City Growth Planning group ?

Comments

  1. MoneyWatch (anonymous) says…

    Anyone else heard of the city looking to put a group in place to plan for our city,s future ? I know i am talking with others about a panel to monitor the school district and spending.Also talk of the school district being limited by the city council on bond and mill rate issues. I feel that is a good idea, becuse the money taken from us for the district will make or break our city. With the city needing to do upgrades and the cost of operations going up and up, the thought of having the city involved with the school district is an ideal plan. What are your thoughts on this ?

  2. simpsonmomm (anonymous) says…

    It couldn't hurt. I think this town is foolish with its spending. Instead of trying to bring in new businesses, they sold land to build new homes, instead of coming up with a less expensive plan for the school, the new pool which could have been done cheaper, not forcing the contractor to finish it on time, the roads that are in disrepair, the water treatment that needs fixed. I think the money should have been spent more wisely.

  3. EudoraBoss (anonymous) says…

    You're fighting a losing battle with that one MW. Remember the ACE group, they were supposed to "watch" the city council and advise them on things for the city. They quickly faded away. It's no coincidence that the mayor limits your "public comments" to no more than 5 minutes at the council meetings. That way, he doesn't have to listen to "good" ideas from the citizens.

    The school board, just like the city council, has positions that are open every two years. The ONLY way to make a difference is to elect people to those positions that have the same views as the citizens. Unfortunately, as we have seen in the last election, not enough people care about it to run and give a choice. Remember the city council positions? Three positions open, three people running. Mayor position open, one person running.

    simpsonmomm, if you would attend some city council meetings, you would find that the pool contractor is now incurring penalties for not finishing on time. Should it have been done cheaper? Sure, but just as the school bond, you have too many people wanting to spend, spend, spend, that vote for this stuff and don't realize the consequences to come. Some of us just can't afford to pick up and move, like the ones that passed both of these things and living in the newer parts of town. Maybe some of them should have driven around and looked at all the for sale signs in town before they voted. It's not getting any better.

  4. simpsonmomm (anonymous) says…

    you are right, I should attend some of those meetings, but I would find it hard to sit quietly and listen.

  5. MoneyWatch (anonymous) says…

    The meetings are quite informative and not bad to sit through.Some great ideas are born and some real bad ones as well.I think if a group is put in place the first thing to get done is to allow members of the group to have 15 minutes per meeting per person to speak. Some good things can become of this and shed some light onto some real issues we as citizens will face in years to come. First thing that needs done is to lay out retail spaces as for along certain streets and roads. We have wasted most of the prime retail locations with schools and apartment buildings along K 10 and south Church st.Both were terrible terrible design flaws and will mess our city layout up for the next 50 years or more. 2nd ANY other school land purchases need to go to a local district wide public vote as a single item, not a boxed up bond.. The district has proven to be very very irresponsible in the land choices and land purchase prices for the last 20 years and it will cost the city millions in the future. 3rd thing needing done very soon is to lay out a real plan for contractors who come to town , build and scoot out and leave us "citizens " to fix the foulups and keep the city running, and try to make the subdivision work with existing neighborhoods. This is only the tip of what can be done and done right with the right folks keeping and eye on our city and school district.As this city grows it needs to grow smart and safe. We need commercial growth to withstand the up and down times. Retail sales are important to a small town and commercial development is very very vital to keeping a city operational. I think a panel of 2 retired folks 2 business owners and 2 younger generation people are needed to make it work. This would allow for each sector of people to be involved and help decide our city,s future.

  6. EudoraBoss (anonymous) says…

    Like I said, wont happen as long as Pyleatics are going on.

  7. proudcitizen (anonymous) says…

    MW - how embarrassing. You're like the little boy that takes his toys and starts a NEW club. All of what you propose is already in place with all the research and information that those entities need to make decisions. We have Zoning boards, Planning Commissions, a School Board and the Chamber of Commerce. Are these ALL corrupt and ignorant? And if you truly believe so, why are you not "infiltrating enemy ranks" and changing what you believe to be so terrible? No one approves of the political process, but it is...so far, affective. Your commitment to improving our fair city is admirable and I applaud your passion. But the lynch mob mentality is counter-productive. I'm just saying there are ways....successful ways, to bring about change. But standing on a soapbox, with ideas that fail to address the depths of any issue, is just not going to fly. Re-think this, play smart.

  8. MoneyWatch (anonymous) says…

    citizen ) I know the political system very well. Yes all those groups, panels and leadership watchdogs are in place, but some changes are needed to keep a bit better eye on them.Now as with some small towns the council and certain people of power , don,t like to step on toes and that creates problems. The people that would represent this new group would step on toes daily to keep it honest. Take the school district and the bond issue that just passed , it should have been seperated into at least 3 bond issues and done in a better way."i wont get into it on that" old news. growth for this town, "its jacked up for 50 to maybe 100 years" due to the nonplanning thats been done in the past. Let me ask this question. Do you see schools being built along the best retail exsposure areas in any other city ? If so, it,s becuse they have the same inept bunch of let it be people as we are dealing with. Those towns will have the same problems we have now as well, it is sad to say.There is a good group of people waiting to get a group started and i think it is a smart plan. Not a soapbox, but a real honest group to help guide this city and district.Included are future council candidates, future mayor and members of this city who care what happens.Things will change in the future and it will be for the best of the entire city, not some special itrest group.You say thats not possible, well it is when you put people together who care for the city, not a single plan as has been happening.

  9. EudoraBoss (anonymous) says…

    MW sounds like you should run for city council or get some of these people you speak of to run for it. Sure didn't happen the last election. Where are the mayor candidates? Hope not that Scott Hopson dude, already been there done that, he was one of the worst council members in history, wanted to argue with everyone and criticize all of the employees. The only way to make a change is to find people that will run for the positions. Mayor Pyle has conveniently limited public comment time to 5 minutes or less so that he can "run" the town. Good luck, you have a while to get a successful campaign started.

  10. greenman (anonymous) says…

    How did you prepare the crow? I really thought it would be through your system by now.

  11. MoneyWatch (anonymous) says…

    The key people are being contacted now and in the following weeks. A meeting time and place for any public comment will be posted as soon as the group is ready to go public.I know some names but all that will be presented to the public at the first meeting. Time and place will be posted when things are a bit closer to being ready.

  12. proudcitizen (anonymous) says…

    Just give us the signal, Batman!

  13. EudoraBoss (anonymous) says…

    What's the name of the group? ACE Again? Or People That Complain But Don't Attend Meetings? LOL I have been to several council meetings in the past, there are less than a handfull that attend every meeting, most only attend them if they are on the agenda. Just as that ACE group did, attended a few, then lost interest. Been there done that MW. If you REALLY want to make a difference, get these people in the paper and have them run for office, otherwise, it's just more smoke and mirrors and the Pyleatics will still rule the city.

  14. drthyofoz70 (anonymous) says…

    Eboss- noticed comments about ACE here & in the school forum section. Were you involved? I can tell you there was a representative @ every city council meeting while this group was functioning. There were public meetings with environmentalist reps & political candidates. This group was in attendance @ budget meetings (until the meetings were relocated out of town) & some planning commission meetings. Also started a city wide clean up effort - but ended after the first target was clean due to lack of public interest/concern/volunteers. Good luck pulling something effective together $watch.

  15. MoneyWatch (anonymous) says…

    All we can do is try and see how we are treated at city council meetings. I know that it is tough to get much done, but to just sit back and see whats been hapening is not good iether.This group is not going to be out to slam anyone or to offend anyone, just keep the plans inline with future growth and to keep the school board from raping the public and not allowing the city to get some needed money.This bond has destroyed any hope of the city getting money to fix our water system and other needed things.We don,t have enough businesses to bring in tax dollars and with the water being no good and other utility issues, it is hard to bring in businesses. A set plan and set business districts is needed , so we don,t end up with another school area cluster---k like we now have and will have out east. Absolutly no planning went into the new schools out south or this new grade school out east.At least no smart planning... Owh, This is not the ACE group.This group has a name its called ABEAF. E boss contact me on here if you have any intrest.I will set up a time to talk with you and one other member in the near future.I am planning on talking to some possible members in the near future.We want a diverse group to cover everyone if possible.

  16. greenman (anonymous) says…

    Best of luck.

    I hope that this group has better leadership, more political acumen, and are perhaps a wee bit smarter than the group that put together the "vote no school bond" campaign.

  17. EudoraBoss (anonymous) says…

    drthyofoz70, NO I was not involved with ACE, knew several members. I never said that they didn't attend the meetings, I saw them at the meetings. I just said that they found out, as many others have, that addressing the city council and recommending change isn't possible. I was at one of the meetings when they had a representative address the city council. Mayor Pyle tells everyone that addresses them during public comments that they have 5 minutes maximum. He doesn't want to hear about good ideas unless they are on the agenda.

    And no, I am not interested in being a member of any political group. I have enough things to do, trying to pay my enormous taxes and raise my kids. However, I would support good council or mayor candidates and get behind some and help them campaign. But to make a change, someone needs to get involved soon and prove to the people that they care about making a change. There are many, many people that attend their first council meeting AFTER they are elected. Would be nice to once have some people that were up to speed BEFORE they get elected.

    Good luck with trying to make a difference, too bad most of us will be broke before it happens.

  18. MoneyWatch (anonymous) says…

    I think with state leaders involved in our group things can get changed.Hang in there E boss help in on the way.I too know how rough it is to stay afloat in this day and age, times are bad, and i mean bad. Paperwork is allready being drawn up to stop the location of the new school and it shouldnt be a problem.(G man) we would love to have you sit in and listen to smart folks putting a great plan together for Eudora and its future.Youl be suprised at how smart people are and what can be done to help our great city. The future will start looking brighter very soon.

  19. teddy (anonymous) says…

    The City is already putting together a planning/vision group. Do you know anything about this? I think we need a Economic Development Committee like DeSoto does. Their Chamber is very involved and for some reason ours is not as vocal or involved as I think it should be in these areas. I think the vision should start with the existing businesses. I'd think they'd want to develop Eudora so other businesses would come and help bring traffic.

  20. MoneyWatch (anonymous) says…

    You are right teddy, you hit the nail on the head. The city might be "unknown to me" but our group will still be in place to oversee things and speak for the citizens.A real business paln and a growth plan are needed very very soon.