FEATURE Review
by Jerry Harman and Lee Langerock
City Of Kimberling City: Visioning The Future
Within municipal government there is a complex balance between functional operations, customer service and community expectations. Not every community begins its strategic planning with consideration of a vision statement. For communities that do, providing service and setting the strategy for the future becomes more relevant and focused. In a tourist community where guests outnumber the residential population, meeting customer demand and providing continuity of service while maintaining an aging infrastructure presents daily challenges. To help address these challenges, the city of Kimberling City is beginning a strategic planning process. The first stop is developing and adopting a vision statement. Kimberling City boasts the largest marina on Table Rock Lake. Nestled on the water’s edge, Kimberling City is 6
theReview July/August 2021
surrounded on three sides by water. Cruisers, pontoons and fishing boats sit in their slips creating an extended community of water dwellings, ready for the day’s adventure on Table Rock Lake. The fourth natural border is the rising cliffs of the Ozark mountains. The lush mountainside in Kimberling City hosts neighborhoods overlooking the lake. The community of approximately 2,500 people doubles and triples in size during the height of the season as tourists come to enjoy the lake, Branson’s attractions, and the region’s other natural amenities. The annual migration to Kimberling City is generational. It is a great family-focused environment that invites visitors and residents to relax and return each year. Highway 13 bisects the community and provides a gateway to Springfield and beyond. The highway corridor serves as a business district where new business dots the landscape while
