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Berryman shares goals for Medford Says city must pick its future By JULIE SWENSEN Saying Medford reminds her of a story she read her children called "This Nest is Best," Mayor Lindsay Berryman spoke in a state of the city address Friday of goals to attract new businesses and jobs, improve the library and renew challenged neighborhoods. Just as the mama bird in the story searched for the perfect nest before finding her old nest was the best one, Berryman said that when people travel outside the Rogue Valley, they return to Medford saying, "This nest is best." Berryman told an audience of municipal employees at City Hall that to ensure "our nest remains the best," Medford needs to "define a preferred future." She reviewed how the city five months ago started developing a vision for Medford, and spoke of its three themes. Those are providing lifelong economic and educational opportunities, developing a vibrant downtown to be a centerpiece along with Bear Creek, and making sure neighborhoods are clean and safe for everyone. Berryman then outlined several goals for next year. One is to hire a city economic development coordinator to target new businesses and create more jobs. The mayor also said she and the City Council support the expansion and modernization of the Medford Public Library. The city also needs to focus on what she called "significant and irreplaceable assets": downtown and Bear Creek. She said it's time to prepare a plan for the creek "that will preserve and enhance natural areas and offer facilities for diverse recreational and educational opportunities for all age groups." Berryman also touched on the need to keep working with the West Medford Coalition to help renew those neighborhoods, and said priorities will be set for improvements such as sidewalks and street lights. And, she said, there will be incentives for the private sector to reinvest in older neighborhoods. "To accomplish this, we must call upon you as concerned citizens, business leaders, and community activists to embrace these themes and work together to reach the goals we set as a community," the mayor said. City Manager Michael Dyal also spoke, summing up the city's accomplishments during the past year. Among the many highlights: The city's acquisition of the Santo Center from the federal government, making it Medford's first community center The development of an "Expenditure Control Budget" that offers incentives to encourage saving money. The new practice gets rid of the "spend-out habit" -- a department spending all the money in its budget to avoid being allocated less money the next year. Video arraignments in the near future for Finance/Municipal court, the Medford Police Department and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. A $71,000 savings in taxpayers' money because of a change in the way the city buys computers. The hiring of Eric Mellgren as Medford police chief, and a new recruitment process in which community members help hire police officers. The Medford Fire Department's new fire truck, pumper, and thermal imaging cameras that help firefighters see inside a burning home. The addition of five tennis courts at North Medford High School, a dog park at Highland and Barnett Roads, a BMX track at Bear Creek Park, a play structure at Jackson Park and a new tennis court surface at Holmes Park. City officials going on"neighborhood walks" to hear from citizens what they think of Medford. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA