Micron’s Community Engagement Committee will continue to gather ideas from the public at a workshop Wednesday about how to spend a half billion dollars in funds dedicated to community development.
The 14-member committee was created nearly six months ago, and has been working toward a framework to direct the money to the areas it can have the most impact. Committee co-chair Tim Penix says they expect to hear some familiar priorities, like housing, workforce development, and infrastructure. But he knows there’s more.
“Maybe add some things that we're not thinking about from the various geographical locations, the various sectors for interfacing with residents," Penix said. "They all bring something different and have a different understanding of what does it mean when an impact of not just the amount of money that's being targeted, but then also the impact of a company coming, like Micron.”
Penix says just Tuesday, he joined a focus group on human services leadership and heard different and informative perspectives. Fellow co-chair Melanie Littlejohn says public engagement with a combination of groups large and small will help them create a comprehensive community priorities document.
“Here's Micron’s plan that has been informed by the voice of the community," Littlejohn said. "Here are the particulars. Right here are the things that people said that we absolutely need in order for this organization and for this region to be successful.”
Littlejohn and Penix say they need to keep an eye on the long-range impact, since Micron’s buildout will take at least 20 years to complete. Littlejohn says those who attend Wednesday's workshop can also expect to hear high level updates from Micron officials about site preparation in Clay. The workshop will be held at the Museum of Science and Technology downtown from 4:30 to 7:30.
For those who can't attend, they're invited to take a survey to offer their input. Penix says they've received a little over 1,000 responses so far.
