City seeks citizen input to complement listening tours

Leaders of the city of Springfield are using a series of meetings to gather information for the city's next 20-year plan, and everyone is getting a chance to share their thoughts.

City leaders have been conducting Listening Tour meetings throughout December with community groups, and the meetings will continue after New Year's Day. But individual citizens are also being asked for their input through an online survey.

The questions in the online survey, available at the link below, are the same four questions being asked at the in-person meetings, according to a city news release:

• What do you value most about Springfield?

• What would you like to change?

• What is your vision for the year 2030? and

• How can you help the community reach its goals?

The purpose of the survey, which city officials say is anonymous and collects only respondents' ZIP codes to identify geographic trends, is to gather information to use in preparing the city's next long-range strategic plan, similar to the Vision 20/20 plan created in 1994.

The city also is still looking for more community and civic groups to hold in-person meetings. Any group interested in hosting a Listening Tour meeting should contact Executive Assistant Kathy Hardt at (417) 864-1006 or by e-mail at khardt@springfieldmo.gov.