On Saturday, July 22, the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, Commissioners, and Administrator of the City of Adrian met to establish a strategic direction for the City. The process began with reviewing the state of the City and a SWOC Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Challenges). The group developed a shared vision for the City and identified three major strategic goal areas. The Department Heads joined them, and the combined group refined the goal areas based on the Commission's strategic vision and identified key objectives and one-year tasks for each goal area.
In 2028, a visitor touring the City of Adrian will see the following:
• A fully functioning and vibrant downtown; storefronts are filled and open for longer hours.
• There is access to affordable, fresh groceries for all City residents.
• There is a full-time Marketing and Communications Manager and a staff person dedicated to economic development and grant writing.
• A comprehensive transportation system is available in the City.
• A safe city with reduced crime.
• A further reduction in blight, both residential and commercial; blighted buildings downtown are turned into green space or redeveloped.
• A thriving housing stock.
• New opportunities in our parks.
• A fully functioning recreation program.
• Continue to grow the arts.
• Corporations and businesses are choosing Adrian.
• People choosing to live in Adrian.
• Citizens are educated regarding City government.
• More bilingual City staff.
• A positive attitude towards City staff and City services.
• Master Main Street status.
• Vibrant Downtown – elevated Mainstreet status (Master level).
• An active marketing program.
• Access to affordable, fresh groceries for all City residents.
• Making the City attractive to both businesses and people.
• Further reduction of blight.
• Implement the revolving loan fund. (Community Development) ☑️TASK COMPLETE & CONTINUING
• Begin the implementation of the Main Street strategic plan. (Main Street/DDA) ☑️TASK COMPLETE & CONTINUING
• Continue strong support for downtown businesses. (Main Street/DDA) ☑️TASK COMPLETE & CONTINUING
• Reestablish the City’s Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. (Mayor, Administration) ☑️TASK COMPLETE & CONTINUING
• Adopt a new, leaner Zoning Ordinance; clearly define the rules for development and processes. (Planning Commission, Community Development)
• Develop a job description for an economic development and grant writing position; classify and budget for the same. (Explore contractual options.) (Community Development) ☑️TASK COMPLETE & CONTINUING
•Improved housing availability.
• An active arts scene.
• Reduce the impacts of unhoused homelessness within the City.
• Reduced crime.
o Serve high-risk warrants
o Pivot current personnel
o Public engagement software
• Enhance Code Enforcement; develop a hierarchy of enforcement issues. (Community Development) ☑️TASK COMPLETE & CONTINUING
• Adopt an authorizing ordinance for residential PILOT plans. (City Attorney, Administration)
• Get the mural project going; partner with the current art programs. (Main Street/DDA) ☑️TASK COMPLETE & CONTINUING
• Form a task force for park issues. (Parks) ☑️TASK COMPLETE & CONTINUING
• Police Department to deploy license plate readers and train six new hires. (Police) ☑️TASK COMPLETE & CONTINUING
• More Bilingual staff.
• Create a full-time Communications /Marketing position to develop an active citizen communication and education program.
• Improve the lighting City-wide as needed for safety purposes.
• Develop a viable transportation system.
• Develop a job description for a communications/marketing position; classify and budget for the same. What would this person do? (HR, Administration) REVISED TASK - Develop a Marketing & Communications Plan
o DEI?
o HRC?
o Branding?
o Social media
o Website
o Calendar of events
o Surveys
o Townhalls
o Translation services
o Mailings and notices
o Contracting a marketing firm?
• Research bilingual educational opportunities for the current staff. (HR, Administration) ☑️TASK COMPLETE & CONTINUING
• Review and assess the Community Academy and plan for the future. (City Commission) ☑️TASK COMPLETE & CONTINUING
• Develop an enhanced reporting of burned-out street lights and a marketing campaign to explain the process. (Engineering)
• Request a current plan for future growth of transportation from the transportation authority. (Administration, Finance) ☑️TASK COMPLETE & CONTINUING
• Research how to attract Uber/Lyft, etc. (Administration, Main Street/DDA, Community Development)
o Survey for demand.
o Survey college students for the demand.
A. After formal adoption, the Commissioners will:
• Hold monthly discussions regarding some elements of this strategic plan.
• Six to seven months after adopting the plan, the Commissioners and department heads will review and revise the strategic plan and the one-year tasks as appropriate.
• Twelve to thirteen months after formal adoption, the Commission and staff will review and revise the plan and identify the one-year tasks for 2024/2025.
B. Future decisions by the Commissioners should be reviewed in light of the strategic plan.