Think Community

On January 13th our Bibb County Commissioners conducted their first "Heart to Hart" meeting so that the citizens of Bibb County could express their concerns about what needs to be done. The outcome of this series was a slogan the Commissioners adopted. The slogan is "Think Community.

During the first Heart to Hart meeting I took notes and I summarized them in this Blog, which I will copy here:

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  Uniform Code Enforcement throughout the County.
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  Lack of cooperation between the City/County as regards protecting the Citizens.
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  Future Development of Industry and Commercial Activity.
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  Potential Industry looks at Quality of Life Issues and how well the School Systems are functioning along with the general appearance of the Community.
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  It was clearly indicated by several speakers that our future depends on what is happening within the City as well as the entire County. Everyone has a responsibility to be a viable "Gate Keeper" in their local community.
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  The need for cooperation and a dynamic can do attitude must be present in the respective Government Agencies within the County as well as the City. No one should have to report a problem and receive the brush off. All Government Employees must have a can do attitude and respect the Citizens.
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  We The People must hold our duly elected Leaders accountable.
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  As the County Commissioners prepare the next Fiscal Year Budget they will be faced with dynamic challenges.
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  Each and Every Citizen must be aware that there will be sacrifices required of each of us as we consider our "Real Needs" versus "What We Want" from our respective Governments.

I was fortunate yesterday (May 27th) when I viewed the evening news. Serveral of Macon's City Council Members are very concerned about the Eisenhower Parkway avenue. Today I took the opportunity to see for my self what is going on in this area.

As potential shoppers move away from these areas the store owners move out to areas that are deemed safer. That is also a concern. Safety is a state of mind. I can recall stories of events happening at "The Macon Mall" from my coworkers who had teen agers during the 1980s. I could not believe the stories that I heard, but they must have been circulated quite well. While the current economic situation has caused some distress in the past eighteen months as regards shoppers, I can assure you that concerns about safety let an abundance of store owners to relocate away from this Eisenhower Parkway area. After all it usually takes at least a year to develop a new shopping area and we all know that it has taken well over a year here in Macon to construct the Shoppes at Riverside and the Presidential Parkway Shopping areas. The areas shown here in these pictures were simply abandoned because the store owners could not afford to keep them open with no shoppers who in most cases did not shop here because of safety concerns. Safety concerns that may or may not have been valid but the concerns drove the shoppers away.

You can quickly ascertain that we do indeed have a problem. I reflected back on the January 13th 2009 Heart to Hart Meeting. I recalled that one individual in particular spoke on the need for adequate "Code Enforcement." When property owners are not held to the standards required in a community the area goes down hill. Homes are sold to "Landlords" and caring citizens and their families move to a better area. So the downward spiral has begun. Renters in general are not known for maintaining the property and the Landlords keep up their homes at an acceptable level. Acceptable level has many definitions and unfortunately many renters have no choice so the downward spiral speeds up.

Now the concerned members of Macon's City Council are going to launch a study to ascertain if the population near these Eisenhower Parkway shopping areas have moved away. During my travels today I also visited the area just West of the former Westgate Shopping Center and also North of the Southwest High School. This area has been rebuilt quite well since the "Mother's Day Tornados" of 2008.

So I came away with the impression that why would the Macon City Council want to study where people live. I do believe each Council Member who is concerned can simply visit the Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections to quickly ascertain how many people are living in their respective Wards.

Additionally, it appears to me that the Members of our Bibb County School Board have faith in this area. Why else would they be building such a wonderful educational facility on Williamson Road. For those who may not know, Williamson Road is very near the Eisenhower Parkway area that our Macon City Council is concerned about.

This new facility certainly displays the faith that our Bibb County School Board has placed in this area. I would humbly suggest that our Macon City Council cancel their study and get on with the following:

• Code Inforcement
• Law Enforcement
• Coordination with the Chamber of Commerce to bring in new light industry

• Coordinate with the Macon-Bibb County Planning and Zoning to allow this light industry in this area

Admittedly this is a quick overview but I do believe that our Bibb County Commissioners have approached the situations facing all of us Bibb County Citizens in the proper manner.

Yes, We all need to think Community. Sometimes that requires all of our elected leaders to strive for what is good for the general well being of all of the citizens in Macon and Bibb County without regard to which Ward or District the improvements are located.

I can also recall a recent County Commission Meeting where the Commissoners suggested that maybe a "Lobbyist" was needed to inteface with our Bibb Delegation at the State level.

Do we need a Lobbyist to coordinate the City of Macon and Bibb County. I would suggest a resounding "No!!!!!" Communication is key and we do all need to "Think Community" and coordinate our labors for the good of all concerned.

For me the concept of "Think Community" is the first step toward destroying the barriers we currently have at the local level where some of our duly elected leaders are so inwardly focused that they can not see the big picture.

Conclusion: The Bibb School Board has done their part. Now the City and County need to march of in a smart manner to renovate the Eisenhower Parkway area. No easy task, but the consequences of no action or slow action will be terrible.