Surveys: Residents want focus on water, economic development

Water quality and economic development should be top priorities for the City of Ottawa, City Manager Richard Nienstedt said.

Surveys and feedback from Franklin County residents, in part, match Nienstedt’s opinions about top projects for the community, as laid out in a draft of the Franklin County Strategic Plan.

Written surveys were sent to about 1,000 registered voters in the county and those responses, in addition to feedback from public forums in Ottawa, Richmond, Pomona, Williamsburg, Rantoul, Wellsville and Princeton, were used to gauge residents’ thoughts on services and other issues.

“I think we have some excellent services offered by the county and people work every day to improve them,” Nienstedt said.

He said the city always is working to secure more water for the future and will address that issue at this afternoon’s commission study session when a new contract with the Marais des Cygnes River Water Assurance District No. 2 is discussed.

Ottawa requested a purchase of 517 acre feet of storage in the Melvern and Pomona reservoirs, a memo from Jim Bradley, city utilities director, said. With that purchase, Ottawa’s total storage will equal 2,752 acre feet, an amount that will meet projected demands, the memo said.

As for economic development, Nienstedt said the city continues to work with the county, Chamber of Commerce, Ottawa/Franklin County Economic Development and other groups to attract new investments, local expansions and new retail to the community.

“Even though the economic times are tough, this is one area we have to continue to address and be ready for when the economy does strengthen again,” he said.