Two weeks ago, we looked back on the goals set for the community in 2022 and what had been accomplished.
Here’s our hopes for what gets tackled in the communities in the coming year.
Childcare solutions discussions continueIt was an issue that was rumbled about before the pandemic hit, but only made worse in recent years with several day care providers retiring or closing doors. Mount Vernon and Lisbon are known as childcare deserts. The League of Women Voters of Linn County Mount Vernon and Lisbon chapter have pushed to have conversations happen, and Mount Vernon city council member Stephanie West and Southeast Linn Community Center director Nicole McAlexander have been leading further discussions with subcommittees on the issue. It’s a multipronged issue whose solutions might take more than a year to address, but it is something that is going to remain an issue in the community and will take work from multiple partners to come to a solution.
Construction on
CTE wing at Lisbon Discussion over the past year has ironed out details and made changes to address concerns of stakeholders. With multiple parties now in agreement, the building is getting ready to take next steps and potential bids in late winter/early spring 2023. Lisbon Schools continually is doing what they can to make fiscally prudent decisions when it comes to construction projects, and this project has shown that effort continues, with the board working to communicate with Emergent as to which elements they think might be better to bid out separately for more favorable bids.
Traffic flow at
Mount Vernon Schools Speaking of construction, work is ongoing on the Mustangs Activity Complex, with a groundbreaking held this fall. With winter finally arriving, work may be done for the winter, but it will be nice to see that activities complex constructed and completed next to the Mount Vernon schools building. We know the first year is going to be an adjustment with that new facility up and running, but reviewing activities calendars and having a plan on how increased traffic flow to the location as more popular events occur should be a priority. The return of the elementary holiday concert and traffic into the building’s adjacent parking lots made for a very hectic night of traffic. Beginning planning for these new draws of increased traffic to the west portion of the city is a discussion that needs to continue.
Water radio meter
read for Mount VernonThis is a project that may take more than one fiscal year to complete, but would benefit the citizens in this community by freeing up public works staff to tackle additional projects. Additionally, water radio meter reads can capture data of leaks much earlier and allow for repairs to be properly made and mitigate expensive water bills. It’s one of the CIP projects that has shuffled forward for the city a number of times and one that Lisbon has completed.
What are some of your hopes and goals for the community in the coming years?