The City of Greensboro is facing a few urgent problems.
The number of homicides in the city is on track to reach an all time high. There is a housing shortage, and with the economic development coming to the area that is going to get worse. Related to the housing shortage are the issues with the ever growing homeless population. This is just to name a few.
No items related to those or other current issues were on the agenda for the Thursday, Sept. 28 City Council meeting. However, one of City Manager Tai Jaiyeoba’s pet projects is.
The project is a five-year “Strategic Framework” for Greensboro. The planning for the strategic plan began in 2022, according to the report, and should be completed early in 2024.
The City Council spent a considerable amount of the annual two-day retreat in February on the “Strategic Framework.” But the presentation begins by asking the question, “What is a Strategic Framework?” The answer is that it is “not another plan.”
What the City Council has done so far to complete the “Strategic Framework” is to agree on a vision statement and seven priorities.
The vision statement is, “Greensboro will be a community with endless economic opportunities and exceptional quality of life.”
The priorities according to the presentation are: “Safest City, Most Skilled Workforce, Youth Sports Capital, Easiest Place to Do Business, Hub of Recreation & Entertainment, Abundance of Affordable Housing.”
The purpose of the five-year strategic plan is to “equitably implement the 7 priorities identified by City Council,” and six city staff members have been working on how to do that.
The first draft of the “Strategic Framework” was submitted to Jaiyeoba back in April, for him to ensure equity and clarify the audience and stakeholders.
The recent city survey was part of the strategic plan planning process.
According to the presentation, the City Council will adopt the five-year Strategic Framework in February 2024.
The vision statement is, “Greensboro will be a community with endless economic opportunities and exceptional quality of life.” Well, might as well aim for the moon.
“endless economic opportunities?” How is that possible, given at any moment, we have a finite number of people? Nonsensical.
The council does seem to believe we have an endless supply of money.
BTW: In my judgement, an exceptional quality of life would include city provided loose leaf removal! We will continue to remind the council that while they are drafting fantasies, providing popular, basic city services should still be a goal.
EDI planning…surely they are thinking about more taxes for their pet projects and other wasteful specialities.
Do they really not see the irony in proposing a Five Year Plan?
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Someone needs to educate them, because they are obviously breathtakingly ignorant of history.
How stupid can you be?
I hope it makes more sense than this nonsense. What a crock of turkey dung.
Maybe their 5-year plan should be finishing their 5-year plan within five years.
Maybe five years in the hoosgow will enhance the program. To paraphrase a quote: our representatives should serve one term in office, and one term in jail.
Any “plan” needs measurable metrics so you can see if the “plan” was successful. I do not see any measurable things in the mission statement or the priorities. They are all subjective. Which I know is the way council wants it.
Re the priorities…“Safest City, Most Skilled Workforce, Youth Sports Capital, Easiest Place to Do Business, Hub of Recreation & Entertainment, Abundance of Affordable Housing…” I guess that the “Hub of Recreation” and the “Hub of Entertainment” are separate priorities. Does Safest City suggest a crackdown on crime? And how about Most Skilled Workforce? Does that mean more education for City Employees or is it something broader? I am not sure about Youth Sports Capital (since every City wants that) and I would think most parents would rather have quality schools and academically proficient students than sports dynasties. Regarding Easiest Place to Do Business, I would think that tax relief and reduced regulation would be in the works, but I somehow doubt that is what they mean. As to the two Hubs I guess we can expect to be taxed more for Parks and Arts and maybe even more facilities brought under the umbrella of the Coliseum. I have no clue about affordable housing. Maybe a high-rise mixed income project in Irving Park? Fortunately we have five years to figure it out!
Maybe we can top Portland in homicides this year, as we have in the Past. Can we shoot for Chicago?
Lets HOPE and PRAY that these people making the decision for all of us are out of office and run out of town.
AND all new people are making better choices for ALL of us citizens in Greensboro NC.
Who do these people think they are to make any long range decision for us.
They must be planning a way for them to be relected again.
Greensboro can’t stand much more of their self serving ways of management.