Ashland mayor outlines five-year strategic plan; cites $10 million water project and housing targets

Ashland Mayor Matt McKenzie and City Administrator Brent Kacera told the Ashland County Board on Tuesday that the City of Ashland has completed a five‑year strategic plan focused on infrastructure, public safety and health, housing, economic strength and good governance.

Mayor Matt McKenzie opened the presentation by saying the plan will guide city priorities for the next five years and help the city explain projects to neighboring jurisdictions and residents. “We want to communicate better…because there’s a lot of rumors going on,” McKenzie said.

The mayor and Kacera emphasized recent work on wastewater infrastructure, including six to seven years of “cure‑in‑place” lining that city officials say has largely eliminated sanitary overflows in recent extreme storms. McKenzie said the city has not seen a system overflow since a major event two to three years ago, and credited cured liners and routine cleaning for recent performance.

Kacera and McKenzie also described a state-ordered surface‑water intake and related work intended as a backup water supply after water‑quality concerns. McKenzie said the Department of Natural Resources initially estimated roughly $3 million for the project, but the actual price came in “around $10,000,000” and will be paid from the city’s utility funds rather than property taxes.

On transportation and public works, McKenzie said the city has accelerated street resurfacing and chip sealing in recent years but that future work will require prioritization because available money is declining. He noted new road work on the East Side and continuing work across Main Street corridors.

City officials listed parks and waterfront projects among infrastructure priorities. McKenzie and Kacera described recent grant‑funded public‑works and streetscape improvements, a new comfort station near Kerr Park, and a deepwater boat launch at a Superfund site that McKenzie said required a gubernatorial order to release state funding.

Housing and homelessness were prominent items in the plan. McKenzie said the plan calls for an emergency shelter, transitional housing, more income‑based units and market‑rate development. He said an apartment project on the former Beazer/Tomlinson site is expected to add about 130–150 market‑rate units. The city also described code enforcement steps, revised ordinances to allow property raisings or demolitions after extended noncompliance, and using liens to recoup cleanup costs.

McKenzie and Kacera said the city is pursuing a COPS‑program grant to place part‑time park‑ranger positions and to increase downtown safety patrols. Kacera added that the city maintains a general‑fund reserve equal to roughly 31–38 percent of operating revenue and an A++ bond rating; he said the city keeps a $3–3.5 million reserve to cover shortfalls.

On Northland College’s recent closure, McKenzie said a Boston‑based firm has been retained to manage transcripts, sell assets and address creditors; the firm has contacted the city about fire protection and security but has not announced redevelopment plans. McKenzie said the site remains zoned for education and the city will remain open to discussions but has not incorporated specific Northland reuse projects into the strategic plan.

Why it matters: The presentation frames the city’s near‑term decisions — especially a large utility capital project and housing initiatives — and signals areas where city and county staff may coordinate. The DNR‑directed intake project and the city’s method of paying for it (utility funds) are possible points of intergovernmental interest because of regional infrastructure, stormwater and waterfront redevelopment issues.

Residents and county supervisors raised questions during the presentation about Northland College’s future, waterfront redevelopment and use of state grants. McKenzie said the city will provide an electronic copy of the strategic plan to the county for the board packet.

Ending: McKenzie and Kacera left copies of the plan with county staff and said they will share the city’s implementation plan once finalized. The presentation closed with an offer to continue coordination on housing, property remediation, waterfront master planning and public‑safety partnerships.