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Anon_92
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15 May 2017, 2:50 am

I live in a rural, isolated town 7 miles from the nearest McDonalds etc and 25 miles from the nearest city with a dwindling population of 1600 and only is going down as the old people die off with no one wanting to move in because it's so dirt poor here and is 1/3 rich and 2/3 poor or elderly.

The town literally has no leadership- no one wants to join the town council because things are set to "favor the elderly all the time at the cost of everyone else". And in PA, it's a "weak mayor system".

Tomorrow, I am going to Town Hall and announcing I will take a council seat provided they:

1. Give me a hard copy of every law in the town's archive for my studying and
2. Record all town meetings for YouTube.

A month after that, I intend for my friend to also take a council seat that no one wants and you see where this is going.

As such:

I need good ideas to improve the town overall as well as reasons why we should do them and possibly also how we can pay for it... I need clever ideas.

For example, we add a tax to all town businesses with the monies being redirected to the existing businesses.

We strictly enforce all town laws and give tickets to either pay a large fine of report to areas for community service.

I need some real zingers to turn this town on its head upside down and make the whole town better, so I need a lot of good ideas.

The floor is open...



yelekam
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17 May 2017, 9:38 pm

Well as a town historian in small town rural area of western New York, I can give mention to the things which I have seen been done and attempted. Perhaps these may generate some ideas.
Drawing on history. The history of a town and its area can be used to a town's benefit. When awareness of it is spread and its cultivated in the community, it can be used to create events, help attract tourists and create institutions like local museums and history centers. Visitors tend to money at local businesses, which can help to boost the local economy.
A town could also attract visitors and their business by capitalizing on other attractions. Such as nature, local crafts and products, and community events. Whatever it is a town has that might interest some people in visiting it.
The establishment and promotion of community events can be used to help invigorate community spirit, draw in visitors, and draw in customers for local business. These can be all sorts of things. For instance, my town holds an annual heritage days event to celebrate local history, usually is host to the area's annual civil war reenactment, holds an annual lavender festival, and holds weekly farmer's markets In the summer. Other nearby towns have had events such as a cheese festival, a garlic festival, a dairy festival, and have had attractions such as a local opera, oil museum, county history center. These kind of things can take time and effort to achieve, though they can act as a way to engage community members and benefit a community.
In terms of ways to help bring in new residents and jobs, there are a number of things which may be attempted to help. Engaging in advertising efforts in various forms, is important to getting attention. Play up things which would make the town look attractive, and present the positive side of things. For instance, if the property values are low in the area, point out the low cost of buying a new home. And with advertising its good to use multiple forms (such as newspapers, internet, and what ever can be acquired without a lot of expense), and be targeted (for instance if you want new residents send some news over into nearby cities).
Another way to try to draw people and business in is through networking efforts. People tend to know people in other areas, and using those connections can open opportunities to bring things in. For instance, I have used my connections within my areas history community and a nearby university, to help foster connections for the benefit of both. Or in another instance, in recent years a nearby town's leadership developed a positive relationship with a rather wealthy family with personal ties to the area, and they had been convinced to join in on funding various projects to help revitalize the town and generate new business.
Another aspect would be to look into what sort of things could help to attract people to the area. Look to those who have ,oved to the area in recent years and what attracted them. Look to what tends to attract younger and middle aged people. Then try to enact things that would help make the town more attractive.
This is what I can think of at the moment. Let me know if you would like any more advise.



K_Kelly
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23 May 2017, 2:50 am

Just don't expect your tiny town to grow like any major city in 10 years.



traven
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23 May 2017, 6:09 am

Anon_92 wrote:

The floor is open...
For example, we add a tax to all town businesses with the monies being redirected to the existing businesses.


this is generating systemic corruption, and exactly why people go into politics

8O :? 8) :lol: :x :oops: :cry: :evil: :twisted: :roll: :mrgreen: :nerdy: :skull: