Strategic Plan Updates

Public Safety

• Downtown Police Officer: Improved from "Off Track" (0%) to "On Track" (50%).  Onboarding of new officers underway, with goal for assigned officer by year-end.
• Staffing Levels: Slight decrease in Fire Department minimum staffing levels (from 56% to 52%).

Compensation, Benefits, & Staff Development

• Living Wage: % of workforce above living wage increased from 74.5% to 77.1%.

Strong Infrastructure

• Street Cut Repairs: Slight decrease in cut repair efficiency from 74.7% of cuts repaired in 30 days last quarter to 71.7% repaired in 30 days this quarter.  Average time to repair is 13.18 days (up over last quarter's mark of 12.51 days to repair).  There was a 10% increase in the number of work orders submitted.
• City Hall Improvements: Slight progress in exterior improvements, with contracts going to bid soon.

Strategic Housing Plan

• Housing Plan % Complete: Increased from 37.5% to 63.7%.  Council workshop on October 22nd to consider plan details.  Also, staff are working on a comprehensive update to the public facing housing dashboard.

Growth Management & Community Character

• No significant changes to report.

Invest in Parks

• Above the Mud Grant: Project identified as project of merit in last funding round and will be re-submitted for next round of funding this winter.

Enhance Sustainability

• Tree Planting: Delays due to challenges securing a contractor, but funding and plans are in place.

Transportation Planning

• Issue a Transportation Bond: Presented final bond program and plan at the Sept. Workshop meeting.

City Boards & Volunteers

• Citizen's Academy: Progress made, with session outline and schedule formalized.

Support Downtown Businesses

• Incubator Space: Utilization increased, operating study underway.

Public Safety

• Downtown (Main and 7th) camera and security upgrades were completed in mid-August, before the Apple Festival and have already proven beneficial for our public safety initatives.

Compensation, Benefits, & Staff Development

• The percent of emlpoyees making greater than the living wage has risen by ~4%, due to the start of the year COLA.

Strong Infrastructure

• Numerous projects including Ashe St. neighborhood (water/sewer/paving) project, three master plans, and formally moving forward with issuing a general obligation bond for roads are nearing completion.
• We achieved our goal of five (5) water/sewer educational events for the year this past quarter.

Strategic Housing Plan

• Final committee meeting held on August 22nd, with the plan adoption to be heard and considered by City Council next quarter.

Growth Management & Community Character

• No Key Achievements to report for Q1 of FY26.

Invest in Parks

• Sullivan Park basketball courts were resurfaced, conceptual designs for Patton and Whitmire were presented, and all 20 bike racks have been installed.

Enhance Sustainability Citywide

• No Key Achievements to report for Q1 of FY26.

Transportation Planning

• Grant awarded to update the City's Bike Plan in 2026.

City Boards & Volunteers

• No Key Achievements to report for Q1 of FY26.

Support Downtown Businesses

• No Key Achievements to report for Q1 of FY26.