Whew, these days it appears that new construction is around every corner in Meridian. From ‘The Village at Meridian’ to Scentsy’s corporate campus, to new homes and expanded roadways built throughout our community, the landscape of our beloved City is ever changing.
Meridian has changed from a dairy community, 'back in the day’, to a thriving full-service economic center. You can still see the strong roots to our past - just drive down Eagle Road. On one side of the roadway you see lush farmland but just yards away there is a construction site with new commercial buildings going up. Often I have residents ask me what is the new building going up ‘here’ or being built over ‘there’. In most cases the projects were approved years before construction began.
As construction activity continues to pick up in our community, we want to make everyone understands how the development process works from the beginning to the end. We will discuss this subject in detail at this week’s Town Hall Meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, July 24th, at 6:30 p.m. at the Challenger School located at 2020 West Everest Lane in north Meridian.
The development process can be confusing for those who are not familiar with it. But understanding this process gives you the ability to get involved and comment and influence the look and feel of Meridian. It is especially important for homeowners to take notice of the “Public Hearing Notice” signs on property which helps notify the community that change could be coming in the future. By understanding the process you’ll know how to find out about any large construction projects in your area and how and when you can get involved.
In addition to learning about the development process, we also wanted to let you know about projects planned in the northwest section of Meridian. Projects include the Wal-Mart moving forward on the corner of McMillan and Ten Mile Roads, the future Latter Day Saint Temple, the 50 acre Aldape Park along the Boise River in Meridian, residential subdivisions and so much more. Along with development, there are also transportation improvements that are coming to the area which will be highlighted. This Town Hall Meeting will be a great opportunity for residents to ask questions about what is coming to our community and how to be ‘in the know’ on future projects.
This is an exciting time in Meridian as the landscape continues to change. I urge you to come out this Wednesday for an opportunity to learn about the process of change and how to become involved in it.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Monday, July 8, 2013
It's Your Money - Get Involved with the City's Budget Process
There is a famous proverb that reads, "It takes a village to raise a family." The same holds true in local government - it takes an entire community to make Meridian the wonderful, unique place we all love to call home. Whether you realize it or not, you are so important to everything our City does. Our citizens’ engagement and input has helped shape us into the vibrant community we are today.
The City is focused on our citizens and our service to you. We work hard to make sure you live in a safe community where police and firefighters are just a call away, a community where you are never far from wonderful parks, open space and pathways, and a City with a thriving economy. While our City Council members are elected to make the decisions which impact us all, the City wants - and needs - your input when it has important decisions to make.
An important part of what we do to provide services is done through our extensive budget process. We begin preparation in February where Finance and I, along with the specific City Council liaison, where we scrutinize each department's budget line by line, looking at budget performance, under/over variances, asset maintenance and replacement, how programs are meeting strategic goals and associated ROI. Budget enhancements are then considered relating to needs versus wants and to the City's five year capital improvement plan. Our Senior Management Team then presents their respective budget which is then discussed and the budget balanced. The 'Mayors Budget' is then given to the City Council several weeks prior to the budget workshops for their review and eventual adoption.
This week, each department director will go before the City Council to present their budgets and proposed enhancements for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts on October 1, 2013. These budget workshops, held on July 9 and 10, are the community’s first chance to hear where money may be allocated and what projects the City wants to fund. With this information City Council will be setting the budget for the 2014 fiscal year, a process that will be finalized during the August 20th meeting where public testimony will be taken.
We firmly believe it is important that the public is involved in the budget process. At the end of the day, this is your money! The budget helps guide the projects the City will deliver over the coming year. If you can’t attend these meetings, we will stream them live and post the video on our website at meridiancity.org/videos. If you have any questions or want more details about the budget process and how to get involved please call my office at 489-0529.
The financial decisions the City Council makes will impact our community, and most importantly, you. That is why I am asking you to get involved in this process. Public dollars make up our City budget and we would appreciate your involvement.
The City is focused on our citizens and our service to you. We work hard to make sure you live in a safe community where police and firefighters are just a call away, a community where you are never far from wonderful parks, open space and pathways, and a City with a thriving economy. While our City Council members are elected to make the decisions which impact us all, the City wants - and needs - your input when it has important decisions to make.
An important part of what we do to provide services is done through our extensive budget process. We begin preparation in February where Finance and I, along with the specific City Council liaison, where we scrutinize each department's budget line by line, looking at budget performance, under/over variances, asset maintenance and replacement, how programs are meeting strategic goals and associated ROI. Budget enhancements are then considered relating to needs versus wants and to the City's five year capital improvement plan. Our Senior Management Team then presents their respective budget which is then discussed and the budget balanced. The 'Mayors Budget' is then given to the City Council several weeks prior to the budget workshops for their review and eventual adoption.
This week, each department director will go before the City Council to present their budgets and proposed enhancements for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts on October 1, 2013. These budget workshops, held on July 9 and 10, are the community’s first chance to hear where money may be allocated and what projects the City wants to fund. With this information City Council will be setting the budget for the 2014 fiscal year, a process that will be finalized during the August 20th meeting where public testimony will be taken.
We firmly believe it is important that the public is involved in the budget process. At the end of the day, this is your money! The budget helps guide the projects the City will deliver over the coming year. If you can’t attend these meetings, we will stream them live and post the video on our website at meridiancity.org/videos. If you have any questions or want more details about the budget process and how to get involved please call my office at 489-0529.
The financial decisions the City Council makes will impact our community, and most importantly, you. That is why I am asking you to get involved in this process. Public dollars make up our City budget and we would appreciate your involvement.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Teen RSA
Summer is traditionally the deadliest time for teen drivers as they spend more time on the road. As a community it is important we educate our teens on the dangers that exist when getting behind the wheel so they can make informed decisions while navigating our city’s streets. One way we are doing this is by creating strategies for driving success through the Teen Roadway Safety Advocates (TeenRSA) program.
The TeenRSA program was started as a way to engage youth in improving road safety near their schools and in their communities. The program is modeled after a process that has been used for years around the world to systematically look at roadway safety issues from a multi-disciplinary approach. Through this process, students not only learn about the roadway environment, but also about how drivers and other road users behave in those areas.
In performing road safety assessments, teams are formed to look at existing or potential roadway safety problems with a “fresh set of eyes,” often tapping into the personal knowledge of members of the community who may not have roadway or transportation expertise. In the TeenRSA Program, students equipped with cameras, measuring devices, clip boards and safety vests will look at roadways, bike paths, sidewalks, bus stops, and parking lots in and around their schools and neighborhoods. Working with the guidance of advisors from the Meridian Police Department, the youth teams collectively identify potential problems and document what they find, develop ideas for potential solutions, and advocate for improvements.
The majority of the high school students participating in Meridian’s initial TeenRSA are members of the Mayors Youth Advisory Council ( MYAC), a group that has successfully lobbied against texting while driving, advocated seat belt use, and explored other teen safety issues. By involving our MYAC members, it is our hope to build continuity into the teen safety programs and instill a positive culture built around being safe and smart.
So, as you are out and about this summer near Rocky Mountain, Meridian or Mountain View high schools, I encourage you to be on the lookout for a TeenRSA near you! The work they are doing just might have an impact on someone you know or love during the 100 deadliest days of summer.
The TeenRSA program was started as a way to engage youth in improving road safety near their schools and in their communities. The program is modeled after a process that has been used for years around the world to systematically look at roadway safety issues from a multi-disciplinary approach. Through this process, students not only learn about the roadway environment, but also about how drivers and other road users behave in those areas.
In performing road safety assessments, teams are formed to look at existing or potential roadway safety problems with a “fresh set of eyes,” often tapping into the personal knowledge of members of the community who may not have roadway or transportation expertise. In the TeenRSA Program, students equipped with cameras, measuring devices, clip boards and safety vests will look at roadways, bike paths, sidewalks, bus stops, and parking lots in and around their schools and neighborhoods. Working with the guidance of advisors from the Meridian Police Department, the youth teams collectively identify potential problems and document what they find, develop ideas for potential solutions, and advocate for improvements.
The majority of the high school students participating in Meridian’s initial TeenRSA are members of the Mayors Youth Advisory Council ( MYAC), a group that has successfully lobbied against texting while driving, advocated seat belt use, and explored other teen safety issues. By involving our MYAC members, it is our hope to build continuity into the teen safety programs and instill a positive culture built around being safe and smart.
So, as you are out and about this summer near Rocky Mountain, Meridian or Mountain View high schools, I encourage you to be on the lookout for a TeenRSA near you! The work they are doing just might have an impact on someone you know or love during the 100 deadliest days of summer.
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