EVEDC, NPPD, NAR, and Norfolk Chamber committees. One of the first things I would consider is hiring a City Planner to add to the staff, possibly someone that could be groomed to become the a city administrator someday.
Typically the community can establish strategic plans because of past experience and a well understood linear process. The challenge we face is the world is changing so quickly that we need a more adaptive planning model that incorporates the near term strategic planning goals with the future impacts based on trends that are just now beginning to surface.
Our community leaders should be able to evaluate many of these emerging trends and communicate the potential impacts they will have on our culture, community, and citizens. Our community culture needs to accept change where the outcomes are not necessarily well understood--a very important leadership issue. For example, it is difficult for promoters to communicate the vision for the NorthFork Riverwalk Project when we don't necessarily have expected outcomes as we are educating the community on the possibilities. Our ability, commitment and trust to start the master planning process without having raised all the funds is a great testament of the board members' confidence. It is adaptive planning that can help us in parallel with numerous activities, connections, and stakeholders while accepting risks knowing that we don't know.
On the near term front several companies are already supporting internships, e.g., Norfolk Daily News, Nebraska Life Magazine, Faith Regional, and Nucor Steel. However we are not doing enough as a business and welcoming community to make their total experience rewarding so they begin their professional careers right here in Northeast Nebraska. Although the Chamber has instituted a work force development task committee there is a need for a living environment where these young professionals can live and socialize while providing easier access for business, commercial, and community relationships. Could we consider converting a floor of the previously known Madison Hotel (4th & Norfolk) for these interns? Also we should consider converting the ballroom to a technology, communications, and gathering center while attracting another restaurant operation to the main floor.
Another near term and long term impact example is water use. There will be many direct, indirect, and oblique impacts and connections related to the decision to not increase the number of ground water wells, irrigated crop acres, the livestock feeding operations and industrial water usage. How will we transform our area economic development when production agriculture has been throttled to a steady state and future industrial expansion is at risk?
Al Roder has a simple yet effective approach that we need to expand on. Help our current business grow by bringing their suppliers closer to them is a great first step. Over a hundred years ago our entrepreneurial spirit was transformed into reality when homesteaders changed our landscape and prosperity. Fifty years ago this was accelerated with center pivot irrigation along with expanded rural electric infrastructure along with some major manufacturing operations. Renewable energy is now on our doorstep as new economic engine. Now we need to consider our citizens creative and entrepreneurial spirit to once again increase our opportunities for the future. For example, how do we replicate a 30 ten person Nucor Steel for creative manufacturing processes (Nucor detailing center, Norfolk Specialties Inc., Arkfeld Manufacturing, Classen Turf, NIM), collaborative, interconnected, and decentralized renewable energy production, value added food manufacturing (Tielke Sandwiches, Madison Foods), recycle-reuse service business operations (Todd Dickie's Power Sports Nation, Green Fiber, MP Global), specialty manufacturing (Veyance, Tyco) expanded federal and state contract and value added services (e.g., Sterling Computers, The Day Companies)?
How can we help business leaders adopt new technologies such as Second Life 3D Virtual Reality? Here is a link to a recent BBC video entitled "Doing Business in Second Life". This just reinforces the work what Larry Wenzl (engineer at Nucor Steel) and others are working together on in-world. Consider the comment near the end of the video... "It is still relatively early days for this technology..." and consulting without all the travel arrangements and challenges. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7777485.stm, http://www.visioning2026.com/blog/post/area-resident-presents-at-world-futures-society-in-washington-dc/
If green technology is in our countries future where do we want to participate and lead in this new economy? Which of those industries listed under the Green Tech topics (right side half way down web page) can we find ourselves involved in or helping existing local companies already involved in? http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10123947-54.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=GreenTech
What if we changed the model of who owns landing slots at hub airports? Community(ies) owning the landing slots to a hub airport could then incentivize different commercial, shared, and private air service providers to make stops at their airport. By developing a cooperative/association/LLC with other similar communities we develop a new marketing and transportation model that better serves our community and economic development opportunities. Have we considered marketing our local airport services, e.g., services, fuel, hangers, maintenance, wireless connections, etc., using capabilities such as internet marketing? I was unable to find a direct link to the airport authority or facilities from the City’s website home page!? We should be using the internet to promote this valuable resource.
It is encouraging that the City’s financial health appears to be in good condition, witness the $6M in government backed CDs recently purchased. One of our challenges for the future can be summed up in the following statement, "A transformation of spirit without a direction and a clear plan might bring you happiness for a while, but if that happiness is not reinforced by real change in the real world, it is always short lived."
0 people have commented on this article
Be the first to comment on this post using the form below.