City of Pontiac Leadership Discussion 11-3-2005

Leaders map city's strengths, threats
The Oakland PressPONTIAC -

Participants in a business round table Thursday morning rated Pontiac's main strengths as its "prime location" in Oakland County and the "people who care."

Other strengths rated highly include Pontiac's diverse ethnic groups, being part of the General Motors hub, having the rank of county seat, having a good health care infrastructure and its number of higher education institutes.

The round table was held on the mezzanine of Bo's Brewery and Bistro and was sponsored by the Committee of 50, a group of influential business and community leaders dedicated to assist in the revitalization of downtown.

Some of the innovative suggestions included one from the city's former Growth Group director, Frank Todd, who said city leaders should change Pontiac's name to "North Bloomfi eld." Todd said the name change would be part of an effort to improve the negative image of Pontiac that continues despite efforts to improve it.

He acknowledged there would be a lot of resistance to changing the name because people want to hang on to the old.

Todd also suggested all buildings downtown be given a face lift, even if they are empty, to make them more inviting.

Moderator Kevin Haezebroeck, president and publisher of The Oakland Press, asked participants to say what they saw as the city's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Both mayoral candidates - Mayor Willie Payne and state Rep. Clarence Phillips - were among those who contributed to the discussion. A list was made for each category and, at the end of the meeting, participants ranked them according to priority.

Ranked as the biggest weaknesses were economic issues, a negative perception regarding cleanliness and safety, voter apathy, vagrancy and homelessness, lack of jobs and the incomplete Strand Theater.

At the top among opportunities were community reinvestment programs, city and school partnerships, the Silverdome, Phoenix Plaza, the Strand Theater and partnerships with Oakland County.

Threats to revitalization that must be dealt with were cited, according to priority, as homelessness and vagrancy, lack of free parking, the perception that projects are not completed and the perception that the city is dependent on the auto industry.

Pontiac Northern High School senior Jeffery Triplett, the youngest person involved in the meeting, said many students today are required to do community service work, and he suggested they be called on to help as volunteers in the revitalization effort.

The committee will use this input as it continues with its work to help revitalize downtown, said the Rev. Doug Jones, chairman.

"We've got to make sure we keep the focus on it and make it happen," Jones said.
Haezebroeck said the ideas brought up at the meeting will be used because, "If it just dies on paper here, we're just wasting our time."