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<br />J74 <br /> <br />MONDAY <br /> <br />JULY 2, 1984 <br /> <br />to exercise their right of inquiry into local governmental affairs, to get the facts, to <br /> <br />do their "home-work", and to offer suggestions toward the improvement of local government. <br /> <br />Mayor Cole they enumerated certain concerns, goals and objectives for the Council and the <br /> <br />City, generally as follows: <br /> <br />1. The City's declining population -- the need to reverse this trend of <br />the last several years, to which the lack of housing, the matter of <br />land use, and the local real estate tax rates may have been contrib- <br />uting factors; <br /> <br />2. The escalation in the cost of local government, including the cost <br />of operating the City's public school system -- the need to find ways <br />to halt this escalation and, meanwhile, to ".... question the use of <br />every dollar...." received by the City; <br /> <br />3. The need for the City and the County of Henry jointly to plan for the <br />area's future (which Mayor Cole described as being inter-locked), per- <br />haps through the establishing of a combined--or "super-planning"-- <br />agency; and <br /> <br />4. The need for the local news media--although commended for its past <br />coverages of Council meetings--to increase its efforts in this area <br />in order that citizens might be even more informed as to the City's <br />operations and/or as to matters coming before Council for consider- <br />ation and action. <br /> <br />In addition, Mayor Cole, in recognition and appreciation, stressed the important roles <br /> <br />members of the City's various boards and commissions play in the City's governmental <br /> <br />structure, for which these members receive no monetary compensation; and, furthermore, <br /> <br />Mayor Cole solicited the interest, support and constructive criticism of all citizens. <br /> <br />Mrs. Severt, in accepting the office of Vice-Mayor, reiterated her previously-expressed <br /> <br />concern for the City and its citizens; and, referring to Mayor Cole's foregoing comments, <br /> <br />cited the importance of the recently-established Martinsville-Henry County Economic <br /> <br />Development Corporation to the welfare of the area. Mrs. Severt also acknowledged with <br /> <br />appreciation the significant contributions of service rendered to the City and community <br /> <br />by former Councilmen Henry C. Reed and Francis T. West as well as extended a warm wel- <br /> <br />come to Messrs. Groden and Williams as members of City Council. <br />