Attendance still slim

At second growth- management informational meeting

By MAGGIE WILLIAMS
reporter@owentonnewsherald.com

— Photo by MAGGIE WILLIAMS
Only five non-committee members attended last week’s second growth-management meeting. The meeting — one of five to be held in the community — was held to disseminate information about the committee’s findings regarding growth in the community. The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Robinson Family Farm, 4245 Swope Road. 

After another sparsely attended community meeting last week, the county’s growth-management committee is getting concerned.
James Cammack, one of only five non-committee attendees at Thursday’s meeting in Jonesville, apologized for the low attendance, saying it’s a shame “people don’t take action.”
Despite the slim crowd, those present discussed the committee’s recommendations and found them to be satisfactory. Among the suggestions is a call to enforce ordinances which are already on the books, an action several of those present said they felt would postpone the need for zoning.
“The ordinances are there. They’re just not being enforced,” said committee member Todd Marston.
There was extended discussion of what is being done to clean up blights on the county. In tours of the county, Marston said he saw numerous “unlivable” houses and more than 200 abandoned cars just in one day.
Others voiced concern indicating they are afraid Owen County is becoming a dumping ground for surrounding counties, citing Superintendent Mark Cleveland’s remarks from the previous community meeting.
Cammack said he would like to make it a requirement for all dwellings to pass an inspection, a suggestion similar to one proposed by the growth committee.
That’s something that the committee indicated they felt should happen because, as committee member Bernie Engelman pointed out, growth in the county is happening primarily in the residential sector.
Engelman said he sees some form of community planning as necessary for future growth.
“Now, growth can happen anywhere,” he said.
While commercial and industrial growth is not currently an issue in the county — “Just look at the empty industrial building,” Engelman said — he said he worries new roads and gaslines will attract big businesses and new developments which will require the county to take action.
The next community meeting is at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Robinson Family Farm, 4245 Swope Road.
A fourth meeting is tentatively scheduled for two weeks later in Monterey with the final meeting to be held two weeks after that one at the courthouse.