Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home City Council has established a set of goals for this year, including updates to the Sweet Home community’s strategic plan and its parks plan and a review of the city charter.
It also will establish a formal capital improvements plan, work on stablizing funding for police and library services and continue working on external relationships.
The council met on Feb. 15 and 16 to review its past goals and develop new ones for 2013.
Strategic Plan
The strategic plan was created in 2001 and last updated in 2003, said City Manager Craig Martin. The council is interested in doing another one or revisiting the concept with the whole community this year.
“A lot of (goals in the plan) have been completed or are in various phases of implementation,” Martin said. The Community Center and Police Department building are constructed, and downtown revitalization efforts are continuing.
Capital Improvements Plan
The city has a list of capital improvements it wants to make, Martin said, but it doesn’t have a funding strategy for various improvements, Martin said. Master plans exist for water, sewer and streets, but there is no strategy for paying for them.
The city has the components of a plan, but they’re spread across all the departments, Martin said. Through this plan, city officials will be able to figure out when they have enough money for a particular project.
Parks Plan
The Parks Master Plan was completed in 1983, Martin said. “And it’s been a topic of discussion and desire through the years with the various parks committees.”
Hobart Park will be at the center of the effort, Martin said. The state requires that Hobart have a management plan because it contains an endangered species, which is part of the reason it was donated to the city. A grant is funding the management plan.
Portions of the property also include timber, and part of the deal was to turn it into a sort of working forestry classroom, Martin said.
Charter Review
The last charter amendment was in 1993, Martin said. A group of petitioners had sent model charter language to cities throughout Oregon, and probably 80 percent of cities adopted the language, which prohibited the use of public dollars to promote organizations or individuals seeking to advance homosexual or alternative lifestyles.
The council’s discussions started on that subject, Martin said, and then it shifted to the selection of the mayor. The mayor is elected by the council and then serves as the council’s chairman under the existing charter.
A councilor had been asked why the citizens don’t vote for the mayor, Martin said. The council would like to look at the charter through the lens of 2013.
Any changes must be approved by voters.
Police and Library Funding
Stable funding for police and library services remains a goal, Martin said. The city continues to pursue efforts and strategies that stabilize the funding. The city will continue to look at the League of Oregon Cities’ proposals and other options.
External Relationships
The city will continue to reach out and work with other organizations on projects that benefit the community at large, Martin said. Those include a variety of organizations, such as School District 55 and the U.S. Forest Service.
The ongoing goal validates the city’s participation in projects such as the proposed Santiam Forest Corridor, Martin said. It’s the goal that directs city staff members to work with the county on revitalizing the Western States Land Reliance Trust land.
Next, the council will develop more detail and refine goals probably at its regular meeting on March 12, Martin said. The council will likely decide whether to adopt the goals at its regular meeting on March 26.