It is an exciting time to be in Watonga. First and foremost, it is time to vote in the election runoff. It isn’t important who you vote for; the important thing is you get out and vote. Take part in deciding what you want to see happen in the area and the state going forward. Vote your convictions. Make your voice heard. If you just can’t be bothered to get out and vote, sit in your corner and remain silent. If you don’t vote, you forfeit the right to complain.
Next, the city is working on rebuilding its economic development outreach, whether it be as a city entity, a Chamber of Commerce or a collaboration with the county. If you doubt economic development can have any impact, take a look at Woodward and what a powerhouse its economic development outreach has become, making real changes for the better in that community. And Watonga isn’t just sticking its neck out to say ‘this is what we think is best so we’re doing it.’ Instead, several leaders of other area economic development armies are coming over to tell the city what has worked for them, how they tackled the monster and beat it into submission. Essentially, instead of rebuilding the wheel, the city is going to steal good ideas that work. Smart, very smart.
The water projects are at the end of construction. It has been a long tiresome journey. But, as with all things, the end is only the beginning. Hopes are that next we will start replacing old pipes that bring clean water and carry away dirty water (and stuff). If anyone in town didn’t expect there to be more projects coming down the pike, they obviously have never replaced carpet in their house. You know if you replace the carpet, the walls need to be painted. Then the furniture looks shabby and needs to be replaced, and the drapes or blinds are next.
It’s the same with towns where maintenance has been deferred for a long while, no matter the reason. Get a new drinking water treatment plant, you are going to want better, cleaner, safer pipes to take the water to the homes. And you can’t treat the effluvium from those homes at the new sewer plant if there aren’t adequate pipes to take it there. And while we are at it, maybe there should be added capacity so that when the town grows, it isn’t a problem to connect those new houses and businesses to the utilities.
The new press box at the baseball/softball field is completed or nearing completion. With added lights, facilities and astro turf (do they still call it that? Artificial grass, anyway) the field can serve as a site for playoff games. So can the football field and the basketball facility.
The airport terminal is at the design stage, headed toward the preconstruction phase. Making it easier to get here will go a long way to people being here, staying here and eventually creating a business and a life here.
And wonder of wonders, perhaps soon the convenience center will be reopened and the town can start looking better to go along with its growing sense of civic pride.
In my opinion, it’s safe to say we have this thing roped, and we’re going to the horn.