Society & Culture

The most important element in a city is its people. A sustainable community is also a stable community. It must have at its core a society of productive individuals and families who are able to live in dignity. Hence the employment available, insofar as it can be influenced by public policy, should pay whatever society at a given time considers a living wage.

Those who cannot provide for themselves must be provided for at a level consistent with human health and dignity. Communities that work toward social stability as part of environmental sustainability ought to reduce the extent of social dislocation and diminish the costs of dislocation.

Goal 20

Increase citizen awareness of public laws and policies and encourage citizen participation.

Action Plan

Promote community membership in local organizations, volunteerism, voting and other civic duties.

Indicators

Proportion of citizens participating in volunteer organizations, city boards and commissions and other civic duties; voter registration and voter turnout.

Goal 21

Increase neighborhood interaction, develop the sense of neighborhood and improve community relationships.

Action Plan

Encourage neighborhood activities and organizations.

Indicators

Number and success of active neighborhood groups.

Goal 22

Reduce discrimination, harassment or assaults based upon racial, ethnic or other attributes typically associated with biased behavior.

Action Plan

Encourage policies, behaviors and attitudes that reduce discriminatory practices and foster leadership that is representative of the diversity in the community.

Indicators

Number of incidents and/or complaints.

Goal 23

Enhance physical safety and a sense of a secure community for all members and encourage the prevention of violence.

Action Plan

Decrease the number of pedestrian/vehicle accidents and other accidents, domestic violence incidents and hate crimes, property crimes and other acts of violence through education and the monitoring of environmental factors such as traffic patterns, pedestrian access and safety, reduction of societal pressures that lead to stress and violence, etc.

Indicators

Number of reported crimes (by category); number of crimes per capita as compared to similar cities.

Goal 24

Encourage community-based life-long learning for an enhanced quality of life.

Action Plan

Increase the number of and participation in courses offered to the public through higher education, the Kent Schools, Kent Free Library and the Parks and Recreation Department for continued learning.

Indicators

Number of programs, courses and participants.

Goal 25

Increase and maintain community resources, which support basic human needs while encouraging self-sufficiency.

Action Plan

Maintain and support social services and agencies through public and private funding.

Indicators

Monitor degree of need and the ability of public and private agencies to meet that need; monitor number of clients served by public and private agencies, as well as their funding level and funding sources.