John Cowling

This is the Kennewick Fire Department's first strategic plan, serving as a five-year roadmap from 2022 to 2026. The plan outlines five key goals: strengthening core emergency response and risk reduction efforts, cultivating a healthy and productive work environment, enhancing the mission through effective administration, technology, and data-based decision making, sustaining services by addressing funding challenges and opportunities, and laying the groundwork for improved community engagement. The overarching aim is to continuously improve service provision and meet the growing demands of the community.

This Annual Action Plan for the City of Kennewick outlines the activities and funding allocations for 2026, derived from the 2025-2029 Tri-Cities HOME Consolidated Plan. The plan prioritizes addressing the needs for affordable housing creation, community and economic development, and supportive services. Key focus areas include public infrastructure improvements, public services, and program administration, with an emphasis on leveraging federal funds, coordinating with community partners, and implementing strategies to overcome barriers to affordable housing and reduce poverty.

This Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH) for the Tri-Cities HOME Consortium outlines a five-year strategic plan from 2025 to 2029. The plan identifies five key impediments to fair housing: a low supply of affordable housing, a lack of accessible features in affordable housing for people with physical disabilities and seniors, limited community knowledge of fair housing rights and landlord responsibilities, barriers for non-English speakers in accessing services and information, and insufficient transportation services for certain populations. The Consortium is committed to addressing these barriers through targeted actions to promote affordable, available, and accessible housing, enhance fair housing knowledge, improve language access, and increase transportation connectivity for all residents.

The consolidated plan for Kennewick focuses on housing and community development needs in the Tri-Cities. The plan outlines the jurisdiction's funding strategy, goals, and expected outcomes for the use of CDBG funds. Key areas of focus include affordable housing, community and economic development, and public services, with an emphasis on addressing the needs of low- and moderate-income individuals and families.

The 2024-2025 Kennewick Police Department Strategic Plan focuses on enhancing community safety and wellbeing through improved organizational effectiveness, operational efficiency, and community engagement. Key areas of focus include: maintaining appropriate staffing levels; leveraging technology to improve police services; revising the internal budget process to increase transparency and input from line-level personnel; creating formal in-service training programs for promotions and specialty assignments; improving internal and external communication; empowering employees to become problem solvers; implementing a data-driven crime-fighting strategy; reducing traffic collisions; ensuring proper utilization of equipment and resources; evaluating the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative; identifying and addressing quality-of-life issues; conducting community outreach programs; and coordinating with local entities to address homelessness. The plan aims to create a more proactive, data-driven approach to policing, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement while strengthening community partnerships.