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Vision 2020: Improving the Quality of Life
By Laura Bacon, NT Staff Writer
A group of area residents gathered on Thursday night at the Cass County Community Center to do some brainstorming during the first of six follow up meetings, part of the “Vision 2020, Atlantic’s Plan for the Future,” and pulled together ideas and possible goals related to Quality of Life issues.
The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce and Cass/Atlantic Development Corporation (CADCO) co-sponsored the Vision 2020 project, which will look at where Atlantic should be, how planners want to get there, who is going to help get Atlantic there and how to measure that progress.
Over 20 people attended the two-hour meeting, which was moderated by John McCurdy of the Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO). He explained that each of the six follow up meetings would follow basically the same format.
Participants were asked to brainstorm what factors influenced quality of life in Atlantic.
They also had to look at Atlantic’s strengths and weaknesses as well as the city’s opportunities and threats, and then were asked to brainstorm as groups, looking for ways to remedy the weaknesses they had identified.
McCurdy asked each group to list important goals they thought would remedy those weaknesses discussed the different ideas and spent some time identifying the possible groups or individuals who might be responsible for making sure those goals were achieved.
The group listed a number of factors as contributing to the quality of life in Atlantic including: low traffic, low crime rates, a variety of recreational opportunities, good schools, access to medical services, high speed internet, an improved airport, good public facilities like the Community Center and the YMCA, golf courses, access to government services, proximity to the interstate, a sense of community/belonging, and proximity to larger metropolitan areas.
Most of those items were also identified as Atlantic’s strengths, including schools from elementary to IWCC, medical and public facilities and low crime rates, but the groups also included the area parks, library, local media outlets, festivals and activities, beautiful downtown areas and even having a developer in the area as additional strengths.
Among the weaknesses listed were: a tight job market, a need for more industry, limited affordable housing for low and moderate income families, a lack of quality rental properties, not enough hotel rooms, few art and cultural opportunities because of a lack of an arts council and arts center, a lack of adult daycare facilities, a lack of things to do for young people from teens to those in their 20’s and 30’s, a general opposition to new ideas, and some political issues including a city council that was rarely in agreement.
The group listed a variety of opportunities that could help Atlantic achieve its goals including the planned ethanol plant, biodiesel or other alternative energy production, the new Schildberg Quarry park, increasing tourism opportunities with tours and packages, adding hunting opportunities, and attempting to attract people to Atlantic based on its quality of life. Threats or obstacles included things like low paying employment, the overall rural demographics of the area and competition between area towns.
Groups then identified some goals, and listed the following ideas: recruitment of white collar employers, increasing telecommunications employment opportunities, adding quality homes in the $120,000-$200,000 price range, increasing outdoor recreation opportunities like hunting or tours, adding available hotel space, creating an arts council and an art center.
The groups then considered which groups, individuals or organizations might be responsible for attaining those goals and measuring progress on them.
“Then we’ll take this information,” McCurdy said, “and make a summary of what we came up with tonight.” He said the information would be collected from this and the other five meetings, and compiled into a draft plan to be presented next summer.
The following five meetings will be held at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce office from: Small Business - Feb. 22; Industry - Feb. 28; Infrastructure - March 15; Government/Non-Profit - March 22; Finance/Development - March 29. All meetings are planned to be two hours long, from 7-9 p.m. Those interested in attending may show up or contact McCurdy at 712-243-4196, or the chamber at 243-3017.
The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce and Cass/Atlantic Development Corporation (CADCO) co-sponsored the Vision 2020 project, which will look at where Atlantic should be, how planners want to get there, who is going to help get Atlantic there and how to measure that progress.
Over 20 people attended the two-hour meeting, which was moderated by John McCurdy of the Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO). He explained that each of the six follow up meetings would follow basically the same format.
Participants were asked to brainstorm what factors influenced quality of life in Atlantic.
They also had to look at Atlantic’s strengths and weaknesses as well as the city’s opportunities and threats, and then were asked to brainstorm as groups, looking for ways to remedy the weaknesses they had identified.
McCurdy asked each group to list important goals they thought would remedy those weaknesses discussed the different ideas and spent some time identifying the possible groups or individuals who might be responsible for making sure those goals were achieved.
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Most of those items were also identified as Atlantic’s strengths, including schools from elementary to IWCC, medical and public facilities and low crime rates, but the groups also included the area parks, library, local media outlets, festivals and activities, beautiful downtown areas and even having a developer in the area as additional strengths.
Among the weaknesses listed were: a tight job market, a need for more industry, limited affordable housing for low and moderate income families, a lack of quality rental properties, not enough hotel rooms, few art and cultural opportunities because of a lack of an arts council and arts center, a lack of adult daycare facilities, a lack of things to do for young people from teens to those in their 20’s and 30’s, a general opposition to new ideas, and some political issues including a city council that was rarely in agreement.
The group listed a variety of opportunities that could help Atlantic achieve its goals including the planned ethanol plant, biodiesel or other alternative energy production, the new Schildberg Quarry park, increasing tourism opportunities with tours and packages, adding hunting opportunities, and attempting to attract people to Atlantic based on its quality of life. Threats or obstacles included things like low paying employment, the overall rural demographics of the area and competition between area towns.
Groups then identified some goals, and listed the following ideas: recruitment of white collar employers, increasing telecommunications employment opportunities, adding quality homes in the $120,000-$200,000 price range, increasing outdoor recreation opportunities like hunting or tours, adding available hotel space, creating an arts council and an art center.
The groups then considered which groups, individuals or organizations might be responsible for attaining those goals and measuring progress on them.
“Then we’ll take this information,” McCurdy said, “and make a summary of what we came up with tonight.” He said the information would be collected from this and the other five meetings, and compiled into a draft plan to be presented next summer.
The following five meetings will be held at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce office from: Small Business - Feb. 22; Industry - Feb. 28; Infrastructure - March 15; Government/Non-Profit - March 22; Finance/Development - March 29. All meetings are planned to be two hours long, from 7-9 p.m. Those interested in attending may show up or contact McCurdy at 712-243-4196, or the chamber at 243-3017.
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| Anita/C & M Joint Board Meeting scheduled for Wednesday |
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