Central Michigan Life

Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Jefferey LaMonde

Isabella County community leaders joined forces Thursday to maintain cooperation between all local governments.

A panel of Vision 20/20 members met Thursday afternoon at the Comfort Inn Conference Center, 2424 S. Mission St., for a formal press conference to discuss how they plan to improve life in Isabella County during the next 20 years.

"Our intent is to take a peek into Isabella County's future and develop a plan for what Isabella County is going to look like in 2020 and beyond," said Sid Smith, chair of Vision 20/20 and president/CEO of Smith Equities Corporation.

The panel, eight of the group's 58 members, talked of how they plan to improve intergovernmental cooperation, economic development, leadership development, quality of life and educational opportunities in the county.

The group was created this summer to take the community from "good to great" through a planned approach to community growth.

Five committees have been established to carry out plans for improvement.

Vision 20/20 was created, in part, to have a pool of people willing work with local government organizations.

"This is not to reinvent, but to enhance and facilitate and move agendas forward working together as a team," said Nancy English, chair of the Quality of Life committee. "All of the committees are working toward the same basic premise."

Smith said the group wants to encourage upcoming community leaders.

"Every generation of leadership moves on to other elements. What we ask is where is the emerging leadership? Our responsibility is to mentor the younger folks to get involved," Smith said.

To encourage younger folks to get involved, Vision 20/20 has two groups: Junior and senior. Members of each category were selected based on their community commitment. The main difference between the two groups is age.

Plans for the near future are more focused on changing the quality of life for Isabella County residents.

"We obviously want to tackle some tasks that are winnable - things that are visible," said George Dunn, co-chair of Vision 20/20 and president of Middle Michigan Development Corporation.

The group talked about using funds for beautification and bike paths. Members also talked about environmental issues.

"When we put a trash sack on the sidewalk, we don't always think in terms of where it's going," Smith said. "We can't just throw something away. If we want to be a great county, we need to think of the big picture."

The panel said a similar core of volunteers and a similar program to Vision 20/20 has taken root in the tri-cities of Saginaw, Bay and Midland County.


news@cm-life.com

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