Sean C. Morgan
Over the last few weeks, Sweet Home City Council members have been putting together a work list for 2012 and its main focus has been on work that will be needed at the city’s Wastewater Treatment Plant and finding a way to stably fund library and police services.
“We are trying to create some goals that are going to be measurable – what have we done?” said Mayor Craig Fentiman. The councilors have their eye on other areas too, including maintaining park facilities and possibly holding another community strategic planning session like the community held around 2000.
The list isn’t too large, Fentiman said, and the council wants them to be achievable and measurable.
The council met Jan. 20 and Jan. 21 and then again on Feb. 14 in a work session to discuss the goals. The council will likely act on the goals at its regular meeting on Feb. 28.
After passage, the council will probably take a look at the city’s progress each quarter, Fentiman said.
The goals will be used to guide development of the recommended 2012-13 budget, set program and project priorities and establish expectations for the city manager’s work plan and performance for 2012, said City Manager Craig Martin.
In the meantime, Martin will meet with facilitator John Morgan to refine the list for council action, Martin said.
The draft of the goals includes nine items.
n Develop stronger partnerships with the School District and community’s schools, finding ways to create leverage and fill gaps in resources and explore use of the city library as an alternative venue for education.
n Explore options for providing police and library services in light of inadequate revenue to maintain desired service levels, creating stability within the department and creating a system to identify and analyze options, development of a strategy and implementation of the strategy.
n Create a new Sweet Home Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan.
n Upgrade the wastewater and storm water systems, developing a strategy to achieve compliance with applicable rules and laws, identifying funding to implement the strategy and being prepared to do what is necessary to get the job done.
The city has been working for more than 10 years with the Department of Environmental Quality to reduce inflow and infiltration. Inflow and infiltration is storm water that leaks into the sewer system through deteriorating pipes and cross connections with storm water. The I&I can cause overflows at the Wastewater Treatment Plant during heavy rain, forcing bypasses of untreated wastewater.
n Preserve and protect Weddle Bridge.
n Create a technology plan for city government to increase efficiency of city operations.
n Improve relationships with citizens.
n Complete the Hobart Management Plan. Hobart Park, located at the south end of 35th Avenue, is a nature preserve donated to the city of Sweet Home.