BARTLESVILLE, Okla. — The city of Bartlesville is looking to its residents to determine its future.
Citizens are getting the chance to voice their opinion on where the city is going for the next several years.
“What is on people’s minds as far as what should be in the area and what needs to grow here?" said Bartlesville resident Adrienne Kallweit.
Those are some of the questions Bartlesville residents looked to answer Monday night. Kallweit is one of the multiple citizens who attendd a strategic plan meeting. She and her family moved to the area about a year ago for better schools.
“We absolutely been blown away by this community," Kallweit said. "We’re in love with it. There’s so much to do here, so much growing. And a lot of great forward-thinking people here.”
Those at the strategic plan meeting discussed what they like and don’t like about Bartlesville and where they want to see it go in the future. They talked about areas such as attracting more people, increasing housing options and getting better access to healthcare.
It’s the first time the city is getting public input like this for a strategic plan.
“As staff, there’s plenty of things we can react to during the day," said Bartlesville City Manager Mike Bailey. "We don’t spend a lot of time planning for the future. And so when you can set aside that time, be intentional about it, it really helps to kind of shape the organization .”
Bailey said getting this input will help shape the future of the city over the next three to five years. Bartlesville is growing in nearly every way from population to jobs to retail and housing development.
"It’s critical," Bailey said. "Our community is a great community. It always has been. But it’s different than it was in the past. And so this is really just a great time to kind of refresh that and see what we are now and what we want to be when we grow up.”
Business and city leaders are also weighing in on the strategic plan. It will take about three months to put the plan together. The goal is to present it in July.
Another meeting will be held Tuesday, March 29 at 2:30 p.m. at the Bartlesville Community Center. An online survey will also be available to residents starting in April.
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