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Watkinsville holds retreat to set FY27 priorities, review 2025 accomplishments and plan downtown and July 3 events
Summary
City leaders met Feb. 23, 2026, for a retreat to review 2025 accomplishments and citizen survey results, prioritize FY27 plans, discuss downtown development and preliminary ideas for America's 250th on July 3. Reports were draft and no formal actions were taken.
Watkinsville Mayor Brodrick and the five-member council convened a retreat at City Hall on Feb. 23, 2026, to review the city's 2025 accomplishments, consider citizen satisfaction survey findings and set priorities for fiscal year 2027. The meeting was organized as a working session; staff materials were presented in draft form and no final votes or policy adoptions were taken.
City Manager Dickerson presented a draft year-in-review, highlighting what the agenda described as “significant accomplishments of 2025” and summarizing results of a citizen satisfaction survey. Council used that review as the basis for a midmorning discussion about strategic initiatives and how to sequence resources and staff time for FY27 priorities.
Long-term planning and downtown development were central to the retreat agenda. DDA Director Jan Watson-Greer provided the Downtown Development Authority update and councilmembers exchanged ideas about future focus areas for downtown projects. The agenda also included preliminary planning for the city's participation in America's 250th events slated for July 3; council discussion treated those plans as ideas to be developed, not finalized programs.
In the afternoon, the mayor and council scheduled dedicated time to prioritize and finalize the list of initiatives for FY27, with staff present to answer questions and provide clarification on resource implications. Chief Arwood was scheduled to deliver a public safety instruction session intended as informational briefings for council and administrative staff.
Clerk Klein emphasized that all materials shared at the retreat were draft and that the retreat would not produce final actions; public comment was available at the council's discretion. The retreat was scheduled to adjourn at 2:00 p.m.
Next steps identified during the session included staff follow-up to provide more detailed cost and timeline estimates for prioritized FY27 initiatives and additional planning work for downtown projects and the July 3 event. Any formal decisions or budget approvals will be taken through the council's standard public meeting and adoption processes.
