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Community volunteers present economic plan as council endorses working group
Summary
Community volunteers and retired planner Martha Spencer presented survey-driven priorities calling out loss of historic economic anchors, housing affordability and downtown revitalization; the Fortuna City Council received the report and gave conceptual support to form community work groups.
Fortuna City Council on June 1 received a community-led economic development report and gave conceptual support for a volunteer-led work group to draft a new economic vision for the city.
John Sapper and Martha Spencer presented findings from six months of outreach and surveys involving more than 100 community members and 64 business respondents. “The key takeaway from the last 6 months is Fortuna is a pivotal point,” Sapper said, arguing that industries that once anchored the local economy are no longer providing stability. Spencer, who identified herself as a retired county planner, said respondents repeatedly cited loss of an economic anchor and housing affordability as top concerns.
The presenters described a multiphase, community-driven effort that would form a lead work group and topic-specific subgroups focused on downtown revitalization, tourism, business development, workforce development, housing, and city services. Sapper read an initial list of volunteer lead work-group members that included Kevin Bradley (Creations Auto), Tina Christiansen (Coldwell Banker), John Egan (developer/ranch), Corey Fitzy (Eco Medical Waste), Cody Hurst (The Hurst Group), Gina McClendon, Ben McQuarter (George’s Glass), Amy Nielsen, and Fortuna City Manager Logan Olson, among others.
Planning commissioner Tina Christiansen told the council the initiative is a prime opportunity to pair community promotion with infrastructure solutions, urging the city to address costly infrastructure problems that keep visitors from stopping in Fortuna. “When you start taking your traffic and it goes straight, 65 miles an hour, they’re just gonna keep going to the next stop,” she said.
Resident Shannon McWhorter also spoke in support and encouraged other residents to join committees. After brief council discussion, Mayor Pro Tem Trent moved to receive and file the materials and provide conceptual support and endorsement for the proposed community working group; the motion passed on a voice vote.
The council action was procedural and did not appropriate funding or create a formal city advisory committee; presenters said the lead community work group would meet within roughly 30 days to identify tasks, scope and initial priorities. The presenters said community members see the mill site and River Walk development areas as catalytic opportunities and emphasized quick-win actions and the need for a unified Fortuna brand to attract visitors, investment and workers.
Next steps: the lead community work group will hold an initial meeting to set scope and responsibilities and report back to the council as appropriate.
