University City manager outlines 2025–27 work plan focused on economic development, public safety and operational reforms

City Manager Rose presented a draft 2025–2027 work plan to the University City City Council at a Jan. 13 study session, laying out initiatives on economic development, public safety, internal operations and several policy studies that staff said will be used to guide budget recommendations this year.

Rose told the council that the schedule for the plan is timed to inform the budget process: "to understand what your priorities are at this time will enable us to incorporate those priorities into the budget," he said. He said the presentation is the first part of the work-plan discussion and that he intends to finish the item at the Jan. 27 meeting.

The work plan groups projects under economic development, public safety, prudent fiscal management and organizational improvements. On economic development, Rose proposed a quarterly economic development report beginning in 2025, a revived business-retention program, a recruitment program for The Loop and a capital-improvement program (CIP) for Olive Boulevard. He said about $5,000,000 from the market-of-Olive development is being set aside for Olive Boulevard improvements and that other economic-development retail sales tax revenue could help fund projects once the city defines a vision for Olive Boulevard.

On The Loop, Rose proposed starting a capital…