RSS Feed
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Publisher's Comments
Jackson is working to earn a prestigious "Alabama Communities of Excellence" designation and elected officials, business and industry leaders, volunteers and others gathered to talk about the city's assets, its needs and more. "ACE" is a good program that recognizes cities that are prepared for growth and development. There are 18 "ACE" communities in Alabama now. I don't want to belittle the program because it is a great designation to have as we work to recruit residents, business and industry. But the greatest thing I saw come out of that meeting last week wasn't so much the focus on "ACE" but Jackson citizens sitting down and talking about their city and its future as a collective group. We don't have to wait for an "ACE" or some similar designated workshop to have such a meeting. We don't have to wait on professional facilitators to come in from around the state (although they do offer a unique perspective). There were two lively focus groups-one discussing economic development and the other discussing community and quality of life issues. Both are tightly intertwined and the discussions were good. Everyone has something to offer but too often we don't take the time to sit down and listen to each other. Jackson folks and those who love this city ought to be sitting down at least quarterly and going through some of the discussions I witnessed last week. Mayor Richard Long was enthusiastic about the fellowship and the discussions that took place and even suggested it ought to be a regularly scheduled event. Simple refreshments could be served without great expense and a volunteer impartial facilitator from outside the area could be brought in to help keep the discussion on course and moving along. A 30-minute social and then an hour-long discussion would be plenty. Who knows what could come out of such talks. Jackson leaders are working on a new industrial park and spec building, plans are being made to develop the riverfront (an asset that no other city between Demopolis and Mobile has), and interest continues to be shown in retail sites in the city.
Mayor Long and the city council members, along with the chamber's LaShaunda Holly and other community leaders, are to be commended for working to promote the city.
|
for larger version       |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
