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PRIORITY ISSUE: Launch Neighborhood Initiative <br />Contact: Kurt Corey, Executive Director, Public Works, 682-5241 <br />Roland Hoskins, Staff Lead, 682-8421 <br />Reporting period: October -December 2005 <br />The focus of the Launch Neighborhood Initiative priority issue action plan is on creating and <br />sustaining Strang Neighborhoods, with an emphasis on building partnerships motivated to <br />collaboratively problem-solve and develop solutions that benefit a broad representation of the <br />community. <br />The plan is focused on the following three objectives: <br />Enhance effective public engagement activities; <br />• Support neighborhood involvement by empowering all neighborhood associations in <br />problem-solving; and <br />Focus service delivery to better meet neighborhood-identified priorities. <br />The City has a long history of working with the neighborhood associations. This action plan is <br />intended to build on that history, and to encourage change and growth to achieve a vision of <br />collaborative partnership. <br />OUTCOMES <br />Increase public involvement and engagement processes related to neighborhoods. <br />Improve the quality of life on a neighborhood basis. <br />Improve the neighborhood associations, leadership and participation. <br />PROGRESS SINCE LAST REPORT <br />The City Council adopted the plan on November 23, 2005. <br />The Planning and Development Division submitted a budget decision package as a <br />placeholder to request money and resources to implement the plan. <br />Executive Directors Kurt Corey and Susan Muir attended a special Neighborhood Leaders <br />Council meeting to discuss the current neighborhood initiative plan and their role in its <br />refinement and implementation. <br />• Staff will work with the neighborhood leaders to develop a process to involve the <br />neighborhood associations and additional stakeholders to enhance and prioritize the action <br />plan. <br />CHAT.T.FNGES <br />The priority issue faces a few major challenges. The first is related to the timing of the council <br />adoption of the action plan in relation to the budget process. Except for the Neighborhood <br />Summit, all items in the adopted action plan require additional resources. Therefore, the <br />implementation priorities will depend on what is funded in future budget decision packages. <br />Secondly, the City Council wanted to review and adopt the conceptual plan prior to the public <br />involvement phase with the understanding that substantial public involvement would follow. Some <br />neighborhood leaders have expressed concern about delaying community input. Now that the <br />action plan is approved, staff will work with neighborhood leaders to develop an intentional and <br />equitable process to gather input from the neighborhood associations and members of the <br />-1- <br />