The meetings were part of Plano’s Listening Tour, a series of local forums where residents were able to offer guidance to Plano’s elected officials. Plano City Council members and other city staff attended the meetings but only to listen and not participate in the discussions, according to a report presented at the April 11 council meeting.
The meetings were held virtually and in-person at various locations in Plano between Feb. 3-26 and were attended by 171 total residents, according to the presentation. Officials said that COVID-19 and cold weather conditions likely affected residents’ attendance.
Mayor John Muns and other council members indicated last year that the tour would be an opportunity for the city to hear from diverse members of the community and help council make more informed decisions. According to the latest 2020 census data, more than 153,300 people in Plano identify as a race other than white. Plano has a total population of around 287,000, according to the census.
“I will be interested to see how we use this in future planning sessions so that we can incorporate some of the thoughts that have been brought up by the citizens in order to steer the direction of the city,” Council Member Rick Grady said during the meeting.
At each forum, residents were split into groups and asked a series of questions to facilitate discussions regarding city issues. The presentation stated that the most common issues discussed by residents were public safety; retaining Plano’s small-town feel; creating more recreation and entertainment opportunities; working to address homelessness; and creating more opportunities for resident engagement. The report also stated that residents felt the city’s government and Plano ISD are well-respected institutions.
The report stated that safety, diversity, quality of life and good schools were all listed by residents as good qualities they want Plano to be known for. Homeless services, an aging population, road maintenance and affordable housing were all listed as pressing issues the city should focus on fixing, according to the report.
City Manager Mark Isrealson said information from the Listening Tour will be used to inform decisions moving forward and that city staff is working on ways to hold similar events in the future. The entire Plano 2022 Listening Tour report can be seen here.
