Kick Start Alma held its first public meeting on September 19th at the Alma community center. Over 60 people attended, including representatives from city government, local and state elected officials, Alma School District personnel, utility company representatives, the Alma Chamber, Alma Visionary Committee, Chaffee Crossing and the Western Arkansas Planning and Development District.
During the meeting, printed copies of the Community Development Institute (CDI) assessment report were made available. A summary of the report was also given. At this link you will find a shorter version that serves as an executive summary of the findings, and you will also find a more detailed report if you are interested in reviewing a more in-depth document.
The results of the community survey were also unveiled. Based on the survey results, five action teams are being formed to identify short and long term goals for the community. These action teams are: Arts and Culture, Job Creation, Downtown Revitalization, Beautification and Recreation, and Branding and Marketing.
The attached power point provides an overview of the assessment report,survey results, and action team descriptions.
During the meeting, the public voted on the core values that they believe should guide Kick Start Alma. The top three core values, as selected by the public, are:
– Being pro-active, with a can-do attitude
– Creativity, seeking breakthroughs that move us forward
– Serving as a catalyst that brings people together to make things happen
The next Kick Start Alma public meeting will be on October 23rd at 5:15 pm at the community center. At this meeting, the public will be asked to give input on each of the action team areas that are listed above. Individuals will also be able to sign up to serve on an action team.
Follow the Kick Start Alma Facebook page to keep up-to-date on upcoming meetings and information for the initiative at Facebook.com/kickstartalma