City Holds Strategic Planning Meeting
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
The council spent four hours Monday night meeting with American Structurepoint, an engineering, architecture and planing firm based in Indianapolis, to go over developing a strategic plan for Warsaw.
The city previously approved the organization working on completing a strategic plan for the city for $5,000.
The purpose of the meeting was to develop a base understanding of the current conditions and a vision and direction of the community, and the beginning development of goals to achieve that vision.
The council identified strengths and weaknesses of the city.
Strengths were the orthopedic industry, lakes, greenway, low unemployment levels, philanthropic organizations, parks and recreation activities, investment in children, church diversity and the financial condition of Warsaw. Other strengths were small-town charm and dedication to service.
Weaknesses identified included shovel-ready ground needed, sidewalks lacking continuity, annexation issues, affordable rental housing, problem of not attracting youth and rundown properties.
The council also discussed protecting existing businesses, and bringing new businesses in and opportunities for managed growth. Another opportunity identified was to collaborate with Winona Lake.
The council identified threats such as growth of surrounding areas, regulations coming from Washington, D.C., and traffic congestion at certain times during the day.
Structurepoint will find communities with similar issues Warsaw is facing and provide feedback to Warsaw on what the cities are doing to overcome those issues.
The company also will compile the strengths and weaknesses of Warsaw identified by the council and put them into a binder for the strategic plan.
The council will select 10 community stakeholders at its Feb. 21 meeting in the community for American Structurepoint to review to discuss the initial findings of Monday night’s working session.
The city will again hold another strategic planning meeting Feb. 21 from 5 to 9 p.m. at city hall.
During the meeting, American Structurepoint will present the results of the stakeholder interviews for consideration by city council.
The council will finalize the vision and goals based on the feedback and initial discussions and begin the development of the strategies to achieve the goals.
Also during the meeting, the council reviewed a 2011 mutual aid response for Warsaw-Wayne Township Fire Territory.
The council approved a request from the clerk’s office for three cancelled checks that have been outstanding for two years.
City Councilwoman Cindy Dobbins thanked Hal Heagy, Oakwood Cemetery sexton, and cemetery employees for their work in making sure the Christmas lights were on in the downtown for First Friday and then taking the lights down.[[In-content Ad]]
The council spent four hours Monday night meeting with American Structurepoint, an engineering, architecture and planing firm based in Indianapolis, to go over developing a strategic plan for Warsaw.
The city previously approved the organization working on completing a strategic plan for the city for $5,000.
The purpose of the meeting was to develop a base understanding of the current conditions and a vision and direction of the community, and the beginning development of goals to achieve that vision.
The council identified strengths and weaknesses of the city.
Strengths were the orthopedic industry, lakes, greenway, low unemployment levels, philanthropic organizations, parks and recreation activities, investment in children, church diversity and the financial condition of Warsaw. Other strengths were small-town charm and dedication to service.
Weaknesses identified included shovel-ready ground needed, sidewalks lacking continuity, annexation issues, affordable rental housing, problem of not attracting youth and rundown properties.
The council also discussed protecting existing businesses, and bringing new businesses in and opportunities for managed growth. Another opportunity identified was to collaborate with Winona Lake.
The council identified threats such as growth of surrounding areas, regulations coming from Washington, D.C., and traffic congestion at certain times during the day.
Structurepoint will find communities with similar issues Warsaw is facing and provide feedback to Warsaw on what the cities are doing to overcome those issues.
The company also will compile the strengths and weaknesses of Warsaw identified by the council and put them into a binder for the strategic plan.
The council will select 10 community stakeholders at its Feb. 21 meeting in the community for American Structurepoint to review to discuss the initial findings of Monday night’s working session.
The city will again hold another strategic planning meeting Feb. 21 from 5 to 9 p.m. at city hall.
During the meeting, American Structurepoint will present the results of the stakeholder interviews for consideration by city council.
The council will finalize the vision and goals based on the feedback and initial discussions and begin the development of the strategies to achieve the goals.
Also during the meeting, the council reviewed a 2011 mutual aid response for Warsaw-Wayne Township Fire Territory.
The council approved a request from the clerk’s office for three cancelled checks that have been outstanding for two years.
City Councilwoman Cindy Dobbins thanked Hal Heagy, Oakwood Cemetery sexton, and cemetery employees for their work in making sure the Christmas lights were on in the downtown for First Friday and then taking the lights down.[[In-content Ad]]
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