The Toledo City council held a town hall meeting to provide citizens with updates of what is happening in Toledo. There are new city council members so the council is once again full. City planner Justin Peterson presented the cities strategic comprehensive plan with business and housing being on top of the list of priorities. Mayor Rod Cross presented the cities goals.
Some of those goals included continued work on Urban Renewal to help the businesses, wanting to install sidewalks at the end of business highway 20 to the North of the Port Office toward Ridge Drive. He also pointed out the city, using the urban renewal agency, is wanting to work with the pool district to provide some expansions next to the pool by the park, putting in a new recreation facility that would include basketball courts, ability to offer indoor events, meeting space and a walking track.
Cross said they also want to increase their emergency preparedness and now have a 5-watt FM radio station to keep citizens informed of an emergency. They are also working to move the police and public safety building, which they hope to get done in the next 18-months. Mayor Cross also explained that the city is going to ask citizens to vote on a general obligation bond this fall. The money would go to replace the Ammon Road water tank, which is over 32-years old and it is now to the point of being more economical to replace it than to repair it. It also needs a seismic upgrade.
The bond would also cover the move and upgrades for the new public safety building, which needs a new roof and new siding. The new building is essential as the current building is too small and is also located in a flood plain and tsunami zone. Cross added they are busy looking for grants and loans but they need to show community buy-in, which this bond would do.
The cost of the bond would be less than what property owners are currently paying for the bond that this would replace that was for the building of the new fire station. The town hall also included information on the need for more volunteers for city commissions and there was an update on Art Toledo. More information about volunteer opportunities and the comprehensive vision plan can be found on the city of Toledo website https://www.cityoftoledo.org/.
