In just one year, Sedona’s Citizen Engagement Program has not only opened the door for a greater number of residents to have a say in their local government, it’s also become the model for other Arizona communities.

Speaking before the new City Council for the first time since the November elections, CEP Coordinator Lauren Browne gave her quarterly update at the Tuesday, March 24, council meeting. To date, she has had nearly 200 residents sign up. Of those, more than 70 percent have been placed in one of the 25 work groups that have been formed. These groups are often formed to look into priorities set forth by the council at the beginning of the year.

In just one year, Sedona’s Citizen Engagement Program has not only opened the door for a greater number of residents to have a say in their local government, it’s also become the model for other Arizona communities.

Speaking before the new City Council for the first time since the November elections, CEP Coordinator Lauren Browne gave her quarterly update at the Tuesday, March 24, council meeting. To date, she has had nearly 200 residents sign up. Of those, more than 70 percent have been placed in one of the 25 work groups that have been formed. These groups are often formed to look into priorities set forth by the council at the beginning of the year.
Some of the active work groups include:

• Bike park work group to raise the money for and choose the design of the bike park.
• Off road vehicles work group to address noise and safety issues.
• Soldier Pass Community Focus Area work group to give input on future development and redevelopment at the State Route 89A and Soldier Pass intersection.
• Western gateway community focus area work group to give input on future development in the vicinity of the Sedona Cultural Park, Sedona Red Rock High School, Yavapai College’s Sedona Center and Verde Valley Medical Center’s Sedona campus.
• Barbara Antonsen Memorial Park design jury work group to advise on the park’s design.
• Uptown parking work group [formerly Uptown Parking Advisory Committee] to advise on parking issues in Uptown.
• The Dells land use work group to evaluate options and recommendations for land use at the Wastewater Treatment Plant
• Citywide green team work group to brainstorm realistic citywide sustainability initiatives the city could pursue.
• Arts and culture initiatives work group to help brainstorm arts initiatives that the city could explore.
• Temporary use permit ordinance work group to redraft/amend the city’s ordinance for temporary use permits.
• CEP assessment work group to assess how the program has been working in its first year of operation. This group will look at how effective the work groups and other aspects of the program have been.
• Citizens budget work group to give feedback on the city’s fiscal year 2016 budget.
• Posse Grounds Park operation plan work group to update the Posse Grounds Park’s Operating Plan.
• Youth programs committee work group to explore youth issues in Sedona, including social services issues related to youth and how to best service the youth in the community.

For the full story, please see the Friday, March 27, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.