Mayor's Taskforce on Growth Management

Junction City is in the midst of historic and rapid change. The pace and scope of the change has produced a debate about how, where and if the community should grow. The Mayor and the City Commission support discussion about the future of Junction City that will result in a stronger community. In early February 2008, former Mayor Mike Rhodes and the Junction City City Commission appointed 22 residents of Junction City to the Mayor’s Taskforce on Growth Management. These citizens volunteered their time and energy to this important community project. They represent a cross-section of interests and opinions in the community.

The mission of the taskforce is to “To analyze and recommend strategies to effectively manage and encourage healthy growth in Junction City.” The city contracted with Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy (ICDD) at Kansas State University to facilitate the taskforce’s deliberations. ICDD is a non-partisan agency bringing together a diverse group of scholars and practitioners to address the relationship between democracy and civic discourse. ICDD promotes productive and engaged public dialogues to build and strengthen communities. The facilitators outlined a workplan for the Task Force that included reviewing City documents, meetings with outside resources, and plenty of discussion and public comment. The result of several weeks of work is a report to the Mayor and City Commission containing policy recommendations that can help to guide decision makers in the future.