The growth of Sioux Falls and how the community should look in the future is the focus of the third rendition of Sioux Falls Tomorrow.  You can join others from across the  Sioux Falls area to create a new vision for the future. This is a planning project focusing on five aspects of community life ― economic vitality, education, local government services, quality of life, and social services.

There is a survey you can take, online at  www.siouxfallstomorrow.com between January 20 and 31. Visitors to the website may also download the 2004 Sioux Falls Tomorrow vision and goals. It will also be an insert to the January 21 edition of the Argus Leader.

“Planning sessions begin January 21,” says Mary Tidwell, chair of the Sioux Falls Tomorrow steering committee. “But our first step is to gather input from as many of our neighbors as we can.”

To that end, people who live in Lincoln, Minnehaha, Turner, and McCook counties and nearby in Iowa and Minnesota are being asked to complete a short survey to share their opinions.

“We want to reach a large, diverse audience, so that we hear the views of folks from all age groups and backgrounds,” Tidwell says.

Sponsors of the project include the City of Sioux Falls, Forward Sioux Falls (a joint venture of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and Sioux Falls Development Foundation), Lincoln and Minnehaha counties, the Sioux Empire United Way, Sioux Falls School District and Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation, which is coordinating planning activities.

Representatives from the sponsoring organizations serve on the steering committee and will be joined by stakeholders ― volunteers who agree to participate in six planning meetings and to join one of five key performance area (KPA) work groups.

“We expect to have as many as 100 stakeholders,” says Andy Patterson, Community Foundation Vice President and project director. “People who take the survey can volunteer as a stakeholder and join one of the KPAs. Those who can’t commit to attending all the meetings can follow the project online and participate in a public meeting to comment on the work in progress.”

“Sioux Falls Tomorrow convenes every ten years,” Patterson says. “We hope to wrap up planning this spring and publish a report to the community that can be used by local groups to help guide program and community development activities.”

. Visit www.sfacf.org for more information.

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