Councilman reflects on recent Strategic Planning Retreat

CENTERVILLE — Last week, Centerville’s city leaders discussed a new recycling center, future plans for downtown, and a potential community center at a retreat mediated by the Middle Georgia Regional Commission. 

“I think the way they went about it really brought out some good ideas and good plans that we will be moving forward with,” councilmember Edward Armijo said. 

Centerville’s overall vision was one of the main topics discussed during the retreat. According to the agenda, the mayor and council discussed future headlines for Centerville, roles for strategy development and goals and focus areas for the city. 

“Each of those had an after action where certain individuals are going to take a look at things and re-address some things and go from there,” he said.

The city of Centerville has not had a retreat like this since 2021, and Armijo thinks city leaders should hold one at least once a year.

“I think they should meet at least like this every year just to go over our progress of what we’re doing and what we’re not, while also addressing setbacks and addressing our accomplishments,” he said. 

Figuring out how to fund these projects is the next step. 

“Most of these here, we go out and seek help on figuring out how to pay for these things,” he said. “For example, we just received the official information on how much money we were rewarded for the development and building of the new recycle center and that’s what is going to be released at this upcoming meeting.” 

Armijo hopes that there will be another retreat like this in the near future. 

“I think there will be,” he said. “We have not set a date for the next one, but we found a lot of value in sitting down and really talking about the pains and the achievements we’ve made.”

Armijo expects people will see more new things happening in the city of Centerville. 

“We are going to be moving on with some things and making things happen,” he said. “We’re planning and we’re talking and that’s the most important thing.”

To view the full agenda and minutes of this retreat, go to centervillega.org/minutes-and-agendas.