FOLEY — The city of Foley recently held a community forum to discuss the importance of strategic planning and its role in shaping the city's future.

The forum aimed to engage community members in identifying priorities, setting clear goals and allocating resources effectively to address the needs of the growing population.

Strategic plans help cities plan for the future. By establishing clear goals and priorities, cities can allocate resources more efficiently and maintain focus on issues that are important to the community.

For the city of Foley, developing a strategic plan will allow them to outline goals, objectives and the direction the city should take in the coming years.

To inform the strategic plan, the city of Foley gathered information from various sources such as interviews with community members, surveys and engagement through the social pinpoint community platform. Additionally, the city examined existing plans from other cities to understand successful strategies and learn from their experiences.

During the community meeting at Graham Creek Nature Preserve on Feb. 7, community members provided descriptors for Foley such as "overgrown," "traffic," "clean and friendly," and "safe," offering insight into perceptions and aspirations. Concerns raised included the 10.7% poverty rate and the cost of living, with median gross rent at $960 and median gross owner costs with a mortgage at $1,294.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Foley's population has grown from 14,618 in 2010 to 21,113 citizens, with a median household income of $60,090 and a median home value of $236,900. The city relies on sales tax but also utilizes property tax for revenue generation, with planned investments totaling $76.5 million.

89.1% of individuals residing in Foley have a high school degree or higher.

In terms of funding, Foley relies on sales tax as its main source of revenue. However, compared to other communities, property tax plays a more significant role in generating revenue. The city has planned investments totaling $76.5 million, which will be allocated strategically to address community needs and promote growth.

During the forum, community members expressed satisfaction with well-maintained outdoor spaces and a sense of safety in the city. However, concerns were raised regarding transportation, youth programming and community development.

During an online survey, the top three concerns raised by community members were traffic (65%), resenting development (60%) and the cost of living and commercial development. Parks and recreation and water quality were not significant concerns.

Executive Director of Infrastructure and Development Wayne Dyess said he credits the first responders for making citizens feel safe.

"I think that our fire department and police department do a very good job," said Dyess. "They are dedicated to that process of always improving and ensuring that we are meeting the needs of the citizens."

Regarding transportation concerns, Dyess noted that the city aims to enhance transportation to make getting around town easier.

"When you have development, it produces traffic," he said. "We are trying to locate the higher density places near town near the village centers to where you can have not just multimodal methods of cars, but you might get to bike or walk. Most people come here with any vehicle, so it is important that they are able to get places. We want to help build turn lanes, do things to help mitigate the impacts of growth, build new parks and those kinds of things."

As part of the planning process, the city of Foley has introduced the Ideas Wall on the Social Pinpoint platform. This feature allows community members to express their opinions, like or dislike ideas and participate in shaping the future of the city. The Ideas Wall will serve as a tool for gathering input and gauging community sentiment.