Bobo, Klutts recap 2022 for West Point
Over the past year, the city of West
Point has changed significantly. With the year coming to a close, two city leaders reflected on the changes that have happened over the past year and on the future of West Point in 2023. Mayor Rod Bobo and Lisa Klutts, the Director of Community Development for the Growth Alliance, both discussed their impressions of the past year and how they hope West Point continues to develop in the future.
“We had a really good year as a city and county,” said Bobo. “We experienced some positive traction as it relates to our local economy. Our current industry is growing by leaps and bounds as well as new projects on the horizon. 2022 saw the start of a 200 million dollar investment in the form of a solar project that is currently underway.”
West Point has also grown economically in a number of other ways. According to Lisa Klutts, the Growth Alliance has hosted 8 ribbon cuttings in West Point in the past year, which is a small indication of how much West Point has been developing. Mayor Bobo commented on the economic development of West Point that has occurred throughout the past year.
“I have seen West Point grow this year somewhat on our Highway 45 corridor with the announcement and building of Pizza Hut as well as some future development in the works around the Loves truck stop area,” said Bobo. “Also, I campaigned on the fact that we have a lot of vacant buildings that I would have liked to see utilized in some capacity. I was extremely elated when the Dollar Tree/ Family Dollar deal came to fruition in the old Fred's building.”
In 2022, West Point also enjoyed the return of a number of events that were canceled during the COVID- 19 pandemic. Some events that were recovering during 2021 thrived in 2022.
“In 2020, we canceled the Christmas parade,” said Klutts. “We didn't want people congregating… so I helped with the Festival of Trees at the Blues Museum. It was supposed to be a one- time COVID special event. But people wanted it to come
back every year. So this year, Deborah with the Blues Museum coordinated the Festival of Trees while I coordinated the parade, and we had the best of both worlds.”
When asked about events that returned to normal in West Point this year, Mayor Bobo had the Prarie Arts Festival on his mind. He mentioned the success of the festival, along with a new festival that has been moving into the area.
“This year we were glad to see the Prairie Arts Festival return almost to its pre- pandemic numbers,” said Bobo. “Additionally, we were extremely proud to announce the very first Cottrell Street Music and Heritage Festival. It was also a huge success with the potential to be even bigger and better in 2023.”
Besides festivals and events, West Point also changed in other ways this year. Whether it was the replanting of the Christmas tree in Sally Kate Winters Park or the burying of a time capsule that will not be reopened until 2072, the city has continued to develop in new and unexpected ways throughout 2022.
When asked about the future of West Point, and goals for 2023, both Klutts and Bobo were in agreement that they are focused on helping West Point economically and supporting the day- to- day lives of West Point citizens. For Klutts, this includes focusing as much of her attention as possible on West Point Chamber of Commerce members. One way that Klutts hopes she can support Chamber members is by bringing back Wake
Up West Point, a series of events designed to help West Point business owners meet and support each other.
“I want to focus on things that are a little more behind the scenes this year,” said Klutts. “I want to give priority to that. When I'm running events, other things often get put on hold. But I want to make sure that in 2023, I am taking care of the businesses the way they need me to, to help them be successful. I want to be available for their needs.”
Mayor Bobo is also focused on behind- the- scenes work in West Point when it comes to supporting West Point's economy and infrastructure. In 2022, the mayor and other city representatives have been pushing for state and federal funding to support changes in infrastructure in the year to come. He hopes to further these changes in 2023.
“My goals for West Point in the upcoming year are to remain very aggressive in our economic development recruitment efforts, continue to strengthen our jobs picture, and continue to grow our tax base. We plan to keep our local and federal legislators engaged so that we can continue to address the major infrastructure needs that have been neglected for decades.”
Throughout 2023, West Point will continue to change and grow. Mayor Bobo spoke with optimism about the coming year and all that he is looking forward to in the community.
“I am very pleased in the direction our city is going and remain… confident that we will continue to grow and develop,” said Bobo. “I am committed to improving the quality of life for all of our residents so that we remain a great place to work, play and raise our families.”