The author R.J. Ellory once said "Hindsight, ever the cruelest and most astute advisor." This surely is the case with the tennis facility project. When I look back at the situation, I see a lot of room for improvement and I intend to make sure those improvements happen. Although Council, with best intentions, voted unanimously to move the project forward, as Mayor, it is my job to ensure that the process serves the best interests of the community, and in this case, it clearly did not. Here are the steps that I have currently put into motion to correct our course of action:
The City will place all master plans on the City website for citizens to easily access. I have requested staff to draft policy so that these master plans are reviewed and updated regularly. I recognize that as time passes, the needs and wishes of a community can change. The City needs to make certain master plans accurately represent the wishes of the community.
I am also requesting a new policy to ensure that whenever key changes are being considered to public property, public engagement must happen. As elected officials, we must go to the community to get the necessary feedback.
Lastly, I would like to invite our Roswell residents and business owners to participate in the upcoming town hall meeting on Thursday, October 4, 2018, 7:00 PM, at the East Roswell Park Community Activity Building. At this meeting, we will discuss at length how the City handled the project, staff will engage citizen interest in establishing a tennis center in another Roswell location, and we will explore the community's vision for East Roswell area parks.
I look forward to partnering with you to ensure we protect what makes Roswell special and make the necessary plans to move us forward as a vibrant community.
