Bessemer seeks input from residents for master plan

BESSEMER — The city of Bessemer mailed a survey to all residents on Tuesday to gain their input for the city’s master plan, according to city manager Charly Loper.

This three-question survey is designed to help the city figure out the “why” portion of the master plan, said Loper, aiming to answer, “Why we work to continue the improvement of our community.”

The questions include:

— “What worries you the most about our future as a community?”

— “What excites you the most about our future as a community?” and

— “What are unique and special things that Bessemer has that we should focus on growing moving forward?”

The city’s master plan is updated every five years. Loper said normally they would not be starting the project until spring, but they decided to start early.

“We are starting this one a little early, because it’s timely to think about how we want to change after the coronavirus, but also we have more time to really focus on it,” Loper said. “We have time at the city to do it because we are doing it internally, because of the corona, people personally are having priorities change and seeing things in a new light. So it’s a good time to reach out and see their thoughts moving forward.”

Loper said they will be sending out another survey that is longer and more in-depth at a later date, but this survey will help them determine where to go with the next one and what to specifically focus on.

“So much depends on this,” Loper said. “It’s very helpful to us as we move forward.”

She said that the city has already started to receive some responses back from the 921 surveys that were mailed.

Loper asked those who have not received a survey and wishes to participate to call the city or email her at [email protected]. The deadline to return a survey is Sept. 27.