Goodman Officials Build For The Future

Officials believe they can capitalize on Goodman’s strengths while addressing weaknesses and opportunities to help the little town grow for the future.

The planning is part of launching Goodman’s Comprehensive Land-Use Plan.

Lead by the Harry S. Truman Coordinating Council, the work will help city leaders establish a zoning and planning committee, address concerns and build for the future.

HSTCC Executive Director Jill Cornett said the work can lead to different ways to look at revenue streams, improve infrastructure and apply for grants and loans.

The HSTCC was tapped by the Department of Defense to work on a landuse plan to protect the mission of Camp Crowder near Neosho, Cornett said. From that work, other joint land-use plans are being developed.

Work began earlier this year. Meetings take place almost every other month. Officials and leaders met two weeks ago to discuss and categorize input from 25 responses to a recent survey.

Strongest responses pointed to a strong desire to repair the streets (78 percent of those surveyed) and a need for more retail (76 percent).

Cornett listed some of the ideas and facts generated from the survey input as strengths, including:

• The waste water and water treatment plant have capacity for growth

• Residents approved the new transportation sales tax

• Some businesses displaced by the April 4 tornado have stayed in town

• The city has recreation outlets such as ball leagues

• Residents generally do not have a lot of negative comments.

Operating the water plants without using the full capacity, however, is a weakness that needs to be addressed.

Residents said a lack of sidewalks in the city is a problem, as well as having a small tax base. Only about 25 percent of businesses are generating sales tax, Mayor Greg Richmond said.

Another weakness listed on the survey pointed to the lack of the city’s sewer system being accessible on one side of Missouri Highway 59, but city officials said a six-inch-diameter sewer line can be accessed from property on the other side of 59.

Cornett said the sewer and infrastructure are in place for growth and that Goodman could accommodate any development on the other side of 59.

Opportunities were identified as:

• Exploring grants for senior housing

• Main Street revitalization or demolition

• Taking action on rebuilding the community center, which was destroyed in the April tornado. City officials say the slab remains.

Threats include weather events destroying buildings, lack of support for land annexation, drop-out rate of high school students and lack of activities.

City officials are also considering becoming a Livable Streets community, which would give the city a leg up when applying for grants. Anderson, Pineville, Noel and Southwest City all have signed on as a Livable Street community, which says that city leaders will consider adding sidewalks when feasible.

The next Comprehensive Land-Use Plan meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Oct. 24 at Goodman City Hall. Meetings are open to the public, and public input is welcome, Cornett said.