ACE Alabama Communities of Excellence

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News Articles

Jacksonville News (Editorial) - May 21, 2008
Our thoughts: We must look to the future
by Jennifer Bacchus
News Staff Writer

As one of only three people who sat through all of the ACE town hall meetings over the last few weeks, I've heard some of the most impassioned people of our city talk about what they would like to see in Jacksonville's future. It's a contagious feeling. More often than not, those who attended stood around discussing the suggestions that were made after the meetings were over, talking more about how they think certain ideas could come to pass and what stood in the way of that progress. Two things kept popping up during those conversations as potential hindrances to that more economically stable, environmentally sound, educationally progressive future with infrastructure designed to handle growth and lots of activities to draw in tourists and give residents and students alike something to do in town. Those were apathy and a lack of communication.

The fact is there are an awful lot of people in town who believe Jacksonville is good enough. Who don't join committees or get involved because there isn't a lot wrong with this town. And they're right, there isn't. Jacksonville is a great place to live, but if we don't work toward the future and keep trying to improve it won't always be that way.

As to the lack of communication, I know from experience that people will only tune in to a conversation they want to hear. For example, I'd like to think everyone in town read the stories I write each week. I know that isn't so, however, and I know that, even though this newspaper is really one of the few ways anyone who lives here will ever know exactly what is going on throughout Jacksonville, there are always going to be people who choose not to take it.

I can't imagine living in that bubble, not knowing about the activities and events around town or, even more dangerous, not knowing what the community leaders are doing. I encourage all of you to talk to each other, get the word out about meetings that your neighbors need to be aware of, start a dialogue and we can start the kind of change that needs to happen for our city to thrive.