The 2nd Century unveiling event on Thursday, October 2nd, was a great event. There are many individuals that worked very hard in the research and development of this branding and promotion project. Thank all of you for your hard work and contributions.
Special thanks should be given to Four Oaks Bank and their board members for their tremendous contribution. Four Oaks sponsored the entertainment and food for the event in Depot Park. The Band of Oz was great and the hot dogs hit the spot. Thanks again Four Oaks.
I’ve had many people ask me how I felt about the 2nd Century project. How the city would participate in the project in the future? Finally, would there be any public funding for such a project?
I believe the 2nd Century project is the next step for our community in choosing how we would like community to appear, grow, and prosper in the future. This begins by getting many groups and organizations “on the same page.”
Many ideas the group has discussed are, and have been, in motion. For example, the city and county has a land use plan. A very well thought out land use plan. Certain aspects of this plan continue to evolve, but there is a plan.
The city is actively working on an up-to-date streetscape plan. Downtown Sanford has had several revised versions in past years, however the current in-work plan will include much more than just downtown. This design plan and study were part of the 2008/2009 city budget.
Gateway improvements are in the works too. They were, for lack of terms, “put on hold” until the 2nd Century project was officially launched. This was done in anticipation of possible signage and logo changes, etc.
I believe the city government and the citizens of Sanford will embrace this project together. I cannot see how this project could be a success without all the governing body’s participation in some form or fashion. If the city council chooses to participate in this project it will require some public funding.
If you “buy in” to the 2nd Century project… then you believe in the branding, logos, marketing concept, etc. The branding process will take time. Some of the branding requirements would be new pole banners in downtown, license plates for government automobiles, logos for vehicles, sign changes for public buildings, logo changes for water towers, signage for gateways, etc. If this idea is embraced by the community, then the citizens have decided they do indeed want the brand and logo to represent their community. That being the case……. these items should be paid for with public funds. This would be the public contribution to a private/public partnership.
The 2nd Century group plans to fund the project for the first 2 years with private funding. I applaud their efforts. There are many marketing ideas and studies, etc. that will require funding. I wish them great success. This will take a great deal of time, hard work and money. In the end, I believe for 2nd Century to succeed the city will have to be committed and that means with some funding……… at the very least committed to the community branding phase of this project.
If you have any questions regarding this issue please call Steve Brewer at 919-770-9587.
I was and am very excited about the Second Century Project and the benefit its outcome can provide Sanford, and Lee County. I try to promote the area in my own way, and I applaud others’ efforts like this project to do the same. In the end these efforts in combination can only provide a benefit.
I think the key term to be stressed is indeed the ‘public & private partnership’
Private resources were expended to develop this marketing program, with the goal of sharing the outcome with local business and government for the benefit of all.
The question of ‘public funding’ is really a misnomer in this case as the investment in the development of the program has already been done from the private sector, now it is simply up to interested organizations to implement those recommendations.
The City of Sanford, Broadway, Jonesboro, and Lee County as a whole already fund signing, banners, and other logo/motto driven marketing and information materials, however now they have a unified look and message they can capitalize on going forward to provide a unified look/feel for our region.
So if our local government simply adopts this new look and moves forward with already planned signing simply incorporating the new ’standard’, I don’t see this as any conflict between public and private funding.
And in the end, the most successful communities leverage private and public resources to create a vision and plan for getting there, each using their core competencies to compliment each other. Working together we can get a lot more accomplished.
Looking to communities like Apex which have a fairly unified look and feel to their city and private signing in many cases, one gets a feel for the town itself and where it begins and ends.
I look forward to that same effect promoting a unified look and feel for the Sanford area, and I am particularly excited about the forthcoming efforts such as gateway and community signing improvements that will bring Sanford’s impression to visitors into the 21st century.
Al
The Second Century projects goals are admirable. Just out of curiosity is the town council or any governing officials ever going to address the poor state of the infrastructure of our fair town? Our roads other than the main thoroughfares are in horrible shape, crossing railroad tracks near the Depot park amounts to vehicular damage, our antiquated stoplights in many areas are a headache, even with Tracy Carter as sheriff the law enforcement community is still riddled with corruption, our local post office can’t seem to deliver mail to the proper address even if it is 500 meters from it, we have to borrow heatlh inspectors from neighboring counties because we have none of our own, everyone in town knows that Fourth street and the neighborhoods surrounding it are a haven for drug activity but nothing is being done to stop it, the list goes on and on. Yet we are supposed to be so excited about our town. I’d rather rent a U-haul than pay your salary with my tax money.
Many of the items you mentioned have been addressed. The city has the authority to fix some, but not all,of these problems. Others…..well that is your opinion and you are very welcome to it.
Our community is a better place to live in than 3 years ago and better prepared for the future. Things evolve. Work will always be needed in different areas as they evolve. With growth comes challenges….good and bad.
Sorry you feel the way you do. The glass is half full or half empty…it’s your right to choose.
“The glass is half full or half empty…it’s your right to choose.” – Very true.
I certainly can compile a litany of challenges Sanford, Lee County, or even my neighborhood faces, and I do try to prioritize them and bring them to the attention of those in local government.
But Sanford is also very lucky and in relatively good shape in other areas. Even in the short 2 years we have lived in Sanford, we have seen many improvements and noted progress in several areas. And comparing parts of Sanford from 5-10 years ago is just astonishing.
What I find more important and encouraging is that there seems to be a genuine interest at the public and private level to continue making things better. And that is what will make the difference long term.
What would concern me more would be apathy, and that fortunately is not what I see in Sanford.
We have a lot left to accomplish, that’s true, and in fact it is likely a never ending list. But as long as we can reliably continue to tick one action-item off that list, before long we will see those small changes(some big) net into huge positive cumulative change. And that positive change feeds upon itself.
Coming from other small/mid-sized cities that really have lost the battle, I believe Sanford has a lot going for it today, and has loads of potential. It is easy to get discouraged individually or at a community level, but it is also true that enthusiasm is infectious.
So I’ll lean toward the glass half-full, and look to solve the problems and celebrate what has been accomplished.
Sanford really does have a lot to offer, and I think is uniquely positioned to offer more as we all work together and keep that enthusiasm high.
Regards,
Al
Saw a couple of the new banners downtown..just a comment. The gold lettering is impossible to see when driving by thus leaving it hard to read and understand. The arrows are very noticeable but without the lettering to back it up – it kind of looks like a take on the recycling logo..maybe a different coloring for the lettering?
I agree. Thak you for your comments.