Watauga took time to develop an impressive planning report two years ago that identifies the opportunities and challenges facing the county in the future.
Ashe County leaders don't like to hear it, but they could learn something from their neighbors. Ashe has no such planning tool. A blue ribbon panel appointed to study land use issues three years ago completed an extensive study of the county's needs but Commissioners shelved all that hard work without so much as a thank you.
Six years ago, Ashe Commissioners were asked by Watauga counterparts to participate in a regional water cooperative with the Deep Gap area as a focus. Both counties could have benefited from such a regional effort. Alas, Ashe leaders gave this offer the cold shoulder and now Watauga will go it alone.
With the current lull in economic activity and the likely dead stop in any progressive policies from Watauga Commissioners following the November election, now is the time for Ashe to actually plan for the future. When the local economy gets going again, there will be no time for planning, only regrets for time squandered.
Mr. Lewis,
ReplyDeleteYou should know that it was the last
Watauga Co commission, all Democrats, who started the planning document, and though it was finished and presented to the current County Commish, there's absolutely no reason or expectation to believe that the new Republican majority will go near its recommendations. They are an anti-planning crowd, pure and simple.
Although Ashe County selected the Blue Ribbon Planning Committee over three years ago a report has not been made to the Ashe County Commissioners or the County Planning Board. I do not believe your comments as to the commissioners shelving the extensive work are correct as a report of findings or even the courtesy of a response to the county officials has been offered after several requests to the “Blue Ribbon Committee. Your neighbors to the South in Watauga may have a plan but your partisan comments about the November results may be one of the reasons for the lack of "Progressive" action
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