Heart & Soul Statement Action Items

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Friends of Downtown wants your input on choosing priority Action Items for the Heart & Soul Statements that the community developed. Please pick your THREE PRIORITY Action Item under each statement.

Community: We value the generational pride of our mill town heritage, and strong work ethic because it shapes our identity. ACTION ITEMS related to this statement are below, PLEASE MARK YOUR THREE PRIORITY Action Items! *

Invest in the redevelopment of the mills. We have beautiful and old historic buildings that can be used to share living history – beyond placards

Preserve the Goodall Mansion

Preserve The Sanford Trust Building (Corner of Washington/Main Street)

Have a conversation about how Biddeford preserved the history of buildings in downtown without demolition.

Visit (study) mill communities that have turned their town around

Required

Community: We welcome new residents for their diversity that broadens our perspectives. Action items related to this statement are below, PLEASE MARK YOUR THREE PRIORITY Action Items!

Create a "Welcome to Sanford" packet with trails, civic clubs, etc. New community members could get one when you register to vote or register a car.

Find a way to track “new to town” community members, come to a Mainers game as our guest!

Celebrate Franco-American Day, April 23. Also any other celebration of a people group

Create a new resident welcoming committee – find out about city events, youth athletics, marketing of events

Spotlight new citizens in the community

Host community meals featuring cultural and/or handed-down recipes

When we drive through town, what makes us think Sanford embraces Franco & Latin America? Perhaps expand opportunities for the Arts.

Create a forum for City Leadership to hear from community members on real issues and share information in a conversational format

Community: We are grateful for "neighbors helping neighbors" which strengthens our community and enhances the overall quality of life. Action items related to this statement are below, PLEASE MARK YOUR THREE PRIORITY Action Items!

Have a Block Party in downtown with bands, food, art, games, etc

Better communicate what Sanford is doing for the unhoused

Encourage neighborhood activities/events like clean-ups, watches, outdoor neighborhood gatherings

Highlight and share neighborhood efforts in social media, newsletters, etc.

Supercharge the Fourth of July parade. Recruit more musical entries and create divisions celebrating different aspects of Sanford!

Create a community events committee to continue and improve existing events and bring new ones to Sanford

Economy: We desire to be a thriving hub of local business owners, who can provide residents options for eating, entertaining, gathering, and shopping. Action items related to this statement are below, PLEASE MARK YOUR THREE PRIORITY Action Items!

Give the Main Street Marketplace (Midtown Mall) a Facelift

Encourage and attract diversity of business (boutique, bakery, attract shoppers )

Create a marketing campaign to promote businesses as well as things to do in Sanford (Water Ski Shows, Mainers, Parades)

Partner with other towns for events

Have a fair type event in the downtown (ie a Rhododendron or other Festival)

Create a Christmas Town in Central Park for the Holidays

Leverage Sanford’s discount shopping outlets, establish Sanford as a center of recycling and reuse, recruit businesses that fit this niche, establish an annual town-wide yard sale

Reinvent Main Street Marketplace. Negotiate with owners to develop a master plan for the entire five acres, then package all properties, including city parking, and recruit a single owner to redevelop the property.

Fill space on ground floor of city hall annex building and in city hall auditorium with clusters of compatible uses (businesses and services) that generate foot traffic.

Help the current owners of Main Street Marketplace re-develop their buildings into a trendy retail outlet

Encourage light manufacturing & retail in the same space (cabinetmaker, clothing maker, artisans)

Launch a “Believe in Sanford” campaign and remind everyone what is happening on a regular basis

Step up networking efforts so businesses can connect on a regular basis

Make sure there is a central place where businesses can access help, make complaints, and feel supported

Have community progressive activities – churches, flower gardens, desserts, teas, outdoor festivals Expand Farmer’s Market – Artisans, crafts, etc

Economy: We are poised for growth and people are optimistic about the future. Action items related to this statement are below, PLEASE MARK YOUR THREE PRIORITY Action Items!

Create fun activities for people: Paddle Boats or Stand-up Paddle Boards in #1 Pond, a Bike Share, etc

Bring more entertainment events to town (music, performers) for things to do

Look into Hydro-Electric Generation (ie: at Number 1 Pond)

Work with City codes department to lift time & cost barriers in this district to expedite this mission

Continue to monitor housing initiatives and market those housing stats to potential businesses

Increase readership in the City Newsletter to increase awareness in things happening in Sanford

Increase transportation options both within and outside of Sanford to reduce vehicle use/needs and allow for access to work and recreation oppotunities

Create and support initiative to create a more vibrant, colorful Downtown that will attract more businesses and visitors both

Focus on small (mom and pop) locally owned small businesses (vs franchise/chain stores) when looking to attract development and growth

Education: We appreciate the opportunities given to our students in a wide variety of subject matter that provide an array of college preparatory and SRTC workforce ready skills and experiences. Action items related to this statement are below, PLEASE MARK YOUR THREE PRIORITY Action Items!

Make transportation available to adult learning, professional development, & social enrichment

Start career exploration and tech exploration at lower grade levels

Combine business academy skills with the tech school skills for potential future business owners

Develop partnerships with local businesses to provide internships, apprenticeships and job shadowing

Have a hangout spot for young people that feels safe and a space to study/homework

Acknowledge that our students are our future and create student positions on community task forces and committees

Help get Sanford School Spotlight out further than just parents

Build community connections for our youth with community contests, i.e. “Design a Main St building”

Education: We support the expansive opportunities that encompass adult learning, professional development and social enrichment, which are a source of pride and community cohesiveness. Action items related to this statement are below, PLEASE MARK YOUR THREE PRIORITY Action Items!

Increase awareness on opportunities that exist

Increase participation from new residents to teach a class or a skill from their heritage

Create more student/community partnerships

Provide transportation to Portland for low income families with kids in college

We need more spaces for our college age students to hang out, do homework, meet up with others. Create a time and space for this (perhaps at Libraries?)

Safety: We value Sanford's family-friendly, small-town feel where we find a sense of comfort within our neighborhoods. Action items related to this statement are below, PLEASE MARK YOUR THREE PRIORITY Action Items!

Leverage social media and marketing efforts for positive messaging about Sanford to share that we still have this small-town feel

Share Police Department data and trends as well as comparisons to other Cities to increase understanding of actual crime in Sanford

Improve sidewalks and walkability (especially to trail heads like the Rail Trail)

Partner with Police Department to create Public Safety Campaigns: Safety awareness, neighborhood watches, safe spaces for youth

As we grow, create community and neighborhood events that help us retain our small-town feel.

Consider use of a community wide alert system for both emergency/safety events as well as community events

Create an initiative that would help Sanford be a cleaner City

Safety: We are concerned about the persistence of drug use and homelessness in our midst because of the multiple ways it harms individuals, their families, and our community. Action items related to this statement are below, PLEASE MARK YOUR THREE PRIORITY Action Items!

Continue focused effort to help unhoused people and those with substance use disorder

Look for County-wide solutions and partnerships to help our unhoused

Support efforts to re-open emergency adult shelter services

Work to bring an after-school youth center to the community to give kids a safe place to have fun together (prevention)

Meet with Sanford businesses on how to handle challenges of unhoused, trespassers, theft etc at their locations and create best practices

Create a feedback loop to share ideas and support to City officials working on this issue

Create a program to help our unhoused start over and have an opportunity to change

Our youth and young adults need things to do and places to go that create positive connections and fun activities

Have a needle clean-up initiative in the community

Having read through some of the ideas and action items under our Heart & Soul statements and chosen priority actions - would you be interested in being on a committee to actually make these actions happen? If you might consider it please share your name and best contact method as well as if there was a particular action item you would be most interested in supporting!

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