Communication a priority for board

Commissioners want Caldwell residents to have more information

Sunday, March 4, 2007

By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer

Education, economic development and improved communication between government and residents topped the list of commissioner priorities discussed when the Caldwell County board met recently for its annual retreat.

The retreat, scheduled to resume March 30, gave commissioners the chance to set individual priorities and discuss their concerns with other board members. A combined list of the top issues will be discussed at the end of the month.

"We're going to try to flesh those things out and get a better handle on where we're going," said Board of Commissioners Chairman Faye Higgins, a Republican.

While commissioners said they wanted to focus continuously on education and economic development, they agreed that increasing communication with residents and making county information more accessible is a big priority.

"If we improve public perception of how we govern, it will be easier to build better issues and move forward more quickly," said commissioner Don Barrier, a Democrat. "It's all about improving government and getting the best out of our tax dollars."

Republican commissioner John Thuss said the board is planning to expand communication with Caldwell County residents by filtering more information through the Internet and local radio, television and newspapers.

"Information availability to our citizens," Thuss said. "How do we make them listen? That's the challenge."

However, commissioner Ron Beane said that the county needs to focus on increasing educational opportunities and improving the county's economic health.

"Education drives everything else in a local economy," said Beane, a Democrat. "We need to be really involved with all segments of education, from kindergarten to the fourth year of college."

Other priorities included cross training for county employees, expanding commerce and retail, improving transportation and roads, and creating industry diversity.


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