Community of Arcata Gather for State of City Meeting

ARCATA, Ca. (KIEM) – Citizens of Arcata came out to listen to about the current state of the city. They came to listen to the challenges that their city currently faces.

“There is a great draw to our area. Not only for the aesthetic but also for our culture,” said Bryan Willkomm, Chair of the Arcata Chamber of Commerce. “How do we still keep the culture, keep the aesthetic while still supplying for populations for the state of California and the United States?”

But locals also came to hear solutions.

“It’s all about focusing on people and the talented and creating an environment on multiple levels where people want to come,” said Joellen Clark-Peterson, the Executive Director of the Arcata Chamber of Commerce.

Arcata City Manager Karen Diemer, Community Development Director David Loya, and Executive Director of Redwood Region Gregg Foster were key presenters. They focused on ongoing problems such as housing, traffic and parking infrastructure, homelessness, and rising sea levels.

Arcata Chief of Police Brian Ahearn also attended the meeting. He says that it takes a team to make the city what it is.

But despite the challenges the city continues to face, many are still hope for the future of Arcata.

“It’s the people who create Humboldt County from the very beginning, and that’s the one thing we always had pioneering,” said Clark-Peterson.

One of the solutions the city has in mind is to draw more people. More people will create more job opportunities for everyone and also boost the city’s economy.

 

-Paid Advertisement-