Clarkdale commission plans outreach, strategic-plan goals and edits to gazebo sign

Commissioners discussed outreach and communications plans and sketched a near-term work program at the April 7 meeting.

On community outreach, members preferred a staffed information booth in the park for the Fourth of July celebration rather than building a parade float. Commissioners suggested coordinating the booth with the local museum to attract more visitors and asked staff to check whether the town has funding for event materials and whether SHIPO can provide educational handouts.

The commission also began work on a strategic plan for the coming year. Staff proposed a short, actionable plan (two to three goals) tied to either the fiscal year or calendar year; commissioners debated timing options and one proposal to create a plan running through December 2027 to align with commissioner appointments and allow more time for projects. Commissioners agreed to develop goal ideas and bring them to the next meeting so priorities can be converted to agenda items.

Finally, the commission reviewed a mockup for a gazebo sign that acknowledges the bandstand restoration donor list and the Governor's Heritage Preservation Honor Award. Commissioners and staff said the existing text block is too long and hard to read in place; they favored keeping the donor list while moving longer historical content or expanded text to park panels or an online resource accessible via QR code. Dr. Amy Stein volunteered to prepare a condensed draft of the sign text for staff to circulate to council and the commission for approval.

Next steps: staff will follow up on event funding, coordinate a joint booth with the museum if possible, circulate commissioners' strategic-plan goal suggestions for the next meeting, and present a revised gazebo sign draft after council review.