Attend the #IamPSL Citizen Summit and become a co-creator in PSL

Published on January 11, 2024

I am PSL Citizen Summit image

Port St. Lucie residents can help shape the City’s future by sharing their ideas at the 2024 #IamPSL Citizen Summit.

This year’s #IamPSL Citizen Summit will be held Saturday, Feb. 3 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Community Center, located at 2195 SE Airoso Blvd. in Port St. Lucie.

Now in its sixth year, the summit is not your typical government meeting. Fun, free and designed to be engaging, the Citizen Summit gives residents of all ages an opportunity to provide direct feedback about the City’s future through interactive activities and one-on-one conversations.

“The Citizen Summit is one of the most important tools we have to build a strategic plan that meets the needs of our residents,” said Kate Parmelee, Deputy City Manager for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation. “As the City continues to grow and evolve, this is a critical time for residents to share their opinions and feedback. Working together, we can create a vision that reflects what matters most for our community.”

Citizens can drop in any time, walk through interactive booths to find out what is planned for their community and learn how they can get involved. Attendees will be given a roadmap to the seven stations that correspond to the City’s seven strategic goals. Those who provide feedback will receive an exclusive T-shirt and keychain, plus other giveaways while supplies last.

Every participant, including kids, will be given $100 in play money to identify and prioritize where additional taxpayer dollars should be spent. This allows City Council to see residents’ priorities when forming this year’s Strategic Plan update.

At last year's Citizen Summit, residents indicated they would like more funding spent on neighborhood parks and preserves, which the City Council prioritized in its strategic plan. When Port St. Lucie was selected as one of 40 municipalities in the world to participate in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative in 2023, it provided City staff an opportunity to study the topic more in depth and learn best practices from leaders across the globe. This year's Citizen Summit will debut a Citizen Design Studio, offering residents an opportunity to help further shape the development of neighborhood green spaces.

Feedback provided at previous Citizen Summits has guided City Council as it made key decisions about Port St. Lucie’s Strategic Plan, such as:

  • Infrastructure projects, including expansions and improvements of roads and sidewalks, that were developed based on insights from residents.
  • The Port District, created after hearing from residents that they wanted more recreational access to the St. Lucie River, a place where they could gather, recreate and enjoy the beauty that surrounded them.
  • The times for regular City Council meetings, updated to better accommodate citizens’ schedules. Ultimately, this can provide more opportunities for resident participation in Council meetings.
  • Concerts, events and other activities, implemented following input from Citizen Summits that demonstrated what residents would like to see at MIDFLORIDA Event Center.

The City wants to hear from residents of every age group, including kids and teens. There will be educational activities to get their specific feedback.

Other activities planned for this year’s event include a Police Department speeding prevention simulator; entertainment showcasing St. Lucie County student talent; educational opportunities for kids; a button-making station; and a selfie station.

Students from St. Lucie Public Schools will hold live performances and culinary arts students from Northport K-8 will be providing complimentary refreshments and food demonstrations.

Visit www.CityofPSL.com/CitizenSummit as the date approaches to learn more about the activities and giveaways.

Tagged as:
Back to top