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Home My WebLink AboutInitiatives/Goals INITIATIVES/GOALS The City of St Joseph is dedicated to creating, preserving and improving the quality of life for all.  We will provide essential services and fun for our community  We will strive to provide responsive customer service that exceeds expectations.  We will generate new ideas and continually seek more efficient ways of doing things.  We will continue to improve upon communication with community partners, with shared goals.  We will make decisions that preserve and protect the environment to the highest degree.  We will practice prudent fiscal management  We will treat everyone with a high level of courtesy and dignity.  We will seek a team approach in our work and do it with a sense of enjoyment.  We will seek out all sides of issues and encourage participation from all segments of the community.  We will represent citizens, businesses and the city with pride and enthusiasm. 1.Create a “Sense of Place” One essential element in downtown revitalization is giving Main Street a “Sense of Place.” Dr. Kent Robertson, the late community development expert from St. Cloud State University, identified seven key elements that are essential in giving a downtown a “sense of place.” These are:  Distinctiveness from other commercial settings  Multifunctional [Multiple destinations in one compact place, (park/services/housing/dining)  Pedestrian Friendly (walkability, curb cuts, pedestrian short cuts, benches, kiosks…)  Compactness, safety, & design are key elements  Unique Heritage (visibility to Historical Society with upgrade/update)  Human activity – people are present!  People are encouraged to linger [Area is safe / things to see & do / places to sit / pavilion]  Community ownership Identify and develop a long-range plan for downtown St Joseph. The goal of the plan is to maintain the small town charm of the downtown while at the same time providing a shopping and business environment that is appealing to a diverse group of people. A number of specific initiatives have been identified and are already in planning, such as:  Downtown parking  People friendly walkways  Minnesota Street Gateway  City Streetscape  Downtown Pavilion  Alley improvements  Senior Housing(?) 2.Community Engagement – continue methods for community involvement strategies and activities. Earning Trust and Credibility •Create Opportunities to generate new ideas •Meetings and informational mailings to keep the community updated on city activities •Formal or informal community groups to discuss issues. •Public comment periods to enable community input on specific or any issue. Media Support •Engage All local Media for city meetings, notes, publications…etc. (Newsleader, Times, Record, WJON, KNSI…etc) •Define preferred communication channels our target audiences use for maximum impact. •Develop more social media communications (open source communication) 3.Other… Implement ease-of-use technology in the area of data and data practices (access) Downtown complementary businesses – A sustained, permanent funding commitment to park AND RECREATION Recreation programming for youth, (skateboard park, easier access to Frisbee Golf…etc) [Including related community facilities and events.]