A Vision for GOVERNMENT

Good citizens make good government

A community where all units and levels of government collaborate to use the people’s resources wisely, where everyone feels safe, and where good citizenship is part of everyday behavior.

GOVERNMENT Outcome Goals:

• We will have fewer government entities, managed more efficiently and providing excellent services.
• People will feel safe in their homes and wherever they go in our community.
• We will be informed, engaged citizens who take citizenship responsibilities very seriously.
• We will have people driven government.

GOVERNMENT Action Goals:


ADMINISTRATION

78. Consolidate city & county government:
• beginning with merging selected functions
• wherever quality can be assured at less cost
• leading eventually to consolidating functions among towns / villages / school districts

79. Improve customer service in government offices:
• by training staff to be friendly and efficient
• with more convenient hours of operation

80. Increase citizen involvement in government:
• with more people voting and running for office
• by teaching civics in high schools
• by creating and supporting neighborhood-based planning groups, oversight groups, watch groups

81. Create new sources of government income besides taxes:
• by studying innovations in other communities
• aggressively seeking federal and state grants
• considering what services or products could be sold at a profit

82. Improve sewers, bridges and roadways:
• to stop polluting our lakes and waterways
• to protect public safety

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CODE ENFORCEMENT

83. Enforce housing codes:
• so that landlords and other property owners maintain their buildings
• also do more to prevent or mediate disputes between tenants and landlords

84. Enforce noise codes & public decency laws:
• to protect quality of life in our community

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PUBLIC SAFETY

85. Improve relations between people & police:
• by giving people more information about issues that affect public security
• by providing regular channels for community input to police and sheriffs
• by promoting ride-along programs and other kinds of public education about law enforcement
• by making sure that police practices are not discriminatory
• by hiring more minority and multilingual officers

86. Merge city, county, and village police departments:
• by first increasing collaboration among all law enforcement agencies
• to improve police protection while retaining local identity and control.

87. Increase community policing:
• because it improves police-community relations and reduces crime at the same time
• with help from neighborhood watch groups

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