I hope that everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving!
I am personally very thankful (among many other reasons) that our city has FINALLY begun to shake off some of our past habits and are really starting to look proactively at our city in terms of planning. It has begun to shape everything in our city, even despite the wishes of some. In fact, it appears that even those that have historically been most outspoken against some of these measures are even the ones now making and seconding motions. Good stuff...surely there isn't an election approaching? Nah!
Here is a quick glimpse of what happened while most of us were out of town (and of course a little commentary below).
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Economic Development Council has been formed
The amazing part of this article lies with those that oppose it. Here is a funny quote from the article that you should all enjoy.
"According to Cindy Williams, wife of former city mayor Ray Williams, her husband had set up the commission around 2002, but it had 'fizzled out' after a year when they realized larger companies would move to the city regardless of the commission's work."
While Cindy Williams is correct in her assumption that business follows growth, she is very poorly educated on the types of issues that drive major economic development and corporate development. This commission (in the hands of the right people...jury is still out) can be extremely effective in helping develop the right type of business in our city. This can be a tremendous tool for our city, as can a Chamber of Commerce "in the hands of the right people." Hopefully with the departure of some on the chamber, we can make great strides in improving both.
"Williams said she wasn't sure how much the commission could do for the city. She said larger businesses like Kroger, Target and Publix already know about the values and growth rate of Spring Hill without a group convincing them of it."
'Spring Hill will rock along whether they have it or not,' she said.
Now that is the type of attitude a community leader should have (tongue placed firmly in my cheek)! If we do not promote our city, no one else is going to do it for us. Both counties are beyond poor at promoting our city, and only fight us. I am sure that all of the development in Williamson County was brought about by sheer coincidence...especially Nissan!
Someday maybe people will begin thinking before they speak...
(in some cases, maybe they won't)
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Rec-Center approval
This is very much a needed thing. There are quite a few things that stink in this, but one way or another it needs to be done. Do a little research for yourselves and find out how much all of the other communities paid for their rec centers, etc.
I will save you the time...
Brentwood Indoor Recreation Complex - City of Brentwood Contribution: Land
Brentwood Indoor Soccer Complex - City of Brentwood Contribution: Land
Franklin Soccer Complex - Land
Fairview Recreation Center - City of Fairview Contribution: A big fat 'Thank You'
Bethesda, College Grove, Hillsboro, Nolensville, and Thompson's Station - Freebies
...the other communities don't pay for theirs.
Either way...great development for all of us!
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Spring Hill Hospital / Ambulance
The battle wages on...and I can tell you that it is going to get ugly again very soon. The appeal will not be affected one way or another, but if people at Williamson and Maury are listening the PR campaign is about to get rolling again by the Concerned Citizens for a Spring Hill Hospital.
The amount of taxpayer money being spent on this appeal is amazing! More to come soon.
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Money approved for Master Thoroughfare Assessment and Plan
This is probably the most needed thing that our city has done in quite some time.
We will talk about this at length soon (maybe even tomorrow), but it is a very good thing for our city, albeit late.
By the way, the state is planning to start fixing Duplex very soon! Great stuff!
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Things are starting to come together
Posted by Gorilla in the Corner at 7:17 PM
Labels: Board of Mayor and Aldermen, County Government, Miscellaneous, Planning Commission, Spring Hill Hospital, Traffic
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IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is a series of personal opinions and is not meant to reflect an official position by the City of Spring Hill.
8 comments:
What's with the "If you build it, they will come..." attitude in Spring Hill? Case in-point, when Nissan announced their relocation to Franklin, what did other communities like Brentwood and Franklin do? They were proactive and sent representatives out to California to promote their cities to prospective California transfers. In short, they compete for our dollars, and they are kicking our tails doing it.
What did Spring Hill do? (Psst. Sending a Spring Hill Chamber Membership Directory with the Williamson County Economic Development Council Representatives doesn't quite cut it...)
Some would say "What a waste of time and money - sending a recruitment team out to California". Is it really? Is it a waste to put the wheels in motion for a proactive economic development committee in Spring Hill?
As the Daily Herald article pointed out, some do think it is a waste of time. But, it's the same folks who have the attitude that we should just sit on our hands and know that the right people will find their way to Spring Hill. They are the same people who think a Hospital is just suddenly going to appear one day, or a Maury County School will land in a friend's development. These are the same people who thought MOSHA would be the answer to all of Spring Hill's problems, then decided our own Chamber would be a better idea. They are the same people who now think that our Chamber 'isn't taking care of existing businesses...' and are currently drumming up support for a 'back to our roots' second chamber. Are you seeing a pattern here?
Meanwhile: Slow times sour market for Sweet Springs, Spring Hill Cafe Closes a Week After Reinventing Itself, Tavern on the Ridge For Sale and I can no longer get a decent ice cream cone...
Isn't it about time that we shed the chains of 'we are entitled to it because we are Spring Hill'? Isn't it about time that we realize the constant bickering of 'I was here first - it should be my way, or the highway!' isn't getting us anywhere? What is it going to take to bring us together and make our city better?
Oh, if you are interested on learning how to do that, here's a start: Author, civic activist to speak Dec. 6 on social capital or take a chance...
Alright, I'm done... Anybody got anything to add?
Anonymous @ 16:00:
If you have a dissentient view, I'd love to hear it.
Actually, Silverback is right on track. I think Danny is finally getting to righting the ship.
I can't wait to see how much this city can move forward once we oust another couple of sitting aldermen. Then the good ol boy network will be put down once and for all.
I am a Smyrna resident and I spend time in Spring Hill. If you really want to know what will bring business to Spring Hill, it is a combination of many factors, none related to an EDC. Your over-priced property values have priced all but the most persistent businesses out, or made it very costly to open a new business. Your planning commission seems to practice it's own agenda, and change rules at the drop of a hat to the detriment of expansion. I am not sure if this is ego driven or if it is just a lack of understanding of what it takes to start a business. Another important factor for helping establish new businesses is support by the local population. In the last 2 months, Spring Hill has lost 2 restaurants and several retail shops due in part to a lack of patronage while we drive to Cool Springs to have dinner and shop.
Support your local businesses and hold your planning commission and local politicians accountable if you want expansion. Have have more realistic expectations regarding your land values. And last, but not least, don't rely on four or five people on an EDC board to bring in business. Instead, encourage business networking via local clubs, Chambers of Commerce(the more the merrier), and community town meetings.
Your neighbor
I bet small business paid him to put that on here. - Paid blogger.
Shop TSC for all of your hardware needs.
Personally I don't want Spring Hill to grow into another Franklin/Cool Springs or a center of business. Spring Hill is still and should remain a small town/city. So many people beleive that it is progress to have a city full of roof tops and strip stores... why i ask? This is not progress, this is making a once beautiful place look just like everywhere else and full of traffic and miserable people. Spring Hill is filling up with geedy yuppies and their $300K + brick homes and BMW's focused on property values and their net worth. The snobs have arrived! I say to Hell with progress and leave a small town a small town. City planners boast how they are trying to keep the small town rural feel of Spring Hill alive, I say this is BS! It's too late for that now, rural towns tend to have more cows than roof tops and cows don't wear asphault shingles. They also speak of "quality of life" quite a bit... how do masive Target developments, strip stores and "walkable communities" that will "make Williamson county and spring hill proud" improve my or other existing residents quality of life??? They don't! The only quality of life improvement is the developers and investors wallets who are making their second $10 million off of raping a small town AGAIN! Why don't the city planners focus more on the "quality of life" for the existing residents instead of trying to figure out how to attract more and more people? Before we know it Spring Hill will not be a nice town that is a great place to raise your kids, free of crime and full of friendly faces, it will end up a overpopulated city just like all the others. Anyone that has any brains in their head would be saddened and outraged by this thought, but then again most people don't have or use much of their brains these days.
pot... kettle..., kettle... pot...
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