Boaz needs community’s help for comprehensive plan
As it puts together the city’s first comprehensive plan since 1975, Boaz is asking for the community’s help.
In the final phase of the Alabama Communities of Excellence (ACE) program, the City of Boaz is working with Kelley Group and KSP Group, Inc. to draw up a comprehensive plan that would give its citizens “hope and opportunity,” Boaz Mayor David Dyar said.
“This will give us a direction and vision to move our city forward and help improve the quality of life,” Dyar said.
Part of the process includes getting input from as many people as possible, and Dyar said that includes everyone. At a recent Boaz City Council meeting, Dyar encouraged the community’s minority groups to get involved as well.
“They are part of our community too,” Dyar said. “We don’t want to leave anyone out of this. The more input we get, the better plan we’ll have. It’s very important that we do our part to help make this city be the best that it can be.
“To be a comprehensive plan, this has to include everyone,” he continued. “Our goal isn’t to create a plan that only suits the majority of our citizens’ needs, but all of our citizens’ needs.”
Jill Bright, Boaz’s city clerk and person spearheading the operation, said she is hopeful to see hundreds participate.
“This is basically setting goals for the future,” Bright said. “With more input from everyone, the better the plan will be. We’ll know what citizens want and where they want to see Boaz go.”
The plan will also hold the Boaz City Council and other leaders accountable.
“If more people participate, that will let us know citizens want the city to be, but also what the citizens can expect from the city too,” Bright said.
With the culmination of a comprehensive taking nearly one year’s time to complete, Bright said the city would host multiple meetings to reel in the community’s thoughts and concerns about the future of Boaz. There is an online survey posted to the city’s website at cityofboaz.org and shared on the city’s Facebook page for people to complete, she said. There are also plans to get the city’s school system involved.
“Our committee recently had for a kick off meeting and went over strategies to get everyone involved,” she said. “We talked about everything from getting something in the paper to possibly getting an advertisement on an electronic billboard. We’re going to push it as hard as we can.”
To learn more about the comprehensive plan or share thoughts with Boaz’s city leaders, contact city hall at 256-593-8105.