NEWPORT NEWS-City leaders in Newport News are working toward an update of their Strategic Plan for 2020-2025.
City Council members and other officials met on June 23 to discuss the Strategic Plan and establish a vision for the next few years.
The current Strategic Plan focuses on people, places, and government, and includes long- term goals and operational objectives to address issues, challenges, and opportunities in Newport News. City leaders feel the plan needs to be updated in order to establish more specific priorities of the City Council and meet the changing needs of the city’s residents, businesses, and visitors. The meeting was the first step toward creation of a new plan to guide officials into the future.
During the meeting, City Council members identified several priorities. Among them: workforce development and financial empowerment, early childhood education, housing, public safety, economic development, community leadership, technology and innovation, and more.
The City Council also discussed its Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), as well as visions for many of the city’s public spaces, including City Center, the Sherwood Site, the former K-Mart location, Riverview Farm Park, downtown Newport News, King Lincoln Park, and City Hall. Council Members shared their ideas on ways to improve these spots in order to create places where residents and visitors can gather to shop, dine, unwind, receive services, and experience Newport News.
Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones stressed that while work is currently being done to improve the quality of life in Newport News, it will take years for many of the City Council’s initiatives to come to fruition.