From Jan. 15 to Feb. 15, Nevada residents had the opportunity to take a short survey and tell city leaders what they would like to see in Nevada’s future.
Now Nevada’s visioning committee would like to visit with residents, in person, about the information they’ve gathered.
On May 8, an open house is being held from 9 a.m.-noon at the Nevada Senior Center, 1231 6th St. (right next to City Hall).
“Folks should come and participate as this is the final time to really have input on what goes into the 2040 Vision plan,” said John Hall, executive director of the NEDC, which with the City of Nevada, is leading the new visioning effort that picks up right where the 2020 Vision left off.
“We had a very healthy response to the survey with a tremendous number of ideas, which is always great,” Hall said.
On May 8, residents will be able to walk around the Senior Center and look at the ideas, separated by theme, at several stations. Whether you participated in the survey or not, the open house is an opportunity for you to provide input to the Vision 2040 planning group.
“I think this [open house] provides another opportunity for us to learn from the public,” Hall said. “We want to know what’s missing in Nevada, what needs to be changed in Nevada, and what’s working so well that you never want it to change.”
Leaders involved in Vision 2040 will take the information they’ve received from both the surveys and the May 8 open house as they head into the final activity and then plan development.
“Later in May we will hold a series of ‘focus groups,’ really trying to hear from folks who were under-represented in the survey to ensure that their voice is heard,” Hall said. “After that, we move into the ‘plan development’ phase.”
The NEDC and City of Nevada have had help in the new visioning effort from the Institute for Decision Making (IDM) at the University of Northern Iowa. The IDM also assisted Nevada leaders when the 2020 Vision was developed. It’s worth noting that the new Fieldhouse project, coined SCORE Indoor, which enters its final phase of fundraising in the coming weeks, is the final project — the Capstone — of the 2020 Vision.
If seeing what’s being considered and sharing your ideas isn’t enough reason to come to the May 8 open house, how about enjoying fresh donuts and coffee. These breakfast items will be offered free to those who attend.
Hall hopes all residents, who want to share their thoughts on the future of the community, will show up on May 8. “We’ve had a very healthy response to the survey, and a tremendous number of ideas so far,” he said. While there will always be opportunities ahead to hear about projects, “in terms of large ideas, this is the last opportunity to have your voice heard.”
–Written by Marlys Barker, City of Nevada
