One month into his term as Lancaster city mayor, Jaime Arroyo equates the job to being the CEO of a company.
The customers, he said Friday afternoon, are the city residents and visitors who are counting on him and other city officials to provide quality services, whether it be water, trash or snow plowing.
“A government that delivers means that we are delivering these services not just efficiently but with excellence,” Arroyo said. “In order to run a well oiled machine, it’s going to be important that it starts at the top.”
Arroyo joined a crowd of other elected officials, business and nonprofit leaders at the monthly forum convened by Hourglass, a local research nonprofit.
Arroyo, a Democrat who served six years on City Council before winning election to become the city’s first Latino mayor in November, said he’s intent on ensuring the city is a welcoming place for residents and visitors alike.
Here are three key takeaways from Arroyo’s Friday Hourglass forum.
Growing business
As the former CEO of ASSETS, a nonprofit business incubator, Arroyo said he is focused on boosting Lancaster’s economy. He said the first step to grow the number of small businesses will be to make the permitting process easier, something he believes will also help spur the development of more housing in the city.
“The city has to get out of its own way,” he said. “We can’t be the bottleneck of the very problem that we’re trying to solve.”
Arroyo said he wants to see a reliable, one-stop-shop convenience store opened in the city, noting that last year’s closure of the Rite Aid on North Queen Street eliminated a place where downtown residents could easily find what they need within walking distance.
Arroyo pointed to the city’s tourism master plan as a key part of ensuring business booms. He said attracting visitors to the city will make it possible for small businesses to keep their doors open.
A walkable city
Pedestrian safety is one of the biggest issues city residents raise to officials during election time or at regular council meetings, Arroyo said. One idea he supports is converting the city’s one-way thoroughfares to two-way to encourage drivers to slow down.
Getting to that point, Arroyo said, will take buy in from the state, as some city streets are operated by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. He said he plans to voice support for the change to the state during his tenure.
Arroyo said he wants to expand the city’s language access program to ensure as many residents as possible can be involved with conversations about making streets safer. He’s also considering the creation of a disability advisory board to help the city better plan for streets and sidewalks projects.
Community engagement
Arroyo wants to hear from anyone who has questions or concerns about the city. He encouraged business and nonprofit leaders to reach out to him with ideas to support economic development, and residents to drop by with questions.
“It’s consistent feedback that’s helpful to make decisions or pivot anything or think of new ideas,” Arroyo said. “I recognize that sometimes there’s barriers to talking to elected officials, and I want to make sure that doesn’t exist.”
Arroyo said he plans to hold four town-hall meetings over the next two months, and he said he’s considering holding regular office hours in the community, possibly at the public library or in a local business.
Here are the dates for Arroyo’s town halls, set to begin this month:
Feb. 17: Ross Elementary School, 840 N. Queen St. (5:30-7:30 p.m.)
Feb. 25: West Art, 816 Buchanan Ave. (5:30-7:30 p.m.)
March 25: Brightside Opportunities Center, 515 Hershey Ave. (5:30-7:30 p.m.)
April 2: King Elementary School, 466 Rockland St. (5:30-7:30 p.m.)
