Help shape Atascadero 

I invite all Atascadero residents to participate in guiding our collective future by attending the Feb. 24 Atascadero City Council meeting. The City’s consultant, Applied Development Economics (ADE), will present a draft economic development strategy for council and community input. Economic development remains the top council priority, but the City needs broad-based community participation to succeed.
 
This is how you can help: Come to the meeting or watch the video. Identify those goals most important to you and how you can participate in realizing them. Building a thriving community is not someone else’s job; it’s up to all of us. Comments can be provided in writing or by speaking during the meeting. The strategies being developed by ADE will address such issues as market position, recruitment, business retention and expansion, workforce development, communications, and action plans. Previous presentations by ADE are available on the City’s homepage at www.atascadero.org.
 
City staff has already created an Office of Economic Development to assist existing and new businesses and to streamline the development permitting process. The Office of Economic Development will also implement the action plans generated by ADE and public input. We need your input to be sure these plans embrace the community’s wishes for its future economic vitality. The City will be looking for collaboration with community groups, non-profits, businesses, and other agencies.  
 
Please join us in this important public process. We need to examine all aspects of our economic health and work together to develop a plan that represents and will continue to inspire community participation and support.