Saturday, September 02, 2006

Early voting for Fayetteville bond issue votes begins

Early voting for the Fayetteville bond issues for road improvement, the planned sewer plant currently under construction along Broyles Road, and trail improvements begins Tuesday, September 5 at the county clerk office. It is obvious that Fayetteville will never be an industrial center. Our greatest asset is the wonderful town we live in that sets a backdrop of culture, architecture, and outdoor activities available in some form to all of us year-round that is the envy of our great state (as well as folks across America transferred to the area for one company or other and folks who move here because of the scores of national rankings in magazines through the years).

Fayetteville has, like it or not, become a bit of a bedroom community with the state's flagship university attracting a rather diverse crowd of proactive folks who don't want to see this gem of a hometown turning into the communally inhospitable towns and cities as exist across America. The trail system seeks to mimic areas annually rated as some of the best hometowns in America. The trail system will be an invitation for Fayetteville's citizens to strive for good health and provide an option for folks who would love to leave the automobile behind for some excursions around town. The trail system will be a shared amenity of living in one of the best small cities in America. Watching the city channel's taping of the Frisco Trail opening, the city foreman in charge of building this system commented on the parents riding along with all their children (one shot showed a mother and four children learning to ride---how could anyone be against a family value that seeks to promote lifelong wellness?).

Along with better access for pedestrian and cycling traffic is the issue of providing essential services like improved roads and an improved sewer system(some would argue these points are more important than trails, but I disagree). The capacity of the first sewer treatment facility has been exhausted, particularly since the west side of Fayetteville has attracted development and explosive growth. Also, Farmington and to its west Prairie Grove are growing and will require sewer treatment services that Fayetteville will be able to provide(Farmington would be a customer). Much of the growth that the potential street improvements will facilitate will be within the Fayetteville school district generating more property tax proceeds to provide for educating our children(some will be in Farmington district and Springdale). Near the mall, most of the property tax revenue goes to the Springdale school district. The new Sam's location along 112 and I-540 will be within our school district. Look throughout town at the signs hung by the city along roadways which will benefit from passage of the bond issues. Every part of town will benefit from passage.

This vote will be important to continuing the momentum of positive growth throughout our beloved hometown that 25 years from now, will be the envy of towns like Rogers, Bentonville, and Springdale for their inability to shift enough emphasis to quality of life issues like trails, parks, greenspace, and communitarian values, such as the city policy excluding gated "communities" from within our city limit, and the ability to build centers like the WAC(thanks to donors and community vision) and the new library(thanks to the voters). Let's keep up the good work of crafting a city of which everyone can be proud and take the credit for following the vision of decent city government through the Hanna and Coody years. I've met Mayor Coody and Mayor Hanna and I took away all positive vibes from the both of them who share reputations for short-tempers(Hanna while he was alive). Cursed by an incendiary demeanor myself, who cares? It takes tough people to tolerate all the furor this population is capable of unleashing. What's great about the supposed "difficulties" caused by our city for business interests is a lot of hooey! This town's "difficulties" are mild compared to many smaller cities around the state. A city this size that discusses city issues and rouses as much support pro or con for various issues and usually arriving at a good solution is a reason to take pride. We haven't been steered wrong on most occasions, except the incinerator issue ( I didn't live here when the issue first landed in court) and the cost overruns of the west side sewer treatment facility (follow the link to Morning News).

Everyone should be glad to continue the rather well-managed progress of growth within our city limit and growth area. Vote Tuesday, September 5 until Tuesday, September 12 FOR all the bond questions for the city of Fayetteville.

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