Volunteers needed for Elgin strategic plan committee

The City of Elgin needs four people from the community to round out its strategic plan advisory committee.

City Manager Sean Stegall gave a progress update to the city council Wednesday outlining recommendations for the new committee, which would be made up of seven representatives of existing boards and commissions and four “at large” members of the community.

Unlike the budget task force that had hard deadlines and specific, time-sensitive duties, the new committee will be in place for five years — the life of the strategic plan — and meet on an as-needed basis to give guidance.

“Think of it more as a focus group to help the city council and city staff as we move through this process,” Stegall said.

City council members decided on eight priorities for the strategic plan: economic development, enhancing the downtown, education, improving the city’s image, creating a diverse workforce, neighborhoods, community engagement and public safety.

At a council retreat in February members discussed creating several committees by topic, but Stegall recommended a single “committee of the whole” to cover all the areas.

One member from the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Cultural Arts Commission, Heritage Commission, Image Advisory Commission, Parks and Recreation Board, Planning and Zoning Commission and Sustainability Commission will be invited to participate.

For the extra spots, Councilwoman Tish Powell recommended bringing in someone younger than 25, a demographic she said has a different perspective than the one normally represented on city committees.

“That’s a perspective that’s important and I think we need to reach out to that segment of our population for their input,” Powell said.

Elgin resident Ina Dews implored council members to incorporate ethnic and income diversity into the new committee during the public comment section of the city council meeting.

“Fill it with who you want but remember there are all incomes in this town and everybody should have somebody to speak for them,” Dews said.

Staff members will be finalizing plans for the committee and posting information about how to apply in coming weeks at cityofelgin.org.