Additional thoughts/comments on the PKS Strategic Plan

Meeting held on September 10, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at PKS Town Hall.

Affordable Housing and Infrastructure

• While the need for affordable housing was recognized, PKS doesn’t have what is considered ‘affordable housing.’
• We don’t allow accessory units to existing homes to be built which would help expand housing/living options.
• Building is constrained by the lack of sewer system and there is no plan currently to consider laying one.
• Nor is there an island plan for expansion of the current septic system.
• This may be reconsidered as the size of homes increases. Taller buildings can be built higher in the institution district.

Population Increase

• Relative to pre-Covid years, 400 new residents have been counted. The split of full time to parttime residents has shifted from 28% to 34%.

PKS Community Center

• The possibility of a community center was raised but no decision made.
• With home re-evaluation scheduled for 2025, home assessment may be doubled – providing revenue that could be spent on a community center.

Status update: Bringing exercise classes to PKS from Leon Mann

• It’s coming this week – Chair Yoga 8:45 a.m. Betty Carr Room September 12, 2024.
• Spread the word.
• Other exercise options that may open up include Zumba gold, tai chi for arthritics, and bingosize.

Community Awareness

What else could we be doing to increase awareness of the Council? Ideas mentioned included:

• We could expand our use of Facebook to all communities.
• Put ads in the Shoreline.
• Spread the word through church connections.
• Use of our business cards.
• Consider use of this reminder in our correspondence.

Forums

Our objective with the Forum is to offer topics of interest to the local population. Key question: How do we build our audience response?

• How do we determine topic?
• When to offer? E.g., day of week? weekend? morning or afternoon?
• When to start advertising event?
• Which advertising channels?
• Handout flyers to those who are in other groups?
• Set a minimum number of attendees before we go ‘live’?
• Other ideas? Broaden topics to include presentations of food/recipes, nursing care, Dr. Fuller re: making decisions about relationships and the future.

New Business

Items were mentioned for further discussion:

• Update ‘partnership’ with Carteret Hospital (?)
• Explore the idea of a Community vegetable garden as a social activity(?)
• Considerations include Identifying locations, fencing, watering sources, talk with Sonny.

Next meeting

Our next meeting is October 8, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. in the Betty Carr room at the Town Hall. See you there!