A new era for the city of Willmar begins Monday as 2017 brings in a new City Council.
This will, hopefully, be the start of a more positive and proactive era on the Willmar City Council and bring a new narrative to our city government.
The citizens of Willmar spoke clearly in November in electing new individuals committed to bringing a positive direction for the City Council and the city. The three new council members - Kathy Schwantes, Julie Asmus and Fernando Alvarado - and the re-elected Shawn Mueske were elected by a winning margin of 25 percent or more.
We expect this City Council to work as a team in a more civil and unified manner. There will likely be more appropriate discussion and debate on the issues before the council, which is to be appreciated.
The new City Council will have an opportunity in 2017 to think outside the box and look at its own governance from a new and fresh perspective. This will likely start with Monday's organizational decision on choosing a mayor pro tem for this year.
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The time may be here for the City Council to review its organization structure and how to proceed in the future. The City Council is planning a retreat Jan. 14-15, which is a good time to review and discuss how it would like to operate.
The retreat will be coordinated by moderators from Ethical Leaders in Action, a Minnesota-based leadership consulting group. One of the retreat goals will be to develop a vision plan projecting priority goals for this year and beyond.
We would like to see more synergism between the City Council and Mayor Marv Calvin. A new synergism of cooperation and partnership between council members and the mayor can produce a combined effect stronger and greater than the sum of their individual efforts.
Returning to the Willmar way of partnerships and collaboration that helped make us an All-America City in 2005 would be a refreshing change. This would include more collaboration between the mayor and council members; rebuilding the partnership between the City Council and city staff; and strengthening the collaboration between city, Kandiyohi County and the Willmar School District.
Another need objective should be rehabilitating the collaboration, cooperation and partnership between the city and the Willmar business community. While there has been conflicts - both personal and political - in the past between some council members and the business community, the time has come for all in Willmar to work together in strengthen and create a growth future in the coming year and beyond.
There were many positive things happening in this fair city over the last year and expected in 2017 :
A Vision 2040 project, which is a community visioning effort to help build a strong vibrant community that works together through partnerships and collaborative effort for the better of its people.
The Destination Playground project, a private-public partnership to create a community-built signficant playground at Robbins Island and donate it to the city.
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A industrial park expansion created by City Council efforts and now shovel ready that has already created business development and the potential for new business development.
A renewed interest in retail and housing development and redevelopment within the city.
Significantly more interest in the Willmar city administrator opening in 2017 than in recent years. More than 40 applicants had already applied by mid-day Friday, with the application deadline being the end of the day.
A strong entrepreneurial business community that seeks to create and run great businesses and give back in order to make Willmar and Kandiyohi County a great place to live, work and play.
A diverse and stable population within the city and the county that embraces the community and each other.
A safe and peaceful community atmosphere in which to achieve an education, develop a career and raise a family.
The City Council now has a chance to create a new narrative of governance for Willmar. Working together with its residents, business community and other government entities, the City Council can collaboratively help lead and develop the new Willmar future.
