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Make the town inviting, comfortable and profitable

Published Tuesday, February 12, 2008 4:26 PM

By Bob Jackson
Summerville Journal Scene

Wow, what a difference six months makes. You put your faith in me by voting for change this past May, electing me as your Town Council member.

I have learned much, and realize there is so much more. Believing that,” Together we can make a difference” was the thought and motivation behind my campaign.

Along with others, I am working hard to have a more open, transparent government involving more of the community.

If you read the newspapers or attend area planning meetings you can see changes are occurring.  I believe in responsible growth but that does not mean is that I don’t want the Town to grow. We just have to be smart and this is why I would like to enlist your help.

What I foresaw might happen to our community with residential growth crushing the infrastructure has been delayed due to oversupply and the greedy financing of the development community, in essence bad planning. The work slowdown and layoffs now have nothing to do with smart growth but the development community not planning wisely. There is plenty of development already approved for the next 10 to 15 years. I want to capitalize on the residential slowdown that we have and plan. While the planning takes place we need to get the construction community revitalized.

I propose we look to developing retail, commercial and residential mixed-use areas. One idea is to revitalize an area of inner-downtown Summerville, an area that maybe under utilized. I have several in mind. The Town could create a larger, Short Central atmosphere –– mixed-use areas, perhaps a train station/hotel complex.

Then, on the edge of Town, work together with the county to create a larger business park with light commercial, company headquarters possibly mixed with retail. With the larger complex the Town/County could help fund a much needed auditorium/community center.

The commercial entities use it during the day (for a fee) and the community has use during other times. I have talked with the Chamber of Commerce, local commercial real estate brokers, and development planners. All have been agreeable and enthusiastic, promising meetings; I have not received any further feedback. I am asking everyone to set differences aside so we can get the local construction industry running again. I am neither a planner, developer nor landowner, just a caring citizen. You have elected me to look out for the whole Summerville Community.

Now I enlist you to help me accomplish the task. I still believe “Together we can make a difference”. I invite any developer, planner, real estate representative, landowner, grant writer, banker, or government finance specialist to contact me. Let us come up with a realistic revitalization plan, a way to fund it and make Summerville the Town we want ––inviting, comfortable and profitable.

There are several of us on council that are open to all ideas to improve the community

Please help us make it happen.

Bob Jackson represents District 6 on Summerville Town Council. He can be contacted at 810-0449 or RJackson28@Bellsouth.net.

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