News-Record.com

Only about two dozen people turned out for the county commissioners' community forum in District 2 at Southwest Guilford High School yesterday evening. But they generated a lot of ideas.

This was one of eight public meetings aimed to gather citizen input related to The Stragetic (make that Strategic) Alliance: Building Tomorrow Today project launched last month. Basically, it's long-range planning -- definitely a positive initiative for commissioners.

(Here's an overview. Here's a survey you can take.)

Four commissioners attended the session at Southwest: Chairman Paul Gibson, John Parks, Kay Cashion and Steve Arnold, who represents District 2.

After a welcome by Gibson, the meeting was turned over to professional facilitators from an organization called The HR Group.

The facilitators asked for comments in four categories, so the best way for me to report the flavor of the conversation is to follow that outline. Here goes.

What are Guilford County's strengths?

Natural resources.

Lovely rural and agricultural areas.

The Natural Science Center.

Agricultural soil good for raising tobacco, soybeans, corn, whatever.

Great potential to do better.

Outstanding opportunities for postsecondary education -- community college, colleges and universities.

Low crime rate, a feeling of security.

Equine activities.

Support for the arts.

What can we do differently or better?

Fully fund the budget for schools; our school system should rival Chapel Hill's; willing to pay higher taxes if necessary.

Continue forums like this; give citizens a voice in decision-making.

More emphasis on environmental protection.

Lack of leadership is a weakness; too much bickering, grandstanding; not enough planning for the future; leaders should represent the interests of the people and be more responsive.

Schools are overcrowded, teachers are overworked, asked to do too much with inadequate resources; kids are falling through the cracks, especially those with special needs; people think the school board doesn't spend money wisely; there are too many layers of authority but a lack of accountability.

Maintain the streets we have before building new ones.

Get rid of gangs, drugs and discipline problems in schools; kids who can't behave should be put in separate facilities; keep SROs.

Every neighborhood should have sidewalks; developers also should have to contribute money to schools.

All the different local governments in Guilford County need to work together better. High Point approves new residential developments and it takes years to add the classroom space needed to accommodate the new students. Southwest High School has just opened a new wing and it still has 29 trailers.

The courts are overcrowded with too omany repeat offenders; judges should sentence offenders to hard labor.

The Heart of the Triad planning isn't giving residents a say.

Governments should redevelop existing urban areas before building from scratch on farmland.

Put more of an emphasis on preservation and conservation; save wetlands.

What are Guilford County's opportunities?

Expand library services countywide.

Include public libraries in schools.

Get college graduates to stay here.

Revitalize abandoned manufacturing facilities and re-use land.

Commit to having every child read by second grade; we need every adult reading with a child.

Focus on volunteer services.

What are some things that are holding us back?

The school system.

Putting in major developments before fixing the streets.

Air and water pollution.

We're very clannish; we need greater cooperation, to think collectively, strengthen cultural resources, find new and fairer ways to raise taxes.

We don't stick with plans; any time a developer proposes a project that doesn't conform to existing plans, the answer is yes, go ahead.

Our racial and ethnic divisions: we must come together, welcome people who speak different languages and need help.

We have to deal with pockets of poverty in the inner cities.

We need to do more to promote U.S. citizenship.

Improve public transportations and get lower air fares from our airport.

Improve our political environment, work together better.

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The responses didn't closely follow the prompts in all instances, but the point was for elected officials to hear what's on people's minds.

Although this is a county government project, the issues people raise cut across all lines of government. As Gibson commented to me after the meeting, people don't care which government is responsible for providing which services. They expect government to get jobs done efficiently and effectively.

This planning process will work best when, as many people said, our various governments work together.