Video: Aberdeen Develops A City Plan For The Future

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ABERDEEN, MISS. (WCBI) – Build a plan, have a plan, carry out your plan. It’s a basic theory in government and business. But it’s not easy to carry out. Aberdeen leaders have spent the last few weeks trying to build their plan. They met with a consultant Thursday in a mini retreat to start hammering out the details.

City officials and residents are writing a new strategic five-year plan for Aberdeen. That includes overcoming weaknesses and taking advantage of strengths to improve the quality of life in the historic city.

“What we are hoping to come out of this is that we’ll have, not only looking at where we are now but how we’re going to get there in the next 5 years, as to what our citizens and our people want for our community,” said Aberdeen Mayor Cecil Belle.

Building a healthier Aberdeen, bettering the education system and attracting new businesses are just a few concerns that were heard to help the city and community grow.

“The main one is businesses. People want to shop local and they want to see new businesses come to Aberdeen. That was probably the first thing. The other thing was they want to see the community come together as a team. The other thing I’ve heard is they’re very concerned about the school system here and they want to see that improved,” said Phil Hardwick, the coordinator of capacity development with Mississippi State’s Stennis Institute of Government and Community Development, who is coordinating development of the plan.

Goal setting is great but the key factor to achieving these goals is having one certain person to be held responsible for each goal that is set.

“Research shows that there is basically three things that result in goal achievement. You write them down, you share then with someone else an you be held accountable for them and that’s what we’re going to really emphasize with this group,” said Hardwick.

Community surveys were circulated by Hardwick to gain a better understanding of Aberdeen.

Officials will return to check on the progress of the plan after it is implemented.

“And once we assign tasks to certain ones to do it then their going to come back and actually check to see how their doing. So its not just get a plan, set it on a shelf and not do anything with it, ” said Belle.

Hardwick will deliver the plan back to the mayor in a few weeks.

Categories: Local News

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