April 12, 2000

"We believe this plan is important for Coles County to keep up with the world around us," said Joyce Madigan, who co-chaired the committee. "We can't go backward."

About 50 people attended Tuesday's meeting and a few expressed concerns about the. plan, but no real opposition.

Les Combs asked why the board didn't first review the plan to find areas of concern, then have the committee revise it. He said he was opposed to only parts of the plan, namely provisions calling for county zoning and the possibility of a county manager.

"I understand that your duties are to benefit the community, but there are some serious things in here," Combs said.

Leonard Carey said he also felt the plan was something needed so developers will have an idea of what to expect in the county, but he said it should have included cost estimates and other statistics related to implementing it.

"I'm missing a lot of figures," he said. "Without those figures, we have a plan but no idea where we're going from there."

Yow responded that the plan was actually the committee's suggestions on topics the county should explore. If any of the plan's recommendations were to be implemented, that would require specific studies and separate votes on each matter, he said.'

"If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there," Yow said, "I am really proud of what this county has developed in the area of cooperation."

He also tried to make it I clear that the board's vote Tuesday was only on whether or not to accept the plan, and that "doesn't necessarily mean you agree with every, thing in it."

Sims didn't comment on the plan in casting the lone dissenting vote, but he has expressed opposition to the zoning and county manager provisions of the plan.

The board took no other action on the plan other than accepting it, and will have to decide later if it wants the plan committee to continue working to suggest how to bring about some of the its suggestions.

Jeanne Gustafson, director of Coles Together and a member of the plan committee, compared the plan to how farmers, business owners and families plan how they will operate and live. She said at least 300 people were involved in the work that led to the plan. ,

"I think this process was fair," Gustafson said. "The meetings were open and publicized. If we all had the same vision for our county, there would be no need for a plan."

Board member Robert Webb said the county's Regional Planning and Development Commission voted to recommend that the board accept the plan

Webb, who is also a commission member, said that group concluded that the plan committee did what the board asked it to do - to involve the public, conduct the process openly and encourage input, and suggest some issues the county should address to deal with future development.

He said the board should "assume a leadership role" and serve as a "catalyst" for that development.