GULF SHORES, Ala. — Committee reports at Gulf Shores City Council meetings could get lengthier and more involved as time goes on.

Mayor Robert Craft wants to see goals set that will involve the different departments and committees of the city, that can be set up to help move the city forward.

“Presently, I am not aware of a collective plan for how we can move the city forward, particularly given the change in the economic conditions that affect our world,” Craft said. “So I have been talking to our finance committee to figure out a way to make sure that we have a strategy in place that will protect all the small businesses that are hanging on by their fingernails.”

Cutting expenses

Craft says that the city is budget conscious and staff has had to cut expenses, but he wants to make sure that expenses are not cut that would hurt tourism.

“We are going to have to cut expenses, and increase revenue. We are going to have to focus on both lines,” Craft said.

In 2009, Craft says that expenses are down and the city is well ahead in revenue.

“All of our departments are doing as good a job as you could expect of them when it comes to keeping expenses down,” Craft said.

According to Craft, the large number of people in town shows the city has good tourism occupancy, but included visitors are not spending as much money. The result is that while retail tax dollars are down, the lodging tax dollars are right where he thought they would be.

Relying on tourism

It is in the areas not related to tourism that Craft wants to set some new goals.

“I want us to try to figure out some programs for retiree enhancement,” Craft said. “We have the perfect environment in which to bring retirees into town. In addition we have medical support issues that is an economic driver all by itself. We have the airport. We’ve got Faulkner (State Community College) and their technology center. There is a long list of things that are not related to tourism, but that diversify us as a city.”

Craft said it is very important that Gulf Shores not become totally dependent on beach tourism revenues, so that when that goes away, the city is not underwater.

Working with the finance committee, Craft plans to strategize, come up with new goals, and change the economic profile of the city.