- Work with UD on their long-range improvement plans and the impact on Irving Avenue
- Sprucing up Irving Avenue
- Engage UD in cooperative planning of Irving Avenue corridor
Municipal Financial Planning (2)
- Financial spending
- Develop long-range financial plan for City
Other
- Benchmark best practices in other cities
- Fairmont reconstruction
- Keeping residents in the community
- Citizen protection program
- Parking in neighborhoods
- Establishment of expansive volunteer service capabilities in City
- Some sort of regulation that those businesses that employ people who live outside of Oakwood don’t have to withhold the 2.5% tax for them
- Far Hills student travel protection improvement
- “Junin” Act for kids- a community theater
- Planned program of identifying all citizens with special needs
- Special needs services: daycare, transportation for seniors, citizen protection
- Daycare for preschool, lots of 2 worker families, perhaps use seniors as workers/volunteers
- City should obtain initial land use rights to Hawthorn Hill and guide and endow its future use to Oakwood Historical Society
5. What are the primary strengths and assets of Oakwood?
A wide range of strengths and assets were mentioned by Committee members. The most frequently cited assets related to: a) high-quality schools; b) a safe City; c) a sound local government; d) quality City services, e) a convenient location, f) citizen involvement and volunteerism; g) architectural diversity; and h) a strong pedestrian orientation.
City Services (45)
- Safe City (14)
- Quality of City services (10)
- Excellent City services provided (5)
- Excellent safety services: police, fire (5)
- Parks and recreation (2)
- Response time to needs of residents (2)
- Recreation and use of community center (2)
- Surface infrastructure
- Trash
- Cleanliness of streets
- Public transportation
- Programs of improvement/maintenance
Community pride and involvement (35)
- Citizen involvement in community (6)
- Volunteers/many opportunities to volunteer (6)
- Pride (5)
- People generally keep their properties in good shape (3)
- Community identity (2)
- Citizens-good stock
- Community-neighbors know each other, tightly knit group
- Educated and involved citizens
- Small community/friendly