"Whatever the community decides, that's the direction we want to take them," said Mayor Al McDonald at a press conference outlining the City's next steps in its public consultation process.
"We are looking for the public's thoughts, goals, their ideas, their suggestions, and their vision," for North Bay, said McDonald, "we truly want to hear what they have to say." According to the Mayor, everything is fair game.
The City is encouraging citizens to attend one of 10 sessions from Nov. 2-Nov. 16 to provide feedback on City Council's 2016-2026 Strategic Plan Framework. Public ideas on areas of concentration, goals, and objectives will be welcomed.
The town hall meetings and strategic planning stem from the Baylor Report's findings that were presented in spring 2016.
Input from citizens will be utilized in forming the final Community Strategic Plan that will be presented to the Mayor and Council for consideration in 2017.
"We have no hard date set on," when the plan will be implemented, "but obviously we're very flexible. We want to see where it takes us. We've hired a team of experts that will assist us in that process," said Mayor Al McDonald.
The public sessions have been planned so that, hopefully, all can attend. There are morning, lunch hour, afternoon, and evening slots. A Saturday session has also been planned.
"We really want to be inclusive, we want to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to be part of the process," said the Mayor.
For a full listing of Community Town Hall sessions, click here.
An online survey will be made available early next week for the public to fill out, whether they have attended one of the sessions or not.
Residents can access the strategic plan framework on the City's website, review it in person at City Hall, or request a copy via e-mail at [email protected]/strategicplan.
Harriet Madigan, a self-styled "professional volunteer," but even more so an engaged citizen in the community, was on hand for the unveiling of the Town Hall meeting schedule.
Said Madigan, "I have my own business, but it's not connected to any of this. I'm like everyone else, I want to live in a vibrant town. If we're going to create a guiding light," with the plan, "it has to be holistic."
McDonald, asked if the ten year timeframe was too lengthy, in that it would outlast the current Council, replied "I'm hoping that all future Councils follow it. I can tell you, that if the community wants to go in a certain direction, that's my job. You can't just do a visionary process for next month or next year."
"We really want the community involved and they are the ones that are going to determine the process," said the Mayor.
