The Clarksdale Board of Mayor and Commissioners were presented a new comprehensive plan earlier this month. There was a legal advertisement and news story in your Clarksdale Press Register about this plan.
Apparently some read those ink spots, got a full copy of the plan and then showed up at Monday’s city board meeting asking for changes in the plan. Those details can be found in a story on Page One of today's newspaper.
But this Editorial is about the value of strategic planning, its implementation and not the nuts and bolts of projects.
We all know the cliché, “make a plan and then work the plan.”
It’s good logic. It’s good government.
But the government bureaucracy often slows the execution of a plan. The ideas of the plan are handed to people and agencies that just are not in a hurry to get things done. Sometimes that action is intentional by elected politicians who feel it is safer to do nothing than to push for change.
Your Clarksdale Press Register has been told that a public strategic plan was demanded by those who opposed annexation several years ago. The parties in that suit allegedly agreed to create a five year plan and update it regularly.
We’re not sure the city followed that agreement.
Comprehensive or strategic planning is used to show this community where we want Clarksdale to grow. It is also used to address major problems that hinder a community and can stymie growth.
Clarksdale has not grown in the past five years, so it is apparent either the plan was flawed or the city did not follow the plan.
But today your Clarksdale Press Register hopes the city and community will not look backward, but to the future.
The proposed comprehensive plan addresses crime concerns, neighborhood blight, residential development for affordable housing, commercial development such as a grocery store, industrial development with high paying jobs, parks, street improvements, entrances to the city and even public school issues.
Is anyone against any of those ideas?
If Clarksdale doesn’t plan, it can plan to fail.
It is apparent the past comprehensive plan was not followed by this administration.
We hope this community will demand a plan this fall and then vote for city leaders this spring who can execute that plan.
Planning may not make things perfect, but planning always helps.
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