Essence of Interviews to be Unveiled
- May 23rd 2025
- Community
This Friends of Downtown event in 2022 kicked off a listening tour that culminates at in a similar upcoming event “Curated Grazing and Great Conversations.”
Photo: Patty-Linn Coggswell
By Lee Burnett
Friends of Downtown is ready to unveil guiding statements on the city’s future distilled from more than two years of interviews with a cross section of residents.
They will be unveiled and discussed at “Curated Grazing and Great Conversations” scheduled for 5:30 to 7:30 pm on Thursday, May 29, at the lower-level cafeteria of Memorial Gym. People are welcome to drop in anytime, although come early if you’d like to hear the introductory remarks. Finger foods from Above & Beyond Catering will be provided.
The 11 draft statements fall into five broad categories: community, economy, education, recreation and safety, explained Mary Hastings, the small business advocate for the Sanford Regional Economic Growth Council. Feedback is welcome on the statements themselves as well as action steps.
Hastings said community is a common theme in many of the statements, which are intended to provide guidance to city leaders as they develop a comprehensive plan, policies, ordinances and work plans.
Participating in the evening will be Cat Ingraham, of the Community Heart & Soul organization funded by the Orton Foundation, and Erin Moriarty, Sanford’s city planner, who will discuss the city’s comprehensive plan process and city-wide survey, also seeking community input, which is due to be made available shortly.
