Terry Bunnell, the chairperson of the Glasgow Strategic Planning Committee, speaks during a meeting of the committee on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020.
(BRENNAN CRAIN/WCLU NEWS)
GLASGOW, Ky. – The Strategic Planning Committee is once again seeking the community’s input, despite having met with the community on several occasions last fall.
The committee formed in May 2019 and has been under the direction of the Kentucky League of Cities while a strategic planning document was formed. That 29-page document was delivered in September, and it contains several tips and points of advice regarding the city’s success.
Terry Bunnell, the committee’s chairperson, held little control over the meeting Thursday as several community members diverted conversation several times regarding a multitude of items in the plan.
Bunnell said after the meeting that the committee wants to seek further input from community members.
“The Strategic Planning Committee of the Glasgow City Council is going to look at the proposals,” Bunnell said. “The proposals are going to come from the community.”
But the community’s input is already included in the document in a section entitled “What is Known About Glasgow.”
The committee appears to believe the plan does not provide a framework for a future in several areas – including branding. The acts of the committee indicate they want to be a selection committee and an executor of the community’s ideas rather than a committee that uses advice already given to them.
“If they’re going to be any good, they got to come from our community,” Bunnell said. “I have some great slogans and some great identities – probably not.”
Bunnell suggested the identity could only be developed “from a thought over here and a thought over there,” which would come from further meetings with the community. That process has already been completed once, which happened a year ago.
One of the topics discussed in the plan is modern Glasgow’s disinterest in Scottish heritage. Much of the data collected throughout three listening and design sessions, and one with area students, discovered Scottish heritage plays little to no role in the pride of the community.
“That surprised me when I read that in here,” said Wendell Honeycutt said. “I don’t know if it’s from so many new people coming in – or what’s the cause of that. It really did just shock me.”
Bunnell asked the committee questions regarding their thoughts, but all members remained. Councilperson Chasity Lowery, who’s not on the committee, offered insight when others did not.
“Why do we have to be the best at one thing when we are so good at so much?” Lowery said.
Lowery said the community could build its brand around the three Es – entertainment, entrepreneurship and education.
Bunnell said he thinks people should respond to the committee solicitations to help.
“People have to be willing to walk through that door,” Bunnell said. “If I hand out to you – and here’s what I have to give to you – but you’re not willing to reach into my hand and take it, I can’t make you take it.”
Bunnell hopes to have a plan for branding by the beginning of 2021. The committee is set to meet again on Dec. 3 at 5:30 p.m. inside the Glasgow City Council Chambers.
