2008 Woodie Awards
Survey says city needs more jobs
Commission holds meeting to discuss city problems, only two people attend
Michael Mayday
Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Last Thursday, the Hillsdale City Planning Commission concluded that Hillsdale desperately needs more businesses. That was when it held its first community forum to discuss the results from a recent survey of Hillsdale residents.
The commission held the forum in response to complaints that the city does not listen to its citizens. Only two people attended the forum who were in no way connected with City Hall.
"It's difficult for the city to make any decisions and plans without more input from the public," said Sandy Donihue, owner of Arbour Garden Forest, whose frustration at the lack of input from the community echoed that of other attendees.
"Unfortunately, we get a very poor turnout at our planning commission meetings," said Eric Macy, the chairman of the planning commission.
The commission plans to hold an open meeting every second Wednesday of the month at 7 a.m. They also plan to conduct more surveys later in the year, possibly involving both high school and college students.
The survey, which was sent out with city water bills, asked Hillsdale residents to rate the current state of the city and suggest how to best help it grow.
The city asked citizens to append comments and suggestions for the commission at the end of the 3326 surveys sent. Only 286 of the surveys returned to City Hall.
"We need to improve our city image; it's negative because of business closings," wrote one respondent to the survey.
"No jobs. No different kinds of retail stores. We are losing Hillsdale," another wrote.
In an effort to ameliorate this problem, the commission discussed overturning past resolutions that make it difficult to open businesses in downtown Hillsdale.
One topic repeatedly brought up in the comments section of the survey was the relationship between the city and Hillsdale College.
"The city of Hillsdale depends too much on the college. Sometimes you think they run the city," one citizen wrote.
Commission members said they want to erase the perception that the college looks down on the city and get students to spend more time downtown.
"I think the college students would support businesses that were there and were open," Donihue said.
The commission held the forum in response to complaints that the city does not listen to its citizens. Only two people attended the forum who were in no way connected with City Hall.
"It's difficult for the city to make any decisions and plans without more input from the public," said Sandy Donihue, owner of Arbour Garden Forest, whose frustration at the lack of input from the community echoed that of other attendees.
"Unfortunately, we get a very poor turnout at our planning commission meetings," said Eric Macy, the chairman of the planning commission.
The commission plans to hold an open meeting every second Wednesday of the month at 7 a.m. They also plan to conduct more surveys later in the year, possibly involving both high school and college students.
The survey, which was sent out with city water bills, asked Hillsdale residents to rate the current state of the city and suggest how to best help it grow.
The city asked citizens to append comments and suggestions for the commission at the end of the 3326 surveys sent. Only 286 of the surveys returned to City Hall.
"We need to improve our city image; it's negative because of business closings," wrote one respondent to the survey.
"No jobs. No different kinds of retail stores. We are losing Hillsdale," another wrote.
In an effort to ameliorate this problem, the commission discussed overturning past resolutions that make it difficult to open businesses in downtown Hillsdale.
One topic repeatedly brought up in the comments section of the survey was the relationship between the city and Hillsdale College.
"The city of Hillsdale depends too much on the college. Sometimes you think they run the city," one citizen wrote.
Commission members said they want to erase the perception that the college looks down on the city and get students to spend more time downtown.
"I think the college students would support businesses that were there and were open," Donihue said.
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