High Point Enterprise reports “more than 200 people” packed last night’s City Council meeting to speak out against the council’s vote to cut funding for the City Project and transfer the position held by Executive Director Wendy Fuscoe to another part of city government:
Michael Hayworth said High Point is losing any ability to keep and lure young people to the city, to the point where he said he was once told by a state legislator that High Point wasn’t an alluring place for young men and women.
Hayworth said the City Project is being marginalized by council.
Council members who support the changes argue that they aren’t abandoning but redirecting the revitalization campaign. They want the efforts spread throughout the entire core city, they say.
But advocates for the City Project and Ignite High Point say the council’s move would stall the campaign, which formally began six years ago when the City Project was formed as a nonprofit with its own board of directors and funding support from the city.
Six years and a lot of money and, well, it’s the same old High Point. The council is just now seeing the handwriting on the wall—-that architect Andres Duany’s plans for HP range from the bizarre —buildings made from shipping containers—-to expensive –“dieting” Main Street.
Regarding whether or council members are taking action with the November election in mind—- if that’s the case, then so be it, and better late than never.
