Hope Mills Mayor Jessie Bellflowers delivered the town’s first-ever State of the Town address, an event open to the public and held in the Public Safety Center’s fire truck bay. Approximately 50 people attended, including the town board with the exception of Commissioners Elyse Craver and Jerry Legge.
Special guests in attendance on Tuesday included Cumberland County Commissioners’ Chair Kirk deViere, Cumberland County Board of Education members Deanna Jones and Jacquelyn Brown, state Rep. Frances Jackson, and Katie Smith, who attended on behalf of U.S. Rep. David Rouzer.
Town Manager Chancer McLaughlin welcomed attendees, describing the event as an opportunity “to come together to break bread with local and state officials, community leaders, and most importantly, our residents, to reflect on what is important to our town.”
McLaughlin said the meeting centered around three key questions: What has the town of Hope Mills accomplished? What is the current state of the community? And where is the town going?
Both Bellflowers and McLaughlin used the metaphor of the town as a car just backing out of the driveway, beginning a journey directed by its leaders.
Continuing the theme, McLaughlin described viewing the town’s past as “looking in the rearview mirror.”
“To understand where we’re going, we have to know where we’ve been,” he said. “Yes, the road has sometimes been bumpy and we’ve had to blaze trails, but that’s what we do — because leadership doesn’t fear the path less taken.”
After recognizing the special guests, Bellflowers discussed the town’s need for a comprehensive strategic plan. “When we invest in our community, everyone benefits,” he said. “We’ve had several plans in progress over the years, but we’ve never completed one. Not even a park plan.”
He then outlined five strategic goals that form the foundation of the town’s vision and quality of life:
- Providing sustainable, excellent town services.
- Fostering a safe, diverse and welcoming community.
- Investing in parks and recreation programs.
- Creating a business-friendly environment.
- Advancing community economic prosperity.
“Hope Mills is a great place to live because we care about people. We invest in our community, and we celebrate our cultural heritage. Our town is for everyone,” Bellflowers said.
Bellflowers also addressed the ongoing debate over the location of a proposed new recreation building. The current plan suggests building it on Golfview Road, a proposal that has drawn significant opposition from community members.
When asked by CityView where the recreation building could be constructed if not on the golf course, Bellflowers responded: “That’s what we’re going to bring up — hopefully through public input. If you don’t want it on the golf course and we all agree we need one, then where do we build it? Let’s look at that together.”
Bellflowers closed the event by reminding attendees of the upcoming budget workshop at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 2 at the Hope Mills Town Hall.
