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Council to focus on vision for CS(The Eagle Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) May 9--College Station City Council members will gather for a two-day visioning retreat this summer in hopes of deciding what they want the community to look like, officials announced Thursday. The event will serve as a precursor to talks about matters such as the city's planned $60 million November bond issue and a long-debated "city center" concept. The council holds a retreat every year after municipal elections to acclimate new members and discuss strategic plans -- but the format will be different this time, City Manager Glenn Brown said Thursday. After Saturday, the council could have as many as three new members. Ron Gay, Chris Scotti and John Crompton all are opposed in their bids for re-election. "We'd really like council to do exercises on what you want the community to look like, what you want the community to be, reaching a consensus and having buy-in on your vision for the community," Brown told elected officials during a Thursday workshop. "Subsequently after the retreat, staff would be looking at strategic plans and make sure those are lining up with council's vision for the community." The event is set for June 30 and July 1 at the Sugar Land Marriott Town Square. The meeting space is positioned in the midst of Sugar Land's version of a "city center," a concept College Station has been mulling for several years. College Station officials will tour the buildings in Sugar Land while they're in town for the retreat, Mayor Ben White said Thursday. "It's a unique campus complex," he said of Sugar Land's municipal cluster. College Station has been preparing for its own municipal complex, acquiring over the past three decades more than 180 acres between Krenek Tap Road and Harvey Mitchell Parkway. The police department, utility service center and municipal court already are in the area. In years past, however, council members have quibbled over whether to proceed with a "grandiose" concept with a large lake, a performing arts center and surrounding retail shops. There also have been disputes over whether to take conceptual plans to voters before buildings are constructed. Voters approved a $4.3 million bond issue about five years ago that would pay for the first phase of a new city hall. Regardless of whether the city center concept proceeds, a new building is necessary because city employees are outgrowing the space at 1101 Texas Ave., officials have said. In other matters during Thursday's meeting, the City Council: --was presented College Station's comprehensive annual financial report. Chief Financial Officer Jeff Kersten said the city's net assets total about $352.4 million, an increase of $21 million from the previous fiscal year. Most of College Station's assets are capital items such as streets, buildings and parks, Kersten said. --heard an update from Information Technology Director Ben Roper on the Brazos Valley Wide Area Communications System. The presentation provided background information on an interlocal agreement that council members will be asked to sign in the next few weeks. The system will link radio communications among College Station, Bryan, Brazos County, Brenham, Washington County and Texas A&M University. --April Avison's e-mail address is [email protected]. Comments comment774119Title: Comment: Your Name: (optional -- shown on website) captcha e2f144a5dd134e66b876f44abef36759e2f144a5dd134e66b876f44abef36759 Enter text seen above: Submit Comment ------ To see more of The Eagle or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.theeagle.com/. Copyright (c) 2008, The Eagle, Bryan, Texas Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |