City's strategic plan formulating
City’s strategic plan formulating Ideas for growth of Garrison continue to come forth as strategic planning meetings progress. During the Oct. 14 meeting, specific ideas were presented in five separate focus sectors. Ideas prioritized include increasing the availability of moderate-priced housing and expanding the Garrison City Auditorium. Other ideas brought forth included getting younger people more involved in the community and adding motel rooms. Another idea written down was expanding the golf course to an 18-hole facility. An area participants said should be targeted is developing a better line of communication between various community entities such as the city, Chamber of Commerce, senior citizens and other local groups. Another idea contributed by participants in the Personal Security category was to retain a low crime rate in the city and maintain quality law enforcement to ensure a safer, friendlier Garrison. Bill Davis, community development-program coordinator with USDA Rural Development, said there’s a good feel … "but the door is open for more input." Input is sought in the Skills and Knowledge (education) sector as well as additional ideas for the other sectors, coordinators said. During the initial session five sectors or focus areas were determined. The sectors include Economic (economic development, recreation, tourism and population); Setting and Environment (infrastructure); Skills and Knowledge (education); Personal Security (medical services and housing), and Civic Participation (service to the community). The focus areas are somewhat similar to the key areas in the original strategic plan. Those areas included medical services, population, education, housing, infrastructure, economic development and tourism and recreation. The reason for establishing the first strategic plan was to enable the community to be considered for specific grants. The City of Garrison, with the assistance of Alisa Dahl, business and community program specialist with USDA Rural Development, is coordinating the strategic plan.
