Steering right direction in the
GERMANTOWN FORWARD 2035 COMMITTEE KEEPS THE CITY’S VISION ON TRACK FOR THE FUTURE
The Germantown Forward 2035 Steering Committee, which completed its work in November, is a very different type of committee. Representing the heart of the city – its people – the diverse group of resident members played an active role in shaping Germantown’s future. During a series of meetings last fall, they scrutinized the original Germantown Forward 2030 strategic plan and updated it to ensure continued progress. October 18, 2021: Twenty-seven Germantown residents of varying ages and ethnicities gather in The Great Hall and Conference Center for the first Germantown Forward 2035 Steering Committee meeting. Enthusiastic and ready to get to work, they listen as Mayor Mike Palazzolo welcomes them and emphasizes the importance of the task. “This committee is purely a community effort with no political presence or influence,” Palazzolo says. “I encourage you to grow together as you work to reevaluate and, if needed, update our Germantown Forward 2030 plan.”
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Germantown Magazine
The committee was set in motion about six years ago. In January 2015, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA) approved the development of a long-range strategic plan to serve as a roadmap for the community’s growth over the next 15 years. But unlike other government initiatives, the process was a grassroots effort that ultimately put that vision for Germantown’s future in residents’ hands. “It's one thing to have a vision and value statement for your organization, but if it's not crafted with input from the public, it lacks clarity,” says Patrick Lawton, former city administrator. “When the mayor and the board hand over the keys to the residents and say, ‘Drive our growth and development plan. You're our customer, and we will address your requirements,’ that’s citizen empowerment at its highest level.” To that end, the BMA appointed a 30-member resident steering committee to develop a Germantown 2030 vision statement. Later, a larger group of residents
