The Vision Thing

President George H.W. Bush was famously lampooned for failing to express a coherent theme for his presidency, describing it as “The Vision Thing.”  I hope that I don’t ever fall into that trap.

The city council will be sitting down this Tuesday in a work session dedicated to strategic planning.  This will be just one part of working our way through updating the strategic plan for the city.  Another part will be soliciting public input as part of this process.

What is strategic planning?  I believe that it is putting down onto paper what we want to see our city evolve into over the coming years.  A dream for our community that can only come true if we think it through enough to be able to commit it to paper.  In a very real way, it is addressing “The Vision Thing” and turning that vision into reality.

My NPR Notes blog serves to let you know what I’m thinking.  More importantly, the act of sitting at the keyboard and writing this blog forces me to think through my vision of what New Port Richey can become and what steps we need to take to get from here to there.   The feedback I get from you is absolutely the icing on the cake.  I’m encouraged by how many of you have let me know here or in person that you like the direction we’re headed in and who offer suggestions on how to move forward.

Tuesday’s strategic planning workshop will provide the members of the city council with an opportunity to compare notes on where we want the city to go.  Florida’s Sunshine rules prevent us from doing this outside of a public meeting.  I’m looking forward to hearing from my fellow council members and members of the public who are able to make the 3pm meeting.  There will be more opportunities to share your ideas with us, so it isn’t critical that you drop everything to be there on Tuesday.

If you are interested in a less formal setting to let us know what you want to see the council concentrating on, talk to us individually.  As I mentioned last week, it is not unusual for me to drop by the Bank & Main Cafe on Sunday mornings after the 8:30 service gets out.  I’m happy to chat with folks about New Port Richey over a cup of coffee.  I’m usually there by 8:40am.  I do have to get away from there just before 10:30 so I can get settled in at the sound board again for the 11:00am service.

Are you interested in literally cleaning up New Port Richey?  You’ll have an opportunity this weekend.  We’ll be collecting stuff at the Francis Avenue Park and at the old church on South River Road.  You can find more info here:  http://www.cityofnewportrichey.org/index.aspx?nid=454

There will be a Father’s Day pool party at the Rec. Center and Jazz in the park Saturday evening.  I’m looking forward to the concert at Sims Park.  I hope to see you there.

Rob Marlowe, Mayor