Reno County Resident Engagement Process Begins

Thursday, September 02, 2021

Main News Photo

The Hutch Chamber is part of a task force of representatives from organizations serving Reno County that has set an audacious goal of convening 60 community listening sessions by Sept. 30 to find out how residents would invest the $17-plus million arriving in Reno County from the American Rescue Plan Act.

U.S. Treasury guidelines urge state and local governments to engage their communities in developing plans for these funds, so the task force is assisting city and county officials in gathering input from residents to identify ways this fresh infusion of federal resources can be invested to meet pandemic response needs and rebuild a stronger, more equitable economy and community to improves the lives of Reno County families.

Key to this civic-engagement plan is inclusivity, so we want to hear from Reno County residents from as many walks of life and backgrounds as possible. To do that, we need your help in convening your friends, peers, church groups, colleagues and community partners by Sept. 30 in groups of eight to 20 people for a 90-minute facilitated session. Participants will focus on the challenges and inequities families have faced during the pandemic and offer their ideas for how officials may allocate ARP dollars in broadly defined spending areas.

Data from the meetings will be synthesized into a report this fall for governing bodies to consider as they make their final decisions on how the money should be spent.

This is a unique opportunity to engage residents in a community investment process, so please consider convening a meeting at a time, date and place of your choosing by clicking on the button below to fill out the American Rescue Plan Meeting Form. You will then be contacted to assign a facilitator to your meeting and confirm details. For convenience, the task force is also happy to meet during your group or organization’s regularly scheduled meeting time—just fill out the form at the button below.


Convene a Meeting

Category: (none)