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<br />COMMITMENT - are key elements to realizing economic progress and viability <br />over the next 20 years. <br /> <br />Action Items <br /> <br />1. Establish a small regional organization that would include the <br />communities surrounding U City. The group would be comprised of <br />officials of the communities, staff and consultants. The purpose of the <br />group would be to investigate - in this era of federal and state funding <br />cutbacks - how to maintain services for the communities at lower overall <br />costs. This would be a mechanism by which cooperation and trust could <br />be fostered that may naturally mature into discussion of political merger - <br />as service mergers accelerate and mature. <br />2. Assign the directors of each major department within U City the task of <br />investigating how to merge services with communities to the north. <br />Establish the combined needs and resources available and what <br />efficiencies and savings (if any) may result. This should include, but not <br />be limited to: <br />a Refuse <br />b. Police <br />c. Fire <br />d. Inspection and Code Enforcement <br />e. Parks <br />3. Define this as a long range planning "opportunity" (i.e. 5-20 years) and <br />charge the City planning department to actively begin developing a set of <br />goals and priorities that would facilitate this future. It is this longer arc <br />that will yield the biggest bang for the buck for University City. <br />a. University City should work closely with the County Boundary <br />Commission to coordinate with those processes for any and all <br />merger efforts that are undertaken. <br />b. Study costs/benefits to merging services with municipalities to <br />the North with the understanding that goal is to both increase <br />property values of homes that will remain and to create larger <br />developable tracts. <br />4. Study costslbenefits ofU City proactively acquiring parcels in <br />municipalities to the North. This provides a measure of control <br />(landbanking) and would facilitate the development process. <br />5. Earmark some tax money to support the effort. <br />6. Look for funding from IRB/EIERA, other political entities and private <br />foundations to supplement funding this effort. <br />7. Create a standing citizens committee of U City residents that would <br />collaborate to move this process forward as an adjunct to City staff. <br /> <br />19 <br />