MTO: Meeting wondrous-and scary

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Meeting wondrous - and scary


		Charles Richardson

There I stood, in one of the few Bibb County schools I had never visited, and with me were more than 400 others. They were there to speak their minds to their state elected officials. State Sens. Sonny Perdue, Robert Brown and Susan Cable were there - as was state Rep. David Graves. City Council members were there, too, even though much of south Bibb County is outside city limits.

The meeting was hastily called for the purpose of discussing the new powers requested by the Macon Water Authority. To their credit, members of the water board, including its chairman, Frank Amerson, and its executive director, Gene Holcomb, were in attendance.

Although the meeting was called to talk about the water authority, it was intertwined with road program problems - particularly the widening of Houston Road and the rumors of a landfill.

What was wonderfully scary about the meeting was the activism I saw - the fervor of those trying to get someone to listen and the anger in the voices of those trying to protect their homes and way of life.

The atmosphere must have been much the same during the birth of our nation, when people came together and decided to form our republic, one free from the incumbrances of the British. They believed in what they were doing so much that they laid down their lives to acquire the rights citizens have today.

Why scary? We have lulled ourselves to sleep for so long. Citizens haven't been participating in our government's affairs. Participation with any government entity, from the water board to City Council, has been lacking for so long it's a shock to see the invisible become visible. Our electoral politics have become so jaded that we count on those who will not show up to cast a ballot as much as we count on those who will.

It was wonderful, though, to look around and see and hear what ordinary people had to say to the people who represent them. There was no awe or deference in their voices. There was respect (at times), but there was little doubt that citizens were the bosses.

The people needed to be heard. There were a number of misunderstandings. Some of the items stated as facts weren't quite right, and some of the innuendo wasn't altogether wrong.

It is not a stretch to think that the five lanes proposed for Houston Road are connected to the industrial site development along I-75 and the new interchange at Sardis Church Road. It's hard to believe that the extension to Highway 247 is not part of a plan that has not been shared with the residents who make south Macon their home. In fact, if all of this wasn't planned, we are really in sorry shape.

I know, I know. Disclaimers have come from everywhere that say the two projects, Houston Road and the industrial site, are totally independent of one another, and I'm not saying that's wrong. I am saying that if it wasn't in the plan, it should have been. And if there is no connection between the two, we should really look at our planning process and do something about it. That's why we are at this juncture: lack of planning

Our right hand really doesn't know what the left hand is doing. It's amazing that they are clapping at the same time with these two projects. I am appalled that we don't know what we are doing and where. That a world-class industrial site just happens to be in the middle of where we are improving the road infrastructure is almost too lucky to be true. We can't depend on luck. We look stupid when we do. That's why citizens are outraged now.

If we are just lucky and not good, how do we really know what our needs are going to be in 15 years? How do we adequately inform citizens who will be affected so they can make their plans for home, children and schools? Do we care? Or do we feel - in the name of jobs and change - that we can do anything, even destroy neighborhoods? Time is telling.

Charles E. Richardson is the assistant to the editor for The Macon Telegraph. Call him at 744-4342 or e-mail to crichardson@macontel.com. His column appears every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.