Onward, City Council
By: Terry Donnelly
Reprint from the "Mesquite Citizen Journal"
March 18, 2013
In a February 2011 column I offered a snappy new title for
the mayor to use replacing the stodgy “State of the City” address. I offered up
the title “Mesquite Matters”. I thought the alliteration was nifty and the
double meaning just right for a city moving forward. Mayor Mark Wier didn’t
take me up on the offer and I can see why.
His latest State of the City message was stodgy. And, I
guess it has to stay that way because right now Mesquite is stodgy too.
His Honor proclaims our little city “fiscally sound”. Don’t
get me wrong, that is a big deal, especially with all the money woes going on
all around us. He assures us that the city council remembers from whence the
money is drawn and that he and his band are doing all they can to protect our
cash.
Thank-you.
I even appreciate the shout out our subdivision got due to
our bit of citizen activism last spring to put the kibosh on an ill-advised, 10
foot wide, tree killing shared use path that would replace the perfectly good 6
to 8 foot wide path that currently exists while other areas were still dirt.
Thanks again, but that is all in the past.
We heard from the mayor that business requirements have been
streamlined and what once took weeks can now be done in three or four days.
Great, but there is no proof that either the system or the desire to have new
business in Mesquite has improved. There seems to be very little to show for
the work. And indeed, some evidence that indicates a desire to keep the status
quo.
There was talk of the new Mesquite Regional Business group
doing a good job of using our money while seemingly in competition with the
Chamber of Commerce–but again, no real evidence to support the claim. Their
biggest coup so far seems to be hiring a director and reeling in one small
business. We need much more.
The nearly blighted Mesquite Boulevard has looked exactly
the same for years. The last new building was the Stadium 6 Movie Theatre built
several years ago.
I don’t need a rap on the back of my head with the
accompanying “Duh! There’s been a Great Recession going on.” I know there have
been tons of problems, but the time has come to see some action.
The mayor’s speech was mostly looking back. We need to look
forward and actually get some results from all of this posturing we have done
in the name of progress the last two years.
Mesquite needs an anchor area–a downtown that draws tourists
as well as local shoppers. The area of Mesquite Boulevard from the big bend at
Sandhill, maybe as far as Grapevine is ripe to fill that quaint downtown need.
There is a good start with the Art Gallery, the Museum, The General Store, several
restaurants, a couple of Southwest gift shops, plenty of open space on which to
build, and abandoned buildings to renovate.
I see the historic Harley’s Garage sign as a landmark. I can
hear a future citizen explaining that the cool bookstore or best club sandwich
in town is “right across from the Harley’s sign.”
I like this council. I agree with Barbara Ellestad the
publisher of this news site that both incumbent councilmen, Allan Litman and
Geno Withelder deserve to be reelected. Unless there is some big blow-up in the
near future, I’ll likely vote for Mr. Mayor, George Rapson and Kraig Hafen
again if they decide to run. Through their actions, they too deserve another
term.
But, we need more than transparency, a listening ear, and an
open mind. We need some action. There seems to be more tabling, moving to a
later date, looking for more data, calling a friend, and asking the audience in
council meetings than real progressive action.
As I stated above, I like this city council. I like it
better than any other in my 10 years living in Mesquite. I am glad to have the
opportunity to prod them because all of my city council related writings in the
past have been rants to oust one member or another for not sufficiently doing
his or her job. Being able to offer constructive criticism is a step in the
right direction.
I am, however, going to rescind my offer of the jazzy,
progressive “Mesquite Matters” as a new moniker for the yearly mayoral address
until I see some progress to go along with all the planning and good
stewardship.
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