Midwest City
Millennium
Launching Our Legacy
…a vision for the future…
Midwest
City Millennium: Launching Our Legacy is a plan for the future of the City of
Midwest City, Oklahoma.
In
January 1999 a steering committee led by former State Senator James F. Howell,
former Midwest City Sun editor Mr. Dick Hefton and Mrs. Susan Loveless, Rose
State College Associate Vice President for Resource Development brought
together community leaders to discuss the idea of developing a vision and plan
for the future development of Midwest City.
Founding donors who provided financial resources for this process were
Midwest City Industrial Trust Authority, Midwest City Hospital Trust Authority,
Midwest City Development and Redevelopment Trust Authority, Community Economic
Development Commission and the Midwest City Chamber of Commerce. Rose State College provided meeting space.
Dana Shadid and Mark Taylor from the Oklahoma Community Institute served as facilitators for the six sessions held at Rose State College from July 1999 to January 2000. Approximately 135 citizens of Midwest City, identified as Stakeholders, accepted a community-wide open invitation to attend and contribute to the development of this plan and it is the citizens of Midwest City who will implement this plan. It will take many people working together with various entities of our community to complete the objectives, reach the goals and make the vision a reality. It can only be done with the commitment and energy of everyone and it will be done in an exemplary fashion.
The
seven goals selected and adopted by the Stakeholders attending the planning
sessions were:
1.
We
are so much, so close.
2.
We
are steadily growing
3.
We
have a dynamic economic climate.
4.
We
are a multicultural community that celebrates its diversity.
5.
We
are a safe and well-maintained community.
6.
We
provide access to the highest quality educational opportunities.
7.
We
are recognized for our bold, progressive leadership.
These
goals describe how others will view our community by the year 2010.
The
Millennium Stakeholders selected language to reflect desired end results or
goals and identified initiatives needed to accomplish these goals. These initiatives fall into four main
categories of development and are listed in random order. Gary W. Banz and Joan Valanajad prepared
this report for publication on July 1, 2001.
For a progress report of activity consult the Mainstream Supplement to
the Midwest City Sun May 2001.
Goal: ‘We are so much, so close’ ‘We are steadily growing’ ‘We have a dynamic economic climate’
Desired end result:
To be “so much, so close” we will have first class public facilities. We offer urban convenience and rural tranquility with excellent employment opportunities because we are business friendly and have a diverse job base that attracts new employers and sustains existing ones. We will have first class facilities for shopping, fine dining and for public gatherings including convention facilities and related support services.
Initiatives:
1.
Conduct
a retail analysis of Midwest City with recommendations for development.
2.
Recruit
five new upscale restaurants by 2002.
3.
Redevelop
of downtown area on Southeast 29th Street.
4.
Develop
a medium size conference center and adjacent areas.
5.
Identify
five critical needs of businesses.
6.
Establish
an incentive package and marketing plan for new businesses.
Goal: ‘We are so much, so close’ ‘We are a multicultural community that celebrates diversity’
Desired end result:
Our places of worship and recreation reflect a multicultural community that celebrates diversity. We are united in our efforts to promote social justice, religious freedom, positive family values and racial harmony for all our citizens by providing a full calendar of special community events, performing arts and warm hospitality.
Initiatives:
1. Develop a first-class indoor family recreation center.
2. Create and fund a master development plan for parks
3. Increase attendance at the Martin Luther King breakfast by 10% each year. Begin planning each Martin Luther King Day one year in advance.
4. Host community discussions and town hall meetings on issues of social justice and racial and religious harmony. Leaders selected would be willing to go to the citizens of Midwest City in their neighborhoods.
5. Develop a panel of citizens who represent Midwest City’s diversity to present cultural information to schools and groups.
6. Continue community awareness efforts through advertising, fundraising and local business.
7. Host guest speakers and/or entertainment each year. Focus on cultural celebration through agencies, organizations, and special interest groups in and out of Midwest City that are selected for participation. Identify these groups for involvement within nine months and recruit speakers throughout the year.
Development of Education and
Leadership
Goal: ‘We provide access to the highest quality educational opportunities’
‘We are recognized for our bold, progressive leadership’
Desired end result:
New residents are attracted to our community because of our excellence in common education, higher education, vocational-technical education, and continuing education. Emphasizing lifelong learning and recognizing all citizens can learn, we lead the state in literacy. Each citizen is equipped with the knowledge and skills needed for success.
Our city is a model for collaborative leadership, which inspires civic responsibility and empowers our citizens to confront community challenges.
Initiatives:
1. Develop a dynamic plan for excellence in education that will provide our students with the knowledge and skills necessary for lifelong success. Increase community and family involvement in the educational process at all levels.
2. Establish a community task force that will complete, by 2001 a comprehensive plan for improvement in local common public education. This plan should examine and recommend standards covering the following areas: early childhood development, primary and secondary curriculum, extra curricular activities, testing and technology, facilities, classroom supplies and resources, safety, discipline; programmatic and fiscal accountability; and family/community involvement.
3. Incorporate leadership training in Mid-Del junior/senior high schools by 2001.
4. Foster continued growth in leadership training for graduates of Leadership Midwest City through at least two specific training sessions per year.
5. Establish a quarterly leadership roundtable of presidents of all civic clubs/community leaders/church leaders.
6. Establish a target of 25% from the age category of 25-35 when selecting participants in the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Midwest City program beginning with the class of 2001
7. Publish and make available to the leadership roundtable a current roster of Midwest City Leadership graduates.
8. Publish and make available to graduates of Leadership Midwest City a roster of public service opportunities including but not limited to churches, non-profit organization, foundations and City of Midwest City boards and commissions.
Development of Housing and
Infrastructure
Goal: ‘We are steadily growing’ ‘We are a safe and well-maintained community’
Desired end result:
We offer a well-maintained community with a wide range of quality housing and comprehensive services and programs that foster safety, health and happiness. We have achieved a healthy balance of steady population growth and expansion to development of infrastructure support. Our growth has created an ongoing need for additional room to grow.
Initiatives:
1. Revise the comprehensive plan for Midwest City.
2. Purchase municipal land.
3. Strictly enforce noise ordinances.
4. Extend and expand buffer or greenbelt areas and sidewalks.
5. Develop effective cooperative legislation and enforcement on property management issues with all bordering communities with the next year.
6. Involve 25% of our neighborhoods in the “Neighborhood Initiative Program” by 2002 and 50% or more by 2005.
7. Continue to reduce fear and perception of crime in Midwest City.
8. Realize a 25% reduction of code enforcement violations by year 2002.
9. Recruit and hire qualified minorities in public service, to accurately reflect the demographics of Midwest City, while refining and improving established standards.
10. Within the next year develop legislation to require, and provide tangible incentives for residential and business owners to construct “safe rooms.”
September, 2000: Midwest City Millennium applied for and was granted sanctioning as an official Oklahoma 2007 Centennial Project.
January 17-18,2001: Midwest City Millennium was recognized with a $500.00 cash award by the Oklahoma Community Institute for work done on the “first-class Indoor Recreational Facility” identified in the Millennium Report. Millennium members who attended the Institute in Tulsa to receive the award were Gary W. Banz, David Burnett, Becky VanPool and Joanne Horn.
Midwest City Millennium Stakeholders who attended at least one session and signed the attendance sheets were:
Charlene J. Anthony Vicki Garcia Edwin B. & Lucille Miller
Debbie Arnold Jonathan Goforth Ed Miller
Gary W. Banz B. Clinton Greenhaw, III Michelle Mize
Jerry Barnett Stan & Kim Greil Pat Nedbalek
Frank & Scotty Barnett Tina Griffin William Nemeth
Pam Barton-Stober Pam Hall Tanya Nunn
Ric N. Baser Richard H. Hefton Randy Olsen
Gerald M, & Peggy Beabout Freeda Hendley Jimmie Parker
Susie L. Beasley Mary Hendrix Bill Pascoe
Wayne Beikmann J. Guy & Terry Henson Camille A. Phillips
Bob Bishop Cecil & Joan Hewitt Wayne Pistole
Ed & Brenda Bodenheimer Dean Hinton Edwina M. Redd
Kathy Bolles Kathleen Holloway Marion Reed
Espaniola Bowen Joanne Horn Eddie Reed
Mike Bower Tom Hoskins Brent Rinehart
Dave Bryan Gary Houghton Kim Roper
Dwight Burchett Dave Howe Debbie Simmons
Ruth E. Cain James F. Howell Mike Six
Bill Case Lettie Ruth Hunter Russell Smith
Pamela Cates Paul Hurst Steve Smith
Lee Chambers Juanita L. Jenison Walt Snyder
Dorothy Ciffone Jan Jensen Carmen Spencer
Brandon Clabes Barby Jobe Robert & Cheryl Steele
Forrest & Mary Claunch Charles Johnson Vonne Stephenson
Jim Cook Vickey Johnson Wendy Stevens
Robert W. Cornelison Connie Johnson-Samuel Tom Strahorn
Richard & Aarone Corwin Carol Judd Mike Stroh
Hazel Craddock Jay M. Kinzer Fred Strothmann
Bill Croak Henry A. Laakman, Jr. Virgil Tague
Robert Croak Tina Ledesma Steve & Theresa Thomas
Jim & Julia Croft Hollis Lloyd Tony & Julie Thomas
Joe W. & Eugenia Davis Susan Loveless Tim Trottier
Royce E. Davis Tammy Martin Joan Valanejad
W.J. Davis Mitsy Martin-Davis Rebecca VanPool
Todd Dealy Kim McAllister Jeanie Webb
Pam Deering Tom McCaslin Paul Whitlock
William Dunlap Dara McGlamery Charlie Y. Wier
Valorie J. Filippo Tommy Melton Alblert & Elaine Willoughby
Bill Freeman Cindy Mikeman
David Gabrels
Implementation Chairmen: Gary W. Banz and Joan Valanejad