Strategic plan on its way for Peabody
Peabody City Council, Peabody Main Street Association, local businesses, and community organizations have been working together to develop a strategic plan, made possible by a $15,000 grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce Community Capacity Building Program.
The plan has given community organizations an opportunity to work together in developing goals for our community's future. Priorities identified as the top four are a future streetscape plan and updating infrastructure, the need for an auditorium and/or community center, and a variety of economic development and housing issues.
Each priority has had groups researching possibilities and desired outcomes. This information is being compiled into a plan that will serve as a road map for taking appropriate steps to implement.
The firm, Bucher, Willis and Ratliff has been assisting the team in development of the plan. Included in the plan is a compilation of drawings, cost estimates, and plans for a streetscape project; an outline of the steps needed for an auditorium and/or community activity center; and growth and development in economic development and housing issues.
A need for welcome signage into the community at each primary entry point is addressed in the plan, and drawings of potential welcome signs are included as well.
Everyone is invited to attend a public meeting Dec. 13 at the city building to review the strategic plan. If there are no changes or alterations made at this meeting, the council will adopt the plan with a resolution at the regular scheduled council meeting that day.
A draft of the plan was sent to the Kansas Department of Commerce for review. Doug Reed, administrator of the Community Capacity Building Program, has since returned approval of the draft.
The plan has been developed to serve as a guide, and is not written in stone. It simply serves as a tool used to help groups work together in sharing a unified vision in future projects, goals, etc. Upon final approval and adoption of the plan, the next step will be implementation of its goals and future projects. The council is exploring possibilities of funding support through various grant programs.
Several citizens have committed a great deal of time and energy in creating this plan, and Peabody Main Street wants to thank and congratulate all of you who have assisted in the project.
