KINGMAN – The Kingman City Council is adding to its busy fall schedule. With at least five meetings scheduled in Sept. and Oct., the council has decided to add a Town Hall and a retreat to expand internal and external engagement for brainstorming.
During its regular Aug. 20 meeting the Council directed staff to coordinate planning for a community Town Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 8. Councilor Jamie Scott Stehly proposed a community survey to allow citizens to choose the topics.
“That way there’s buy-in, and we’re having a Town Hall on what the citizens feel are the most important items,” Stehly said.
“I support that,” said Vice Mayor Cherish Sammeli. “If we’re going to invite the public and the public’s going to come, they’re going to want to talk about the topics that are important to them.”
City Manager Tim Walsh said potential Town Hall topics include streets, water line repairs, interchanges, airport land release, annexation, sustainable revenue sources, crime, business growth, homelessness, code enforcement and senior services.
Residents can look to the City’s website or Facebook page for opportunity to participate in the topic survey, with an Aug. 30 submission deadline. Council and staff will ultimately select one or more topics and the location and start time for the Town Hall will be determined later, with future Town Halls addressing topical leftovers.
Walsh said it’s important for city officials to have the Town Hall input in advance of the Council fall retreat which is being scheduled for Nov. 7, two days after the general election. Walsh said potential retreat matters could include, but are by no means limited to, annexation, potential municipal ambulance service involvement, police and fire facilities and public transit service routes.
Stehly suggested that council members direct their issue preferences for the retreat back through Walsh.
“In our discussions we can probably figure out what can be handled in a regular meeting or what needs to be a workshop on its own, or what priorities we can do (address) at our retreat.”
Dave Hawkins
