Atkinson Community Survey Results & Visioning Tools
Launch the media gallery 1 playerAtkinson Economic Development Director Amanda Sindelar
Entrepreneurial Community Activation Process Atkinson team members discuss future key projects.The City of Atkinson Economic Development office recently brought the Entrepreneurial Community Activation Process (ECAP) to the community to help identify priorities and actions for the future.
Results from the community survey were presented by University of Nebraska Extension Educator Jordan Rasmussen during a special city council meeting June 7, 2021, at the Atkinson Community Center large room.
The process, led by Nebraska Extension, created an opportunity for all members of the community and area residents to share their ideas on what they would like for the future of Atkinson through an online or paper survey and a series of community conversations.
“The process has been remarkably interesting. It has been an opportunity to learn what the community deems important, what other projects that should be brought forward for consideration, and what the community believes are our strengths and weaknesses,” said Mayor Paul Corkle.
The community survey was launched March 31, 2021, and closed April 13, 2021, with a total of 137 people responding. The community meetings were hosted on April 13, April 27 and May 4, 2021, at the Atkinson Community Center and focused on the community’s characteristics, survey results, and visioning and priority setting.
The discovery tool helps measure how people view their community relative to eight entrepreneurial community characteristics – Community Vision, Sense of Place, Culture of Change, Leadership, Infrastructure, Digitally Connected, Education/Workforce IQ, and Entrepreneurial Support Systems.
“This process helps communities understand their unique characteristics, community assets and potential opportunities for growth,” Rasmussen said.
After learning the survey results it was identified that key projects to focus on in Atkinson included Education/Workforce IQ, Leadership, and Infrastructure. Attendees of community meetings broke into three action groups to move forward on these projects.
At the request of the Atkinson ECAP steering committee, respondents also were asked questions focused on community services and amenities, community projects, economic development, retail shopping, housing, and business ownership assistance.
The public was then invited to a Community Progress Forum on Feb. 2, 2022, at the Atkinson Community Center large room. Participants learned what the Atkinson ECAP team members have been up to, what they have accomplished, and how you can get involved. Items included:
- New resident welcome packets
- Job fair hosted at West Holt Public Schools
- Childcare initiatives underway
- New city website being developed
This process, led by Nebraska Extension, created an opportunity for all members of the community and area residents to share their ideas on what they would like for the future of Atkinson through an online or paper survey and a series of community conversations. To view the survey results, please visit http://go.unl.edu/atkinsonreports.
For more information contact Atkinson Economic Development Director Amanda Sindelar at 402-925-5313 or amanda.sindelar@atkinsonne.com.
Launch the media gallery 2 playerAtkinson Economic Development Director Amanda Sindelar
Community members and city officials participate in the Entrepreneurial Community Activation Process at the Atkinson Community Center.