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Work on the City of Bartlesville Comprehensive Strategic Plan project will officially kick off with several meetings planned on March 28-29, at least two of which will target citizen input.

In a statement, City Manager Mike Bailey, had this to say:

"We have been working with contractor Patrick Ibarra of Mejorando Group on an overall schedule for the project, which is expected to take approximately five months to complete," Bailey said. "We've scheduled the kick-off meetings for the end of March, including two meetings aimed at obtaining citizen input, a presentation to the City Council, and several meetings with City employees and the project team."

Though times and locations have yet to be determined, citizens should anticipate at least two opportunities to express their vision for the community.

"There will likely be one public meeting during the day and another during the evening in an effort to accommodate as many people as possible," Bailey said.

He said the meetings will kick off a months-long process that will involve extensive information gathering, not only from the public but also City leadership and employees.

"We will utilize several methods, including public meetings, online questionnaires and social media to obtain input from a variety of sources," he said. "Everyone will have an opportunity to weigh in as we move forward on this project."

The process will involve an in-depth look at the City’s organizational practices and provide direction for future operations. The outcome will be a written strategic plan document that presents the planning process, research, analysis, opportunities and strategies, along with an implementation plan that will guide the City for the next three to five years.