Since that time council members have individually critiqued the 70-page report to enter suggested changes.
Residents gave Pennington responses on what they want the community to look, feel and act like in the year 2030. It lists the city’s strengths and barriers to achieving success.
The report prioritized 12 goals - each broken down into sub categories of supporting objectives.
They are community development and revitalization, preserving and enhancing the partnership with Fort Hood, safety and security, financial stability, efficient and effective transportation systems, promoting a positive image, diversity of community, economic development, infrastructure, recruiting and maintaining a workforce and leadership in the Central Texas region.
Mayor Tim Hancock of Killeen said the draft is only a suggested plan and doesn’t have to be adopted by the council as written.
“The council can accept any part of it, change portions of it and leave items out,” Hancock said. “It’s only a suggested plan at this point.”
He said if anything in the final plan has a cost associated for the current year, the council could discuss where to get the funds during the midyear budget adjustments. He said it could also postpone an item to begin during the next fiscal year.
“We’re not bound to do any of it,” he said.
Council member Otis Evans said it’s a living, dynamic document.
“We’ll make adjustments and change priorities,” Evans said. “It’s meant to give you guidance in the grand scheme of things to get you where you want to go. We’ll manipulate it periodically as we identify the things we want to do to keep the ship on course.”
Evans said anything monetary could be pushed out to the next year as a starting point. Budget meetings for 2008-09 would include discussions for the priorities they ultimately choose, he said.
Council member Juan Rivera said he would prefer to see the top three priorities as quality of family life, development of light industry and public safety.
“Unless we bring industry into Killeen, we won’t be able to stand on our own two feet by 2030,” Rivera said.
He said military members moving to Killeen first ask what Killeen has to offer in family recreation and amenities, the types of good paying jobs for spouses and how safe the city is for families.
“Young graduates won’t stay here unless there are better paying jobs like light industry can afford,” he said.
Killeen last updated its strategic plan in 2002, said City Manager Connie Green. In June 2006 the council agreed to a 2007 update. Requests for proposals were issued October 2006.
hclark@temple-telegram.com
