Your Ideas For A Better Community.
JAFITC wants to start the following discussion:
I think that in each one of us lies a certain amount of problem solver, problem maker and problem finder. I would like to see us all take the role of problem solver and post suggestions for ways we, as a community, can improve some of the problems in our county, such as; how do we help the hospital remain functional, or, save the downtown area?
I think that in each one of us lies a certain amount of problem solver, problem maker and problem finder. I would like to see us all take the role of problem solver and post suggestions for ways we, as a community, can improve some of the problems in our county, such as; how do we help the hospital remain functional, or, save the downtown area?
I think your ideas is terrific.
Downtown: First (I think) the city needs to enact some ordinances to "force" out of town landlords to upgrade and fix their real estate, or we are going to have more Emporium's collapsing. Second a historical ordinance needs to be in place to protect the integrity of the area. With vision 2060 they want business and people living in the downtown area, if this is to happen there has to be some incentive to live there. There isn't much parking and the business's that are there aren't open all the time. Saturday it is a ghost town. With all the restaurants on 19 who drives to town to find everything closed. Incentives should be given to the small "mom & pop" business to help get them over the first/second year hump. Better advertising of what is available and opened hours that would help the working folks shop there.
Join Mainstreet!
The hospital -- wow!!! Folks have to stop using it for a minor emergency center -- where it is free, and only real emergencies to the ER. The health dept has to be better utilized for sore throat's, runny noses and ear aches etc.
Use the cafeteria for lunch -- good food. Shop the gift shop. All profits benefit the hospital.
Hold a fund raiser to help get the hospital out of debt. Like the electric bill. You seem like a problem solver type of person, bet you could come up with a few great ideas. Talk to Tristian, the acting CEO for his take on the subject.
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Perry sealed the fate of mom & pop businesses all over the town when they brought in WalMart. There is absolutely no reason to shop anywhere else...they have everything. And if you want to rebel you could go to K-Mart. Look at how well they are doing. So unfortunately there is no fix for downtown. There is nothing there and no startup business is going to pay the high rent for a no-traffic area. Watch the downtown grow cobwebs and crumble. Sad. Now maybe we'll get a Home Depot and bury the hardware/lumber guys. I know there are some pros to having a SuperStore WalMart...but behind the mask, its just a Chinese Import ninja that sells the cheapest gas in town and can fix your car too. Sorry all other supermarkets in town but I'm at WalMart so I'm going to buy my groceries while I'm here too.
Solution: Since this is just a completely non-factual rant...how about an actual impact study if WalMart is helping or hurting the community..then run it in the local paper. Headline: WalMart is sucking our town dry, or WalMart-Cities Best Friend. Local business could always start stocking Made in the USA products again and advertise as much..do some research and find an American Distributor. Side-story: I just bought 100 fence posts from Lowes the other day. Got home and noticed the Made in China label stamped on them. I was disgusted. What, we can't make fence posts? I went to Lowes because the little guys in Perry...although they had them...are WAY OVERPRICED! City: recruit a Made in the USA factory to Perry and turn K-Mart into its facility. Start a "Home Grown" campain. Mostly opinion...but its so easy to blame life on the Chinese right now.
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I know...I love WalMart too. Here is a link to some interesting "facts" on WalMart. Scroll down a bit to see some statistics on community impact studies for other cities. Seems to quote old data but I believe its still relevant. All you have to do is ask google.
http://wakeupwalmart.com/facts/
Perry needs to do their own study.
I liked this quote from that website: "70% of the commodities sold in Wal-Mart are made in China. [China Business Weekly, November 29, 2004]"
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Did you ask the local dealer to match the price ? I have found that most will if you ask them too. Also, by the time you pay for gas, use your time to drive there, did you really save any money ? Lets say 100 mile round trip at a conservative 50 cents a mile(which costs way more to drive) is $50.00. Now lets be conservative and say your time is worth $25.00 an hour you were gone at least 2.5 hours so thats $62.50....Did you really save any money ??
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Yes I saved money by driving all the way to Lowes and back. I doubled back from the Lake City auction so it wasn't my only purpose for the drive. While I was there I stocked up on some other items that the locals have severely marked-up. There's no denying the Perry local stores have jacked pricing. I'm as guilty as anyone for shopping for the lowest price. I could go through every item in our hardware stores and ask them to reprice them...but I don't like to haggle. Not every store in Perry is a convenience store...so I get a bit offended at paying mark-up on everything I buy because its conveniently local. I don't believe they even try to be competitively priced.
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I cannot speak for the hardware stores, building supply etc, but in the book business, I get a standard "trade discount" on the new books I sell which enables me to make a modest, but decent profit on each book I sell. The problem is, when I go to Barnes and Nobles, Wal-Mart, or even Amazon, I see these same books priced cheaper than what I pay for them "wholesale." It is frustrating for a small business owner to see this and I'm sure the fence posts dealers here in town go through the same frustrations I do. The big guys, Lowe's, Home Depot etc, buy these fence posts in huge quanities (from China) and are able to get a deep deep discount they pass on to their customers. I really don't think the fence dealers are "jacking up" the prices, they are just running a standard markup trying to make a modest profit to run the business. If they were able to buy them at the same price Lowe's does, you'd be seeing cheaper fence posts here in Perry. It's a conundrum and I'm not sure there's an easy answer.
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The problem with the community is that there is no leadership in our current elected officials, city and county appointees and the local potentates. You can look at the former leaders who have passed away in the last 5 – 10 years, there is really no one ot take their place. These leaders of the past did a great job and really no one has picked up the mantle.
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The past has begotten the future and the now.
Could you please identify one of these leaders that have passed and their contributions? The current lack of leadership and integrity dates from the turn of the century, the 19th century.
The people have the power but the people sheepishly refuse to use it for the collective good. We are the enemy, not the corrupt and souless people we elect, appoint or employ to serve the people, we allow it to happen - we do it to ourselves
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I do not want to call names, but think of the old timers that have passed away over the past 5-10 years. When I first began volunteering with events and such many years ago there were a core-group of old timers that had been volunteering for the last 20-30 years, most of these folks have now passed on. It is now very difficult to get folks to volunteer and serve in leadership roles and the community lacks leaders with integrity. It is a shame and you are likely right, the decline goes back to the turn of the century. I also see a problem that the role of public service has gone from public service to financial gain. I have never in my life seen the folks in public service in this community benefiting financial like they do, they do not serve the public, they serve their own pocketbook. Great comment "The people...."
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It's the ones who act quietly behind the scenes, because they see a need they can meet, or help alleviate. It's the ones who don't make fanfare when they do a good deed. It's the ones that consistently live by the Golden Rule, "because it's the right thing to do." I am privileged to know some of them. And we all shared in the benefits of the loving and caring ways of these gentle folk. They don't seek recognition or reward. God, who sees all, has always and will continue to reward them in ways that put our 'highest honors' to shame. I learned from my parents to volunteer in any way and any place I could. Will you join up, too?
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I did not get to attend the Steinhatchee forum,, but a friend of mine stated that Ms. Tharpe made the remark the she was going to help us get a new town hall and a public library here. I was wondering if and how she was going to do so. She was seen conversing within the back with Malcolm Page and also with Mr.Sadler. Is Mr. Page since he is a county commissioner also going to make this recommendation at the next County Commission meeting ? It would be wonderful to have such new additions if possible and I am sure since she made such a remark she would have inside information from both Mr. Page and Mr. Sadler? Has anyone else heard such news ?
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JAFITC wants to start the following discussion:
I think that in each one of us lies a certain amount of problem solver, problem maker and problem finder. I would like to see us all take the role of problem solver and post suggestions for ways we, as a community, can improve some of the problems in our county, such as; how do we help the hospital remain functional, or, save the downtown area?
Amazing -- since this request was posted all the responses have been Wal-Mart bashing, or leaving town for goods sold cheaper else where.
No one has addressed the original issue
Problem Solvers.
Newlyoffthe fence, came close. Stating "I learned from my parents to volunteer in any way and any place I could. Will you join up, too?"
But the statement should have gone one step further with suggestions of where, and what to volunteer for.
What can the people of this community attain by volunteering in certain areas?
Volunteering is very satisfying and self-rewarding in its self, but it needs dedication and (sometimes) hard work, not only physical but mental. Sometimes "head butting" is needed and in this community there are some very thick ones.
Now where are all the problem solvers? I hear all the problem makers and finders loud and clear.
Start with the city -- allowing the rape of the land on the corner of Puckett and 19 for Walgreen's, tearing down the old store that has stood there for ages, and removing the ancient oaks is an absolute disgusting disgrace.
Especially when they were suppose to build on the corner by Goodwill. All the black top they needed was there already.
What will be next????
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frustrated...your a victim of your own post. What's your solution?
Personally Walgreens should have never been allowed in Perry in the first place. What could they possibly offer that 15 other stores don't already carry? All of these chain stores in town...the profits are corporate and not trickling back to the community. Gone are the locally owned and operated community businesses. What's the population in Perry again? We don't make enough money to support these stores. Look at KMart. There is no solution to what has already been done...the city keeps bending over for these chain stores and allowing them to come into Perry. Any big wad of money that gets waved in front of their face and the city just drops to its knees without thinking about the community. A similar situation is happening in Live Oak. Has anyone done a comparison of Perry and Live Oak. How is their downtown doing? I'd be curious to see some statistics. I would also like to see some statistics for Perry in general. Build a strip mall and they will come is not a small town cure all...its an economic disaster that takes years to manifest. Solutions can only be sought by identifying the problem. How about some line graphs of Perry's economy over the past ten years. Who's doing the math? Chart number of local businesses that have closed over the past 5 years vs number of retail chains that have moved into Perry. Anyone know who has and how to get these numbers?
Just out of curiosity...what happened to this towns small motels that are all grown over with weeds? Did they die because someone allowed the larger hotels into town?
How about a moratorium on how many pharmacies can be in this town before you add another. Seems like on one or more of the historic vacant buildings downtown I have read in faded paint "Pharmacy". What happened to them?
Learn from the past...
The town is growing way too fast as if General Motors was coming to town. There is no industry coming in so slow down already.
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I appreciate your comments, but the City of Perry does not make the decision to "allow" any businesses. The role the City of Perry has is to set land development regulations and enforce such regulations. This would include approving site plans and devlopements, and imposing related fees. If Walgreens or any other business, such as Wal-mart, complies with the regulations they have the right to buy property and build a building to operate in the City. Your comments regarding the impact to the local economy may be true, but the City of Perry does not exist to decide what businesses are allowed or not allowed. Your comments may apply to such businesses such as Adult establishments that may be below community standards, such as strip clubs and pornographic distributors, but not to the typical retail establishment. The problem with downtown Perry is that you have property owners who defer maintenance and repair of their buildings until they are falling down and the fact that downtown businesses are not focused on customers.
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Well put...so your telling me that (a realistic scenario I believe) Home Depot would be just fine if it were to buyout KMart...a move that would without a doubt kill all three of our overpriced yet local hardware stores?
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I guess if Home Depot made a business decision to buy-out K-mart and open a home center..it could. The City of Perry could enforce some rules based on outside sales and placement of items outside to sale per the land development regulations. In regard to local hardware stores...I guess there would be an impact, albeit negative. Maybe the consumers would benefit, maybe not. I think there will come a day when we see the opening of businesses such as Home Depot and others. The Lowes in Live Oak / Suwannee COunty appears to be successful, for Lowes. I am not sure what impact it has had on Live Oak hardware dealers, but given the growth going north of downtown Live OAk, it cannot help the dowtown, a fate likely for downtown Perry as well. Overpriced local hardware stores, yes, but I have found that Ace and Weiss both will be fairly competitive with prices when approached. It does yourself well to shop and price items, I have never found a straight 2X4 at Lowes in Tallahassee and the price and quality at Weiss appears to be as good if not better (quality) at times. I try to support local businesses when I can, but price and attitudes sometimes sends me to Tallahassee and other places to get what I need. If businesses appear to appreciate my business I usually do not mind paying more, especially with the price of gas, but when a business does not have any customer service skills and does not appear to appreciate my business I simply do not patronage the business.
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You are correct, I have found the young men at Weiss to try to be competitive. As much as possible most local stores do attempt to match the price.
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How right you are, I am a victim of my own post. I was hoping someone would have a solution, as I don't. All I can say is --- all concerned citizens start attending city meeting, county meetings, TCDA meetings, chamber mtgs and all other organizations that have a say in the development of the county.
A new motel, Holiday Inn Express, is going up. If Citrus County ever lets go of the land for the Suncoast Parkway to pass on through it will connect with the Ga/Fla parkway, which is US 19.
A catch 22 is what we are in, but I still believe that more people have to start standing up and voice their opinions. It does work. Just takes dedication and commitment.
Vision 2060 was suppose to be addressing development, but who knows when!
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Can we please get over these elections and put our thoughts and resources in solving the many critical issues facing the county and the city like jobs, healthcare, the hospital, the economy?
We are right back where we started with no hope in sight- no fresh new ideas
We got off track with these sleazy elections and missed the whole point. New office holders and politicians are not going to help. We can only help ourselves
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First, Vision 2060 was suppose to only serve as a guide for community leaders and to assist in future development. Farmer- Vision 2060 does not address it, you and your local commissioners do! What I call the old regime is losing ground. The Walmart that some people complain about is one of the largest employers in Taylor County. Wal-mart gives Americans jobs. If they were not buying from China, you wouldn't shop there, because you wouldn't be able to afford to buy anything. Let this country go to war with China and you'll see what the Americans still manufacture, which is barely nothing!!!!!!!! We spoiled our auto manufacturing employees by paying them $25 an hour. Walgreen's will bring about 20 jobs to Perry. People should quit bellyaching and TCDA needs to be held accountable for not bringing new business to Perry. Look at the track record. It speaks for itself.
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Dead Horse: You'll have to reread my opinion on why Walmart is bad for the community. There's some actual facts on the internet. There should also be some facts put together (good or bad) by a zoning or planning commission...maybe a city employee...but I wouldn't bet on that. Simply put, Walmart sucks out more money from the community than they put back in. The amount of money I spend a month at Walmart is easily someones weekly salary. Now multiply it by the cars you see in the parking lot everyday. I'm not saying I know definitively...but I think someone else should look into it and do an impact study.
When your trying to address the local economy, you have to ask who is hurting and who isn't. I don't think Walmart is hurting.
Another thought: What is something Perry is well known for? Hunting. Now wouldn't a hunters supply store do really well here if Walmart wasn't around? I think every person in town wears some type of camo everyday during hunting season. You would think a store targeting the tourist industry would succeed at least. But no...Walmart has a whole section devoted to one of Perry's only tourist markets. I'm sure you've seen it across from the checkout isle. Just an example...but from a startup retail business or one looking to move into town...they've got to think "what can I sell that Walmart doesn't carry and that people will buy from me?". And the answer is "not much". Sorry for another gloomy post. :/
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What about the jobs they provide ? The retirement ? The healthcare benefits for the employees who are eligible ? Yes, they are hard to compete with and yes, we should support local merchants but doo we have a true sporting goods store here in Perry?
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Wal-Mart screws over it's employees all over the world. And yes, before Wal-Mart, we did have a true sporting goods store in Downtown Perry.If anyone wants to take political action against the local Wal-Mart, I'm down. http://walmartwatch.com/
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What if they gave a parade and no body came?
Why don’t we ever have a palm tree parade?
Why are we designated as a “Tree City” and not a pine tree city?
Why don’t we ever have a palm frond queen instead of a pine cone queen?
Where’s my free mullet dinner? I don’t want farm raised catfish!
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