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Marshfield parks committee updates strategic plan priorities; focuses on trails, EAB tree work and facility list cleanup
Summary
Committee members reviewed the department strategic plan (in place since 2018), discussed removing completed items, advancing trail connections with donor-funded design work and pursuing DOT/DNR grants, and confirmed ongoing emerald ash borer management.
The Marshfield Parks, Recreation and Forestry Committee on Jan. 8 reviewed its draft strategic plan, discussed removing completed items and prioritized trail connections and emerald ash borer (EAB) tree management.
Justin, parks staff, noted the department’s strategic plan dates to 2018 and is more detailed than the citywide strategic plan. He suggested the committee review outstanding facility items and recommend deletions or adjustments for the next meeting. "This one's been around since 2018 and the city's been kinda doing strategic plans over the years since then," Justin said.
Members identified items to remove or revise: construction of a city columbarium has been completed and can be taken off the list; the department recently signed a five-year contract renewal with local Lutheran and Catholic cemeteries. Forestry staff reported active EAB work removing declining ash trees. "The guys are currently doing that right now. They're removing ash trees...a lot of bark coming off and branches are starting to get brittle," a forestry staff member said.
Committee discussion also focused on trail connections: the group wants to concentrate efforts to connect Weber Park to the Arboretum trails, link Pecan Parkway to Greasy Park and explore trails north of the high school campus. Justin said a donor has expressed interest in funding consultant design work for the Pecan Parkway–Greasy Park trail; if secured, the department would run an RFP for design and then seek DOT or DNR grants to fund construction. "That would be the goal as we kinda come up with a plan and a cost estimate, and then, go ahead and try to secure some DOT or DNR grant funding," Justin said, noting the work may take two to five years.
The committee asked staff to solicit additional staff input for new objectives under each strategic category, to preserve balance among goals (about four or five objectives per category), and to return with recommended edits at the next meeting.
Next steps: staff will update the strategic plan to remove completed items, incorporate committee suggestions, and circulate a revised draft for approval at a future meeting.
