City leaders in Suwanee will discuss the city's future—be it projects, money or general ideas—at the city council's annual retreat, which starts on Thursday and runs through Saturday afternoon.
Council members and city staff will meet at Brasstown Valley in Young Harris for three days to lay out the city's plan for 2016.
"We go through what we call our 'Short-Term Work Program,' and we identify things we completed last year and memorialize those. We identify potential options for new projects. We update the council on the status reports the projects that are ongoing," said Marty Allen, City Manager.
Leaders work in a five year program, but the retreat allows them to focus heavily on the current year. One of the ideas that has come from these council retreats—which Allen said in a phone interview have been happening for around 20 years—include the Town Center Park.
"We prioritize sidewalk projects, park projects, operational issues (and) things of that nature. We have a facilitator who also incorporates leadership training into this. It's a mixture," said Allen.
A couple of the items that will be discussed this go-round include the city's Downtown Master Plan and the Public Arts Master Plan, including how to fund and further those initiatives.
Allen said these retreats are "absolutely essential" in his view.
"You have enough time to thoroughly talk through options. Pros. Cons. And you have a little more time to talk without time contraints. There's no pressure, and if you don't get to everything, that's okay," said Allen.
The retreat, Allen said, is all about "brainstorming and creativity."
