Good morning from City Hall! City Council met with me last night for the first session of the annual Strategic Planning and I wanted to highlight a few things that came from the discussion.
Structure and Process
The Council engaged in a discussion about the City’s structure and process. This includes the important roles our City Boards, Commissions, and standing Committees serve for the City Council; they hear issues, do the groundwork, and provide the City Council with well-informed recommendations. The Council will soon discuss how Council-appointed liaisons and voting members to the Boards, Commission, and Committees can function most effectively.
MnDOT Corridor Study
The City Council discussed the proposed MnDOT Corridor Study that would include MnDOT roads and offers an opportunity for the City to include local streets to be evaluated. The Council plans to hear information from City staff regarding the local street option and will discuss this at an upcoming Council meeting.
City Image
We discussed how visitors view our City, from the welcome signs as you enter the city to the configuration of the City Council Chambers at City Hall. There was consensus with the Council and staff to be purposeful and create inviting atmospheres and making sure our visitors are well-informed and feel comfortable coming in to visit with us.
Future City Direction During this discussion, having a vibrant downtown rose to the top. The Council also discussed how we can better market our community and attract families. The question was asked, how do we tell our story? If you have ideas on how to tell our story, please contact me to share your thoughts.
The City Council will meet again on March 1, 2021 from 6-8 pm for a second Strategic Planning Session. We invite you to attend and I encourage you to reach out to me if you have ideas that contribute to our community’s success.
Thank you for allowing me to serve the Crookston community. I am pleased to be included with the citizens, volunteers, and public servants that are willing to pitch in and make Crookston great.
Sincerely,
Amy Finch, City Administrator
