PINEDALE – Pinedale Town Council members completed an extensive survey process to establish a list of priorities for 2021. Mayor Matt Murdock encouraged the board members to take time to carefully weigh each priority during council meetings last year.

The priority list is intended to guide town staff in structuring projects and can be used in grant applications and contract presentations, Murdock said at the meeting. The list put before the council was not exhaustive, he added.

The priorities were divided into seven categories. The top five priorities in each category are listed below, in order from highest priority to lowest priority as ranked by council members. The full list is posted on the town's website.

Town organization

• Council member training
• Security improvements at town offices, municipal courts and guidelines dealing with 'disease transmission'
• Long-term planning for staff in each department
• 'Educational training' for council members
• Moratoriums, suspensions and 'sunsets' on ordinances.

Community enhancement and planning

• Plans for the property at 210 W. Pine St.
• A 'complete downtown master plan'
• Promoting annexation through codes and 'fiscal operations'
• Support the public-private broadband internet project and enhanced telecommunications
• The pedestrian crossing at Pine and Lincoln streets

Economic development

• Support the hospital district
• Long-term development at the airport
• Support the broadband internet project and enhanced telecommunications
• The property at 210 W. Pine St.
• Business development and incentives

Infrastructure

• Regular and scheduled preventative road maintenance
• Phase 3 in the project to fix freezing problems with the water pipes
• Maintaining 'filtration avoidance criteria'
• Promoting annexation through codes and 'fiscal options'
• Regular and scheduled preventative maintenance to waterways and drainages

Policy, ordinances, codes

• Support the hospital district
• Support the broadband project
• Continue education for employees
• Increase water and sewer customers
• Maintain an 'active investment philosophy'

Recreation and parks

• Continue 10-year water, wastewater, parks and beautification plans
• Connecting pathways
• Improving lighting along pathways
• Developing a 10-year parks and beautification plan
• Plans for new playground equipment

Water and sewer

• Repair freezing problems with water pipes
• Maintain "filtration avoidance criteria"
• Complete water master plan
• Start and complete waste water master plan
• Increase water and sewer customers