Making resolutions for lawmakers, city leaders and the like
Sunday, Dec 31, 2006 - 12:00 AM

Farewell 2006. Hello 2007.

When we wake up tomorrow, it will be a new year. Being a hopeful lot, most Americans greet the new year with aplomb and a pledge to be a better person in a multitude of ways.

Of course, we break our resolutions just as fast as we make them. It’s a safe bet that we’ll have abandoned most of them before Groundhog Day. Tips for a better follow through abound.

AMONG THEM: Start small, keep it simple and stick to a single resolution. For instance, a pledge to walk three times a week is more likely to last than a pledge to give up chocolate and drop 30 pounds.

But this column isn’t really about personal resolutions or goals. Although, for the curious, mine is to continue training for the Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston, S.C., in March. And, yes, I have already registered. Sticking to a plan hasn’t been easy, but that’s true of much that is worth doing.

No, this column is a list of resolutions for other people. Here are my suggestions, served up with a smile and nary a hint of sarcasm.

• For the Bristol Virginia City Council: Pick a strong city manager with sharp ideas, a clear vision and a mind for numbers. A yes-man or a retread from a previous administration just won’t do. The city needs an experienced outsider with the gumption to stand up to City Council when necessary. It’s a matter of checks and balances.
• FOR THE Bristol Tennessee City Council: Do something, anything, with the old Sears building site downtown. Don’t just leave an empty concrete pad there. How about a mini-park?
• For the Bristol Tennessee Better Property Board: Act decisively on the former Cheers building as soon as the latest grace period expires. No one will mourn when this building is gone. Celebration is more likely. Order it leveled.
• For Sullivan County’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Education: Meet. Soon.

The Bristol, Kingsport and Sullivan County school systems are independently pursuing costly construction programs of varying merit. Meanwhile, school leaders are crossing their fingers and hoping that state lawmakers don’t rig the state funding formula in such a way that it forces a single school district per county. Serious issues should be resolved before embarking on separate building campaigns.

• FOR THE Bristol Tennessee school system: Stop the foot-dragging and take part in the Blue Ribbon Task Force. Sure, it takes some time, but improved city-county relations are worth the effort.
• For the Exit 7 homeowners who are suing the city: Drop the litigation. And, when your new neighbors arrive, get to know them. Hard-working people, even those of little means, need to live somewhere. Better to build bridges than walls.
• For the Washington County Board of Supervisors: Mend fences with the city of Bristol Virginia. You won the lawsuit; time to act magnanimous. The city and county need to cooperate on traffic flow in the Exit 7 area and sewage treatment capacity for a start. Make this the year that county and city kiss and make up.
• For the entire Bristol community: Take part in the community fitness initiative, Move to a Healthier You. The next event, which focuses on healthy eating, takes place in February. With a little work, Bristol could buck the statewide trends toward growing girths and flagging health.
• FOR VIRGINIA lawmakers: Pass a genuine transportation package that includes adequate funding. An increase in the gas tax makes the most sense because those who drive more pay more and out-of-state travelers also pay their share. Tennessee has a higher gas tax and better roads. Better land-use planning is important, but isn’t the sole solution.
• For Tennessee lawmakers: Increase the cigarette tax and reduce the tax on groceries. Such a move will help working families stretch their food dollars and decrease youth smoking. A double victory.
• For Tennessee and Virginia lawmakers: Join the enlightened age and end public smoking. Plenty of other states have taken this courageous step in recent years. The science is clear: Smoking is a public health threat. Adult smokers, of course, have the perfect right to poison their lungs in the privacy of their homes, but they don’t have a right to do so in public spaces.

Pass the black-eyed peas and bring on 2007.

Andrea Hopkins is opinion editor of the Bristol Herald Courier. She may be reached at (276) 645-2534 or ahopkins@bristolnews.com.

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