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A new year offers everyone the opportunity to start over, make amends, and approach tasks with a fresh perspective.
And, thankfully, this is just how many people are planning to approach 2010. There’s widespread agreement that 2009 was not the best 12 months on record, with the recession forcing residents and governments alike to tighten their belts.
Aside from working toward economic growth, local municipalities can benefit their communities by taking a new approach to some issues. It would be easy to sit back and criticize towns for everything that went wrong last year. But our goal is to look forward and suggest ways that community leaders can make positive changes in the coming year.
Here are three things we’d like to see implemented in 2010:
1. Stick to the basics: It’s obvious that the village of Hinsdale needs to repair its infrastructure, and it’s just as obvious that officials have done a less-than-stellar job getting residents to comprehend the plan. Requests to increase the sales tax to pay for the project have been rejected several times, and the town has opted to go this route again. Break the project into achievable goals, and clearly explain to residents why this work is important.
2. Get Garfield moving: The redevelopment project at First and Garfield avenues has been stuck in limbo for several years. The Gammonley Group has made various proposals, but officials have yet to approve any plan. They need to come to a meeting of the minds with Gammonley and get moving on this project.
3. Approve helipad: A plan to include an on-site helicopter pad as part of Adventist Hinsdale Hospital’s renovation project was put on hold last month by the Plan Commission, whose members are saying they need more information. An on-site pad is vital to the hospital’s operation and the well-being of its patients.
These are tangible, common-sense recommendations that will make out town a better place. We hope our leaders take them seriously. We’ll revisit them from time to time as the year progresses.
A new year offers everyone the opportunity to start over, make amends, and approach tasks with a fresh perspective.
And, thankfully, this is just how many people are planning to approach 2010. There’s widespread agreement that 2009 was not the best 12 months on record, with the recession forcing residents and governments alike to tighten their belts.
Aside from working toward economic growth, local municipalities can benefit their communities by taking a new approach to some issues. It would be easy to sit back and criticize towns for everything that went wrong last year. But our goal is to look forward and suggest ways that community leaders can make positive changes in the coming year.
Here are three things we’d like to see implemented in 2010:
1. Stick to the basics: It’s obvious that the village of Hinsdale needs to repair its infrastructure, and it’s just as obvious that officials have done a less-than-stellar job getting residents to comprehend the plan. Requests to increase the sales tax to pay for the project have been rejected several times, and the town has opted to go this route again. Break the project into achievable goals, and clearly explain to residents why this work is important.
2. Get Garfield moving: The redevelopment project at First and Garfield avenues has been stuck in limbo for several years. The Gammonley Group has made various proposals, but officials have yet to approve any plan. They need to come to a meeting of the minds with Gammonley and get moving on this project.
3. Approve helipad: A plan to include an on-site helicopter pad as part of Adventist Hinsdale Hospital’s renovation project was put on hold last month by the Plan Commission, whose members are saying they need more information. An on-site pad is vital to the hospital’s operation and the well-being of its patients.
These are tangible, common-sense recommendations that will make out town a better place. We hope our leaders take them seriously. We’ll revisit them from time to time as the year progresses.
