American Rescue Plan Act
Over the 2022 summer, the City Administration hosted four, two-hour in-person brainstorming sessions called Think Big, Chillicothe. Residents were asked to share their ideas on how to improve the community as it related to education, economic development, housing, parks and public spaces, city infrastructure and services, and health. During those in-person sessions, more than 300 ideas from community residents were collected. Those in attendance were asked to vote for their favorite ideas of the night.
The top 15 ideas from the Think Big, Chillicothe sessions were shared on the City’s online engagement platform, Engage Chillicothe. The community was asked to prioritize spending around these projects through a participatory budgeting exercise. The platform also allowed residents to ask questions and comment on the top 15 ideas engaging with city staff and other community members. View the project online here.Following community engagement and taking into consideration internal infrastructure needs, local data, other funding sources/opportunities, comprehensive plan alignment, and impact and sustainability, a spending plan was proposed and adopted by City Council in 2023. The plan can be viewed here.