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After more than a year working alongside the Water Institute of the Gulf and other
local partners, the City of Mobile has released its first-ever Resilience Assessment.
This comprehensive document examines Mobile's existing infrastructure, population and government operations. The data collected shows where Mobile has improved over the years and where we still have work to do. The goal is to ensure that all Mobilians are prepared for events that can shape our future, like severe storms, environmental changes, and shifting economic and social conditions.
"The Water Institute was honored to work with the city and all of our partners on the Resilience Assessment, a science-based approach that incorporates the input of stakeholders and the public," said Beaux Jones, president and CEO of The Water Institute. "Recognizing key events that have shaped the city's history and analyzing how the city has been working to address these challenges provides a critical foundation for developing an actionable resilience plan for the future."
Mayor Sandy Stimpson created the Office of Resilience in 2021, making Mobile the first city in
Alabama to establish one. Creating a comprehensive Resilience Assessment and Plan for Mobile was one of Chief Resilience Officer Casi Callaway's first initiatives. Throughout this process, she has worked closely with the Water Institute and other partners like Volkert, the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, Waggoner and Ball, Ephriam Environmental, and Moffatt and Nichol with the goal of understanding where we are today.
"We appreciate the work that everyone on the team has put into this assessment over the last year, and we look forward to continuing these partnerships as we create a plan to build a more resilient city," Mayor Stimpson said. "Regardless of future changes in the environment, climate, or economy, we want Mobile and all of our citizens to thrive for another 321 years."
In the coming months, city officials will work with local stakeholders and community members to identify potential projects and initiatives that could make Mobile more resilient. All Mobilians are invited to the first Public Planning Workshop for the Resilience Plan on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at the James Seals Community Center (540 Texas Street) from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Citizens from across the community are needed to help explore opportunities for physical resilience projects throughout the city. The workshop will include an overview of the Resilience Assessment, and participants will collaborate in small groups organized around the city's various watersheds to define where we want to go as a community. While not every project will make it into the Resilience Plan, starting from a broad and diverse list is the best way to ensure this effort is citizen-driven.
A Resilience Plan aims to identify solutions and public projects that could improve and strengthen our economy, community health and well-being, infrastructure and natural resources. If you have anything to contribute, city officials would like to hear from you at the Public Meeting on January 17.
You can find the City of Mobile's completed Resilience Assessment at cityofmobile.org.
You can register for the January 17 Public Planning Workshop by clicking here.
