By Cecilia Nasmith
The Town of Cobourg is seeking residents' feedback on its draft 2018-2022 Strategic Plan to ensure community priorities and themes are incorporate and emerging issues, ideas and opportunities are addressed.
The town's press release explained that, with each new council term, a new Strategic Plan is set. It consists of objectives, strategic actions and desired outcomes that will help guide the municipality and set out its vision for that term. It acts as a road map for council member and staff to determine how best to provide the services and leadership that will help Cobourg thrive.
In February, councillors participated in an extensive and exhaustive two-day planning session with consultant Carolyn Kearns in developing this draft plan. The next step is a public-engagement plan to collect feedback.
“I am very pleased with the on-going level of community engagement and involvement shown to date, including our new 2018-2022 Strategic Plan,” Mayor John Henderson stated in the press release.
“Your feedback is important to us, and will help shape and improve municipal programs and services.”
The draft plan, as well as a summary of comments that emerged from the two-day working session, are available on the town's website on the Council's Strategic Plan webpage.
The communications department has put together a strategic communications and engagement plan designed to inform and engage citizens on decisions that affect their lives. Residents are encouraged to visit the Strategic Plan webpage and to take advantage of the engagement opportunities being offered.
The feedback form can be fund on-line, and can be returned through the April 5 deadline. It is an opporutnity to provide perspectives and ideas on community priorities and themes, feedback on current projects and priorities, insight into barriers and challenges, and other emerging issues, ideas and opportunities,
This feedback will be included in a staff report that will be presented at 5 p.m. April 8 at a public meeting in the Victoria Hall council chambers (third floor east at 55 King St. W.), and this is also open to the public – as are the other council meetings at which it will be discussed further – a committee-of-the-whole meeting April 23 and a regular-council meeting April 29, both at 6 p.m.
