Strategic Planning for the Commmunity Redevelopment Area - On June 5th the City Commission will advance the expansion of our CRA into the North Sarasota area, specifically the area covered by the Newtown Redevelopment Plan. Then on June 22 in a joint meeting with the CRA advisory board they will talk about strategic planning for the remaining ten years of the CRA. To oversimplify a bit, this will be largely about prioritizing the money that will be collected in the redevelopment trust fund in the next 10 years (when it expires). Much of that money is allocated already, but upwards of $70 million remains. The question - with housing, parking, roundabouts, streetscaping and other infrastructure, the cultural district, historic districts, transit, and all of the other things that have been discussed lately, and whatever hasn't that might be important to you, how would you prioritize the uses for that money?
posted by Michael McNees at 4:06 PM
3 Comments:
beamer - Your suggestion to review the existing master plan and other adopted documents for our planning session is a good one, and if it hasn't already been considered it will be now.
Mike –
Congratulations on the recognition of your innovative idea to utilize the web to promote open communications with the community you so greatly serve. I hope my writing as a former department head who reported directly to you is not misconstrued by the visitors of your blog and the community as anything but tremendous pride and respect I feel for what you and other leaders in the City of Sarasota have been able to deliver - for your at times underestimated dedication to public service, your at times misunderstood sense of humor, and your at times misunderstood communication style - all of which have become vividly clear to me now that I have played on other rather infamous and large public teams.
On Senator Bradley’s keynote speech, I remember a few years ago you mentioned your discomfort with the over reference to the citizenry as “customers”. In fact, I believe you used a hamburger franchise as an example to make your point: “If you don’t like burger place A you go to burger place B…whereas we’re the only game in town...like a monopoly...citizens deserve more from their government...” So you see, with all due respect to Senator Bradley, it wasn’t him that got you thinking about government being more to the people than business school 101 terms and phrases – you were there years ago.
While I’m here, as a naturalized citizen who as a teenager experienced a totalitarian government and brutality, I encourage everyone to participate in the democratic process, communicate on the issues, and proudly and politely use their voice. There aren’t too many places in the world where a chief government executive invites citizen participation. Mike, I think you are at the forefront of e-democracy. Thank You!
I hope your bloggers forgive my intrusion but I just had to let everyone know that they have, in my experience, one of the most professional, dedicated, and citizen centric (there’s another term that appears to be used loosely) group of elected and appointed professionals any corporation would be fortunate to call employees.
Wishing you continued success and best regards,
-Ramin
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