Kim Norton: Tell us how to make Rochester even better by 2050

Your voice matters – to me and to the future of our community. We are providing an opportunity for you to shape our future and I'm asking you to participate. What do we need to make this the very best city you can imagine?

You may be wondering why I am asking for your input now. Our growth as a city is inevitable and while change is uncomfortable, we all know that it is coming.

We have all been introduced to Mayo Clinic's vision for their future this past year and it's clear that exciting innovations await us in the health care realm. We also know that our downtown, and whole community, will be transformed because of their announcement and the growth that will follow.

We are in an enviable position, and I think it's imperative that we ask what the residents, workers and visitors want and need in their future city before too many decisions get made. I believe that if we address our wants and needs early we can impact what our community looks and feels like in the years ahead.

What is missing to create our very best experience? What have you always wished we had, but is missing? What do you hope is here for your children and grandchildren?

We need to reach a broad swath of residents, workers and visitors to answer the question: What is needed to create the very best Rochester by 2050? If you're reading this online,to share! If you're reading in print, visit rochestermn.gov/vision2050 to learn more and share your views.

Throughout the summer we reached out at public events and some of you responded. I'm deeply grateful to those of you who were the trailblazers for this effort! With that feedback, we have modified our form to create an easy-to-use feedback tool that has a QR code and link for easy access and have maintained more traditional methods such as notes, emails ( ), a link on our website and a dedicated phone line (507-328-2050) for you to give us your thoughts!

The input we receive will be shared with elected officials, with the city staff and the consultants they hire to develop the future plans for Rochester! And I will provide the aggregate data gathered to at my 2025 State of the City and on the city website in January as well, so you can see what the community believes we need.

While not every idea will be within city government control, it is my hope and belief that by sharing the data, our private and nonprofit sectors will also learn about what is important to you and can react and respond to your hopes and dreams for Rochester.

I want to take the opportunities to thank the remarkable community members who have served as advisors throughout this process and the "Vision In Action" team members who served as liaisons and helped spread the word about Rochester Vision 2050.

I urge you to not miss this opportunity and respectfully ask that you take a few minutes to respond with your best ideas! Thank you for allowing me the honor of being your mayor and for helping me assure the very best city for us all.