22 JAN 08: THE VISION THING
A series of public meetings begins in Columbus tonight, to engage in what the city calls "visioning." Is this going to be like that IBM commercial - where people lie down on the floor to do some "idea-ting?"
Six hearings will be held over 21 days, to help update the city of Columbus's "Comprehensive Plan." Officials want to prepare a blueprint through 2028 -- enough time for yet another Clinton to campaign for President in Georgia. Chelsea, I mean....
The city has set up an online survey, for people to offer input on Columbus's future. But you can't find it from the city web site, and I found it only through a link WRBL mentioned the other day. The survey takes an estimated 10 to 15 minutes to fill out -- once you take that long finding it on the Internet.
The introduction to the online survey says Columbus's population is expected to jump 18 percent in the next 20 years, to about 225,000 people. But the rate of population growth in the city has been slowing since 1970 - so how many more rounds of base realignment are we expecting?
The online survey has a mix of open-ended questions and ratings. The first question asks you to write what you like most about Columbus. Feel free to mention this blog there - it'll make us feel good.
The survey also asks for three things you'd like to change about Columbus. No, I don't think they're looking for names of city officials....
The ratings section of the survey lists a variety of community topics, and asks if you consider them high or low priorities. Do you care more about controlling crime, improving schools or economic development? But the survey doesn't seem to let you list which one should be accomplished first.
A couple of items in the ratings section might raise your eyebrows. One asks where you rank an expanded bridge over the Chattahoochee River. Would this mean a wider J.R. Allen Parkway, all the way to Phenix City? Or would there finally be a place to park on the Dillingham Bridge?
Another asks if you care about continuing local festivals "such as Riverfest." Considering this went out of business last year, I think I know how that one will wind up....
Some people who have seen this visioning survey are suspicious of it. Local activist Deb Owens has e-mailed city officials, asking 12 specific questions - including: "Has survey been reviewed by appropriate peers for efficacy, and bias?" It's almost like Columbus is trying to make prescription drugs.
THE BIG BLOG QUESTION is by request, and based on these suspicions. Take our quite simple one-part survey, about whether the city's visioning survey is biased in favor of development. If we have to take the results of this survey to a local accounting agency for authentication.... oh please, that'll cost us money....
By the way, a check of the city's web site Monday night found a different visioning process for Columbus, but from the past. Remember "Vision 2005," which was developed in 1998? Some of the items in the executive summary still haven't quite been met:
+ "New carriers, routes and services" at the airport. The staff is still waiting for a simple Starbucks.
+ Developing bicycle, bus and trolley systems. That "train station" Burger King near Peachtree Mall looks more lonesome every day.
+ Creating "pocket parks in Uptown Columbus." Is that what we're going to call those roped-off outdoor dining areas on Broadway?
BLOG UPDATE: Jacksonville clobbered Columbus 4-0 in hockey Monday night. And sure enough - the Martin Luther King Day hockey game included three fights in the second period. If the Cottonmouths play this holiday game next year, all the players should be required to attend a memorial service first.
Meanwhile, the Cottonmouths released Ki Hoon Han Monday. The history-making player from South Korea was let go, after a five-game tryout. Hopefully he won't take his helmet and skates to any Kia career fairs.
Let's see what other biscuits landed in our basket on M.L.K. Day....
+ A holiday program for young people at St. James A.M.E. Church featured former "Saturday Night Live" comic Finesse Mitchell. If he's in Columbus for King Day, he may still be a "Not Ready for Prime Time Player."
(I'm not sure how the church arranged for this celebrity to make a guest appearance in Columbus. The board may have recalled an old commercial - that sometimes you need a little Finesse, but sometimes you need a lot.)
+ WLTZ showed a weekend organizational meeting by the group Common Cause. How surprising to see Dick McMichael and Al Fleming sitting side-by-side at the meeting -- and even more surprising to see neither of them writing notes on reporter's pads.
+ Sumter County commissioner Al Hurley had his downtown Americus clothing store seized by the state, because he's delinquent in paying taxes. Hurley told the Americus Times-Recorder he likes to let customers buy clothes on credit - so if he goes to them "hat in hand" now, they might wind up wearing it.
+ National Public Radio reported on efforts to restore the forgotten town of Flat Rock, Georgia. The town east of Atlanta hasn't been on an official state map in almost 150 years. They'd better not try to develop a Flat Rock Park, or the city of Columbus might sue.
+ Instant Message to Joche's Tax Service: What do you mean, you have "more than eight locations" in our area? Does the ninth one double as a barbecue pit or something?
(And another thing - if you're saying "more than eight locations" in your commercials, are you putting numbers like that on people's tax returns?)
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