The following open letter to the city council of Poplar Bluff appeared in todays _Daily American Republic_: As members of the business and professional community in Poplar Bluff, we share a vital interest with our city government: the continued economic growth of our city and the surrounding region. Like each of you, we are pleased to see the recent investments made in our community. Major retailers locating in Poplar Bluff, capital improvements in local manufacturing plants, the growth of our college, planned improvements in our school district, and upgraded healthcare facilities each are evidence of a confident community poised for continued growth. Recent elections have named new members to our city’s governing body. Actions taken or rumored to possibly be planned have raised concern among many about the direction of our community. We want to take this opportunity to share with you our ideas about actions you can take to foster an environment in which investments will continue to be made, jobs will continue to be created, and our local economy will continue to expand. · We believe that the council’s hiring of a new city manager will be the key decision made by that body during this decade. We believe the executive should be selected based on professional qualifications. We encourage the naming of a capable search committee, which should include meaningful participation by members of Poplar Bluff’s business community. We believe that the individual selected for the position should be experienced in organizational management, finance, and, ideally, municipal government. · We encourage the council to support the infrastructure improvements envisioned by the Regional Transportation Development District, to include widening and other improvements to Oak Grove Road and Katy Lane, the south expansion of Shelby Road, conversion of the PP Highway/Westwood Blvd. intersection to a four-way stop with an entrance to the current high school (proposed 4-6 grade center), and a new entrance for Three Rivers College. We believe these improvements enhance economic development and job creation, and we are hopeful that a second phase of projects will be possible, as well. · We recognize that the Eight Points commercial development is vital to our community’s continued economic growth, and we have every expectation that the council will continue to be supportive of it. · We advocate professional competency and stability in the management of the various departments of the Poplar Bluff’s city government, to include public safety, utilities, services, infrastructure, and administration. We note that our reputation as a community is dependent on a local government characterized by proficiency and continuity, and we believe that continued investment in our community is enhanced by a strong reputation. · We support financial responsibility in the operations of our city government. We believe that services provided by the city should be made available at costs that are competitive and that encourage businesses and residents to locate in Poplar Bluff, while providing for the long-term stability of operations and allowing for future investment. We believe that city’s resources should be deployed to encourage job creation, economic activity, and the best quality of life for Poplar Bluff’s residents. We expect that each member of our city council shares our goals of continued economic expansion and improvement in the standard of living for all residents of Poplar Bluff and the surrounding area. We encourage you to utilize the resources available to you, including the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce, Poplar Bluff Industries, Three Rivers College, the Missouri Chamber, and the Missouri Municipal League, to align the actions you take as a council with these goals. As we move forward together, we pledge that we will provide continued feedback, both to you and the community at large, regarding the council’s actions to create a climate that encourages investment and job creation. We appreciate your willingness to serve the City of Poplar Bluff, and we stand ready to work with you towards the betterment of this community. Sincerely, Citizens for Poplar Bluffs Future
Posted on: Sun, 18 May 2014 11:05:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015