In the October 4, 2009, Sunday edition of the Midland Reporter Telegram will be the most important document regarding the development of this City for the next decade, the Vision 2020 Committee Report (for public comment).

For those of us who have been watching the Community for some time, the most famous line muttered by every booster to squelch debate about the amount of OPM being spent on a project is "it is part of the City's (insert Plan de jour here)."

These plans have had all kinds of names: Objectives Midland, Midland Vision 2000, and each spawned other studies and plans paid for with tax dollars, like MAAP, Midland Downtown Plan, Centennial Plan, City Plan, etc. In short, these "Community Vision" plans have laid the groundwork for some of the most memorable projects in Midland's history.

For better, or for worse, these plans become the touchstone for every grand scheme in the Community. If a project makes it into the plan, it must be worthy, because it is in the plan. Never mind these plans are often created by the same old crowd with love and support from the Chamber of Commerce.

For those skeptics who think these plans aren't that powerful, I give you their own list of Major projects, proudly proclaimed in various reports, that they say are directly related to the efforts of those who participated in these various planning groups:

EZ-Rider, Scharbauer Sports Complex (4B Tax), Airport Terminal Project, Centennial Plaza, Downtown Midland, Midland College Expansion, Midland Development Corporation (4A Tax), Midland Skate Park, Hospital Expansion, MISD Expansion, Midland Expo Building (Horseshoe), Performing Arts Center, De Zavala Elementary School, the MC Nursing Program, and lots more that haven't been realized (like a convention center).

I urge everyone who is concerned about the future of the City of Midland to carefully read this "Community Report" and make as many comments about its content as possible. Normally, I would suggest you head over to their website (http://www.midlandvision2020.com), or check out their fourms to submit your thoughts, but their site hasn't had a shred of activity since June 29, and any planning organization that can't take 15 minutes to scan copies of their old Vision Plans and put them up in the "History" section of their website, as promised on the homepage since the January 2009 Launch, is pretty much useless.

So, do what you can, maybe the feature in the MRT will give guidance.

As a warning to all who would ignore this planning process, comments like this from the Vision 2020 Forum may very well wind up being a priority goal:

We have fantastic boulevards, such as "A" Street, Wadley Avenue, and Big Spring Street, with expansive stretches of asphalt that the city could turn into useful light rail systems with lush greenery in the median. That schemata could help beautify the city as well as alleviate numerous problems that have begun affecting our community such as urban sprawl and obesity.

Hey, it's only OPM, why not look into this in a couple of years?