First came the library defenders, now it’s landscaping advocates asking for mercy. The blowback of the Mount Airy city council’s ranking of essential a municipal services is that those who see their items of choice at the bottom are alarmed at what the final budget could produce. It started when former commissioner Tom Bagnal pleaded the council to spare library cuts, since that was among the items on the bottom of list.
This month Downtown Mount Airy Inc., a board that represents Main Street merchants, made a formal plea to the council not to cut landscaping in the downtown district, saying it greatly enhances their business and is a source of civic pride. Few would argue with either of those statements, but the question on the council’s mind is whether it’s a benefit that should be borne by general taxpayers.
There’s other potential services eyed for cutbacks, from certain benefits for city employees to sidewalk repairs to recreation programs for teens and senior citizens. We’ll find out in the next month which of those services has its own advocacy group.
I’d like to know how much money has been spent over the years by Mount Airy and Surry County on consulting firms! Every time I pick up a local paper someone is wondering where “this” money is coming from or where “that” money is coming from. Then they’ll take what money they do have and hand it over to “consultants” trying to lure tourists in here! Now they want local taxpayers to cover the costs of the landscaping downtown?
Speaking as a lifelong resident, everyone I know is sick of hearing about tourism! If people want to come here, we can’t stop them, but if they don’t want to, there is nothing you can do about that either!
It’s like having someone go on about how great a movie is. They keep telling you that you really need to watch it. Then when you finally do, you thought it was a waste of time. That’s how I’m afraid a lot of “tourists” feel when they hit the road outta here.
Take care of your people! We’re the ones paying the bills!
Stop dwelling on tourism and at least try to get some kind of industry to move to Mount Airy so you can at least have a shot at keeping the REAL tax base before the rest of us are so fed up that we’re out of here with the tourist!
One more thing. While growing up here, Andy Griffith was a name you never heard. We did 90% of our shopping on Main Street. There was 4 or 5 mom and pop cafe’s up and down the street and 3 or 4 barber shops. That would be something for a tourist to see. Not this fabricated mess it has turned into!
There is no more industry left to move to Mt. Airy.
Fast food and tourism is the order of the day.
Clyde9, you’re wrong about being able to bring in tourists. I personally dislike the cliche tourist thing, but it’s business and it is something Mount Airy and the surrounding area can capitalize on. Those consultants we’ve paid for have given us useful ideas, some of which have improved the area significantly, but a lot of the ideas and plans are shelved because of generic opposition to tourism and the people who the factories to return. I’m not saying you’re wrong, you’re absolutely right about the bad taste in people’s mouths after a quick day trip into our downtown area, and that’s been one of the main problems every report has stressed.
The oft used “if you build it they will come” quote from Field of Dreams is true. Tourists are looking for destinations, and those are things you have to create and market. A 20 minute walk down a downtown that’s closed half the time and a quick visit to the Andy statue and you’ve pretty much exhausted your supply of destinations in town, at least for the mayberry stuff that people seem to think is the only kind of tourism we have.
If, however, you start looking at Ecotourism and Agricultural tourism, Lifestyle retreats, the art, music, cultural and historical stuff we offer, and the wineries there’s a lot of potential for profitable tourism. One person touring wineries and buying wine is going to spend a whole lot more than a small family here for mayberry days.
I think clyde9 brought up some very good points. I don’t think anyone could disagree with the fact that there needs to be more work in Mount Airy. Tourism is okay, if there are plenty of other jobs available for the people as well. I often feel that those concerned with the $$$$ that tourism brings in, are for the most part the retired, those who work directly IN tourism and those who own a business. What about everyone else???