By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.—Some 200 people came out for the “Positively Paris & Henry County” community forum Tuesday night and they arrived with plenty of ideas for the future of the local community.
Paris City Manager Kim Foster said she was “thrilled” with the turnout and excited about the ideas that were presented. The forum was held at the Krider Performing Arts Center and included a meal, child care and t-shirts.
In welcoming everyone to the forum, Foster said she was especially pleased to see so many young people in attendance. “This isn’t just a retirement community. It’s not just a community for middle-aged. We want our young people to come back from college and settle here. We want a community that is attractive to young people.”
She said the purpose of the forum was to look toward the future of the community. “This is a visioning process,” she said.
Welcoming remarks also were presented by County Mayor Brent Greer and Paris Mayor Carlton Gerrell.
To that end, audience members were divided into nine main areas of discussion with moderators facilitating the discussion in each area: Tourism/Recreation–Elizabeth Pritchett of Center Point Business Solutions; Education & Workforce Development—Cindy West, UT Martin College of Education; Healthcare—Bill Jolly, Tennessee Hospital Association; Emergency Services—Sherri McCarter, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development; Public Works—Dana Deem, UT Technical Municipal Advisory Service; Infrastructure/Broadband/Transportation—Rob Goad, NW Tennessee Development; Retail/Small Business/Industry—Landy Fuqua, UT Martin Reed Center; Housing—Bobby Goode, retired USDA Rural Development State Director; Melissa Halsell, TVA Program Manager.
At the conclusion of the evening, Bill Jolly said, “I just want to say what an amazing opportunity this has been for everyone tonight”, a sentiment that was echoed by other facilitators.
Thirty-minute discussions were held with the main three ideas that had been presented in each session brought back to the whole group. They ran the gamut from more workforce training with a focus on vocational training; more mentors for youth (with suggestions of senior citizens and more males serving as mentors); more resources to combat addiction, more emergency after-hours primary health care services; additional park improvements centering on more formal bicycle and walking trails, more diverse events, improved lake resources and additional hotels/motels, with emphasis on brand hotels, and alternate tourist housing such as Airbnb facilities, and better emergency weather sirens and notifications.
Foster said the main ideas that were presented will be consolidated in a report that will be presented publicly with a questionnaire for those who were not in attendance but who are interested in the future of the community.
Photos: Top photo–Elizabeth Pritchett facilitates the tourism discussion with assistance from Clint Davis; City Manager Kim Foster with the panel of facilitators at the end of the sessions; Sam Tharpe, Melissa Halsell and Betsy Allison lead the discussion in the youth group. (Shannon McFarlin photos).
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