HASTINGS, Neb. - A random selection of Hastings residents will soon have the chance to give input on the city's future.

ETC Institute of Olathe, Kansas is mailing out the city's strategic planning survey on Friday. Input from the multi-page survey will be used to help the city prioritize efforts, effectively allocate resources and ensure the city's goals are backed by data. The strategic plan will assist city department heads in planning for future fiscal years.

The survey will be mailed to 5,000 random Hastings residences. That amount represents nearly half of all households within the community. There will be a $500 drawing for residents who fill out the survey. When someone receives the mailing, they will have the option to fill out the paper survey OR they will be able to fill the survey out online. If a resident takes the online survey, and they were not on the mailing list, their survey won’t count and will be discarded.

ETC Institute's work will cost about $25,000 with a continued annual cost of $25,000. Within that cost is a feature that gives the public access to the survey data.

City officials say the strategic plan will become operational at the start of the 2025 fiscal year, on Oct. 1, 2024.