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You are right about most of your ideas, but the key is Greenville/Pitt County. Regional development can not be assumed to spread to existing cities that are crime infested, etc...
Greenville has to lead the way, get big enough and clean enough to generate significant industry....of which the Millennial campus at ECU is a huge deal. Then Pitt County actually needs to RESTRICT development and preserve its farmland. If that happened and transportation improves between Greenville and the other cities, then that growth would spread to other cities. Greenville functions as the hub with the other communities the spokes. They act as bedroom communities and focus on what they are good at. And its all promoted regionally.
Kinston has added some significant entertainment options and the GTP. Washington has its historic district and waterfront. Rocky Mount/Tarboro/Wilson has its Interstate proximity. And Greenville has its medical center and ECU and its new focus on economic development.
I’m not sure rather to agree or disagree with your post entirely for, at the beginning, you seemed to suggest that regional development cannot be assumed to spread to cities that are subpar, but at the end you seem to recognize the assets of the region and how it could be packaged as one. Regardless, I agree with the majority of your post and do agree that the Millennial Campus is huge and that farmland must be preserved.
Greenville needs to hire someone that will stay in the economic development position for more than a year or two at a time. Part of the issue has been the working environment at the city, but the last guy left for Charlottesville...can't blame him there.
Greenville needs to hire someone that will stay in the economic development position for more than a year or two at a time. Part of the issue has been the working environment at the city, but the last guy left for Charlottesville...can't blame him there.
Mr. Barnett, from what I read there, seems to have excellent credentials and is fully capable of taking Greenville ahead.
Roger Johnson (the last one) was great but he only stayed a couple years. I believe the one before that was only here 2-3 years. The problem isn't hiring capable people it's keeping them here.
Roger Johnson (the last one) was great but he only stayed a couple years. I believe the one before that was only here 2-3 years. The problem isn't hiring capable people it's keeping them here.
Roger left because he got a similar position in Charlottesville, VA. That would be difficult to turn down; it's a better place to live overall. The one before him, I can't remember his name, left to join another local govermment around here IIRC.
To that end - the city has had a bad reputation as a place to work and there has been significant turnover the past few years. Ann Wall seems to be doing a good job of turning that around.
Roger left because he got a similar position in Charlottesville, VA. That would be difficult to turn down; it's a better place to live overall. The one before him, I can't remember his name, left to join another local govermment around here IIRC.
To that end - the city has had a bad reputation as a place to work and there has been significant turnover the past few years. Ann Wall seems to be doing a good job of turning that around.
My understanding of what you're saying is that we need a director who is committed to the city and intends to be here long-term. Hopefully Barnett is up for the job, it'll be difficult. On another note, back to the Millennial Campus. Maybe I am being too ambitious here, but as I said a few months back, I feel we have the golden opportunity to make our Millennial Campus something world-class, an incubator for ideas and a smart-neighborhood. The two videos below from Sidewalk Toronto (a subsidiary of Alphabet, Inc.) illustrate to one extent or another the approach we should have to our Millennial Campus.
Every city should want to do something about climate change rather it be in their own backyard or perhaps the larger world. Considering most companies such as Sidewalk Labs and urban designers alike focus on reducing climate change and implementing innovative technologies within the landscape of an already large and developed city, our Millennial Campus can be shown as a model for how to implement smart technologies, creating zero (or even positive) carbon footprints, and understanding how to get people to be more independent of cars and much more within a small to mid-sized city. Quite literally, we could create a global model right in our backyard. Show how drones could work in a small setting, create a solar cell imbedded road and have our fine students at ECU tweak it over the years to make it more efficient, demonstrate methods to increase the amount of users, in car-dependent cities, of public-transit (for example, through an App that lets one accumulate points for riding the bus, and working with restaurants and other businesses alike for the user to receive a discount at their establishment).
Just throwing out some ideas of course, but nonetheless I do sincerely believe Greenville could be taken to the next level and I do hope Mr. Barnett is an incredible asset in that regard. There's a great amount of potential here but we must dare to be different.
Anyone know what they're building behind Walmart on Regency Blvd?
adjacent parcel is owned by Eastern Medical Properties Winterville LLC - sounds like professional offices.
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