Letter to the Editor;
The Lockwood Steering Committee has arranged through the Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA) to coordinate a community assessment for Lockwood. While there have been similar assessments of Lockwood in the past, our community has grown and up-to-date data is needed. Such an assessment will provide a sound basis for planning the future of our rapidly developing community and is necessary to qualify for future grant funding. MEDA has been very successful in facilitating current, thorough and professional assessments of many Montana communities
The participation of as many Lockwood people as possible is critically important.
The perceptions, attitudes and ideas for the future that the people who live and work in Lockwood have are integral components of sound planning. A MEDA community assessment will provide the foundation for future development of our community. It is our intention to answer fundamental questions regarding how people think about such things as:
Organization of government- maintenance of the status quo, incorporation or something else?·
Do we want our own High School?·
What will we do to develop and maintain a system of safe pedestrian and bicycle routes?·
How will we address the need for low/moderate income housing and rental units?·
Health care- what do we want in Lockwood?·
Transportation and transit issues- what do we desire?·
Do we want a community center?·
Future development of commercial/industrial interests-do we want a voice in this?·
What other issues of importance are there for Lockwood people?·
How will developments be financed-what are we willing to pay? Will the establishment of a community · development foundation be in order?
Many people have expressed their thoughts about these and many other issues in the past but—what is the consensus of opinion of all Lockwood residents? To organize such an assessment we need help—lots of it.
This spring and summer we will be asking 3 basic questions of all Lockwood people through a variety of means– electronic, paper and in-person– and have culminating town hall meetings in late September.
We are asking for the involvement of Lockwood community leaders to be part of our Resource Planning Team. Please do your part.
Don Reed, Chairman
Lockwood Steering Committee
252-5316