Coffee with the City of Ashland

By: Ernie Wren
Last Wednesday, Feb. 26th, the City of Ashland staff hosted the first “Coffee with the City” event to promote communication and transparency between residents and staff members. Judging by the continuously packed meeting, which went well past the one-hour schedule, this opportunity for city staff and residents to come together was an enormous success.

The city representatives in attendance included: Mayor Dorise Slinker, Community Development Director/Inspector Darin Ratermann, Police Chief Scott Young, Police Sergeant Andrew Worrall, and Police Officer Violet Russell. Many of the community attendees also brought their children, who were excited to have conversations with the police officers.

There were no contentious discussions, but there were plenty of in-depth discussions and suggestions by residents who were mostly new to the city. Jim McCullock and his wife recently moved to Ashland after retiring from the service. Jim engaged with Police Chief Young regarding community security and opportunities for activities in Southern Boone. Jim stated that one of the first things to stand out to him and his wife as they drove around several communities was the Ashland police presence along Highway 63 and throughout the community.

Chief Young shared with him the technology that enables him to know where his officers are and what they are doing at all times, which helps ensure efficient and effective use of police staffing. JT Fuller, who has lived here for one year, discussed methods in which community cohesion and togetherness can be increased with all the city representatives.

Jeff Voss brought his son Jace (5 ½ yrs.) who enjoyed discussions with Officers Worrall and Russell.

Mayor Slinker was pleased with the turnout and range of discussions. He stated that “It was wonderful to see so many residents come together to share their thoughts and feelings about our city. We were pleased to hear positive feedback about the city’s growth and development. We had a few people express interest in helping serve on the parks and recreation board. Several attendees expressed their appreciation for the open invitation to engage in dialogue with city leaders, which confirms that events like Coffee with the City are beneficial for fostering transparency, open communication, and understanding between residents and their local government.

We value the input of our community members and are committed to continuing to provide opportunities for meaningful engagement and collaboration. We appreciate the engagement of our community members and are grateful for their input, which will help us continue to improve and make our city an even better place for all. Thank you to everyone who participated in this event, and we look forward to more productive conversations in the future.”