John Casey is serving as chairman of the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce for 2007. He provided this column about the group’s functions.The Chamber of Commerce has 950 members who employ more than 30,000 Rowan County citizens. The welfare of our members is of great importance. Their success and growth ensures that 30,000-plus employees have means to support their families and other businesses in Rowan County
What is the best way to guarantee success? It involves careful planning for today and the future. It is a road map to follow to ensure that you are on the right road to accomplish your objective. It will tell you when you are not going in the right direction and that adjustments have to be made to bring you back. The dictionary defines a plan as “any detailed scheme, program, or method worked out beforehand for the accomplishment of an objective.”
Everyone plans what they are going to do each day, the time involved and what is necessary to accomplish goals.
Picking up the kids, little league, shopping, vacations and birthdays are just a few of the areas that are planned each day. Without any planning, imagine the results.
When a farmer is ready to plant his crops, he doesn’t take the seed and throw it anywhere hoping to get the best results at harvest time. No, he carefully plans to make sure every inch of land is used for the best yield.
Rowan County cannot be any different. Those in authority must plan every square mile to ensure the best use and results for all those they are responsible for. This plan is not for tomorrow only but for years to come. It is for the future of our children and grandchildren that they are planning.
The effort now being discussed by our officials to have a land plan for the south and west portions of our county should be applauded by everyone. The plans made for the future of these areas should be decided by those who live and raise their families there. This will also be the case when they address the east and north areas of the county. This is only the beginning. What is really required is a strategic plan for the entire county to ensure our success for years to come.
The county once paid thousands of our dollars for a countywide plan that was very well done but never instituted or reviewed. A new board of commissioners decided at the time they had a better idea. This plan is still sitting on a shelf.
Another decision was made years ago not to have countywide sewer available and the citizens, their children and grandchildren will be paying for that decision for many years.
The results of numerous surveys show that we all want better jobs, improved schools, education, taxes kept under control and to be able to enjoy a good quality of life. This cannot be accomplished without a well laid out plan to meet these objectives. We all should support the present commissioners’ efforts to begin planning for our County.
Plan it well and, like the farmer, you will have a bountiful harvest for everyone.