Vision Neshoba meeting Aug. 6

The Vision Neshoba master plan will be presented to the public next week.

The Vision Neshoba committee is inviting the public to its meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 6, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Ellis Theatre.

During the meeting, representatives from Orion Planning & Design (OPD) will present Neshoba County’s generational master plan while gathering input from the public.

The plan aims to provide a long-term vision, encompassing both implemented changes and short-term recommendations to impact community growth significantly.

It will address current and future community development patterns, design and development for downtown Philadelphia, major mobility routes for pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles, key streetscapes, tourism support facilities, and economic vitality, among other elements.

“I feel confident that what they present to us is something that will be doable, but everybody needs to understand that the key word is generational. This is something for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren to enjoy seeing here,” said Annette Watkins, Vision Neshoba co-chair.

Last October, Vision Neshoba members met with OPD for a Discovery Site Visit to tour downtown Philadelphia, the Choctaw Indian Reservation, and other points of interest in Neshoba County to assess roadways and community gateways.

OPD also held a Community Input Guidance Gathering and met with the Industrial Development Authority for an hour-long focus meeting.

Meetings continued with focus groups involving mobility and infrastructure, Philadelphia Main Street, tourism, Neshoba County elected officials, the Chamber of Commerce, and Tribal leaders before developing the master plan.

“I would love to see all of the new entries into the city limits,” Watkins said. “I love what the Tribe has done out there with those big, nice signs. If we could get something really nice, with nice landscaping at the entries of the city, that would be great.”

Watkins is also excited about improving the city’s sidewalks and developing bikeways.

“I think it would clean things up and make it look nice and fresh,” she said.

“Vision Neshoba is really a template for us,” said Mayor James Young. “We are looking at some entryways and things of that nature. Some low-hanging fruit that we can hopefully apply to Vision Neshoba according to that plan to change things.”

Young said everyone can take part in making Philadelphia a greater city to live in, work in, and bring their families to.

“It’s about togetherness, input, information, and everybody getting involved,” he said. “The best thing about the vision is it takes in everybody’s concepts and ideas of what makes a community better.”

David Vowell, Community Development Partnership president, said he is encouraged.

“We are excited about it and think it will give us a good roadmap.”

Vowell is excited about the possibilities of easier transportation through town and using the plan to build on tourism efforts.

“It’s going to expose us to more business and industry opportunities that we are working on right now,” he said.

Watkins encourages everyone to come to the event with an open mind and remember that this will take years to accomplish.

“This is a community meeting,” she said. “Anybody can come, see, and hear the proposed plans for the future. Come and bring somebody with you. We want to see the Ellis full.”

To learn more about Vision Neshoba, participate in surveys, or register for updates, visit visionneshoba.com or the Vision Neshoba Facebook page.