HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-03-07 City Council Work Session AgendaPUBLIC NOTICE
WORK SESSION
On Monday, March 7, 2022, at 5 P. M. the Aiken City Council will hold a work
session to receive a summary report from Irene Tyson, the Facilitator of Council’s
New Horizons Retreat, with recommendations. The meeting will be held in the
Council Chambers.
Executive Session Notice
On Monday, March 7, 2022, an executive session will be held after the 5 P.M.
Work Session in Room 204 of the Municipal Building at 214 Park Avenue SW.
City Council will go into Executive Session pursuant to Section 30-4-70(a)(2) to
discuss negotiations incident to a proposed contractual arrangement with a third
party. Specifically, City Council will discuss a proposed contractual arrangement
with a third party.
Page 1 of 5
Aiken City Council Work Session
Agenda
March 7, 2022
5:00 P.M. City Council Work Session – Executive Session After
Work Session
Page 2 of 5
THE CITY OF AIKEN
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION AGENDA
MARCH 7, 2022
5 P.M.
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. PRESENTATIONS:
(1) New Horizons Path Forward.
EXECUTIVE SESSION:
Page 3 of 5
THE CITY OF AIKEN
Memorandum
Date: 07 Mar 2022
To: City Council
From: Stuart T. Bedenbaugh, City Manager
Subject: New Horizons Path Forward.
On January 27, we held our New Horizons Planning retreat as we prepare to finish out FY 2021-
22 and prepare for FY 2022-23. Irene Tyson of the Boudreaux Group facilitated our session and
is back this afternoon with a summary and recommended steps forward and will seek to close out
this exercise seeking some additional comments and feedback from you.
Once the work session is completed, we will go into Executive Session to discuss several
elements of our downtown project.
Stuart T. Bedenbaugh
City Manager
AGENDA ITEM #(1)
New Horizons Path Forward.Page 4 of 5
AIKEN CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT: SUMMARY STRATEGIES
January 26 , 2022
2021 Strategic Economic Development
Action Plan:
Key Issues
• Attract and Retain Diverse Residents
• Identify Target Areas for Investment
(Growth and Deve lopment)
• Leverage Catalytic Investments and
Burgeoning Industry Clusters w ithin the
Reg ion
• Create Room to Grow
• Leverage Aiken 's Equestrian Heritage
• Enhance Aiken 's Gateways
To Dos
• Defi ne what "cultu re" mean s in Ai ken and who
be nefi t s, the n commun icate t hi s to bu il d support
for the pen ny sales tax fo r arts and cultu re .
• Define what it means to be a "prem iere city"
Aiken style , then pu rs ue th is status .
• Identify Council Champ ions and Staff Shepherds
fo r each Big, Bold Idea .
• Establi sh St rateg ic Plan Updates as a pe rmanent
City Council Meetings agenda item .
• Establ ish t i meframe and benchmarks fo r
imp lementation.
Big, Bold Ideas
• With partners, build and support homeless shelter
that is a one-stop, welcoming place to begin new lives .
• Penny sales tax for arts and culture .
• Downtown is a fun inviting, safe place for youth and
students.
• Entire City, its places and assets , are connected by
dedicated and protected multi-use greenways . "Get
everywhere from anywhere ."
• Develop 2,500-acre reservoir into nature-based park
that will become regional/southeastern destination .
■ Create and host an annual two-week Celebration of
the Horse event.
■ City invests in comprehensive, city-wide master plan
that incorporates all big, bold ideas: illustrate the big,
bold vision of the future.
■ Build a Performing Arts venue with seating for 800-
1,500.
• Expand Generations Park with more diverse uses and
connect with greenway to Shaw Creek (with botanical
gardens) and Brunswick tract to the Reservoir.
Purpose of the Big, Bold Ideas
• Promote growth and economic vitality
■ Inspire a better quality of life
■ Increase tax revenues
• Capitalize and leverage these strategic
planning efforts
• Make Aiken a first-choice town .
• Ensure Aiken is a creative and
innovative city.
■ Create excitement for residents, not
just fixing potholes.
■ Create community where children stay
because there are jobs, culture and
quality of life.
• Creates a continuum of life .
• Provide bold, achievable pathways for
implementing the 2021 Strategic
Economic Development Action Plan
Recommendations . AG
E
N
D
A
I
T
E
M
#
(
1
)
Ne
w
H
o
r
i
z
o
n
s
P
a
t
h
F
o
r
w
a
r
d
.
Pa
g
e
5
o
f
5