The City of Essex Junction will move into the next part of the Vision and Strategic Action Planning process this month. The City Council is inviting residents to provide feedback on the future of the City at a Community Meal and Open House on Saturday, January 27, 2024, at the Champlain Valley Expo Blue Ribbon Pavilion. This event will be aimed at gathering feedback for the Vision and Strategic Action Plan and providing information regarding the FY 25 Budget.
The first activity, scheduled from 9 AM to 11 AM, is an Open House for the Vision & Strategic Action Plan. This will be a come-and-go event where attendees will be able to contribute to the Strategic Action Plan in a variety of ways, such as reviewing Think-Tank results and helping the City identify and prioritize action items for the next five years.
The second activity, scheduled from 11 AM to 12:30 PM, is a Community Meal and Public Hearing on the FY 25 Budget. During this time, the City will host a free meal and provide information about the FY 25 Budget. Residents will also have the opportunity to offer feedback on the budget, learn more about City Committees, and meet community members.
The final activity, scheduled from 12:30 PM to 3 PM, is another Open House for the Vision & Strategic Action Plan and FY 25 Budget. This will be a come-and-go event where participants can provide feedback on the Strategic Action Plan and the FY 25 Budget.
Reservations for the Community Meal are requested but not required. For more information or to RSVP for the Community Meal, visit the Annual Meeting & Budget Overview page, use the following link https://bit.ly/CommunityMeal2024, or contact Ashley Snellenberger, Communications & Strategic Initiatives Director, at asnellenberger@essexjunction.org or 802-878-6944.
Following this event, focus groups will be held on January 29 and 30, and a second community survey will be held in February. The project will conclude with the Strategic Action Plan that will be presented to the City Council in February. Additional information on these events will be published on the Project Portal, City website, Facebook page, and Front Porch Forum.
The City of Essex Junction has also published the results from the Think Tank Workshops for the Vision & Strategic Action Plan Project. The Think Tank Report can be found here or on the Project Portal. During the Think Tank Workshops held on November 2 and 4, 2023, 40 participants were provided information on macro trends shaping the future of Essex Junction, identified 20 key drivers shaping the future of the City and rated the future impact of those drivers, developed four plausible scenarios of the future of Essex Junction, and identified expected and preferred futures for the City.
To learn more about the project or to sign up for emails about the project, visit the Project Portal or contact Ashley Snellenberger, Communications & Strategic Initiatives Director, at asnelenberger@essexjunction.org or 802-878-6944.