Recommendations Submitted by Team Members:

• Ronnie Boston
• Tom Johnson
• Ruby Perez
• Mark Freeman
• Tori Dutton
• Patricia A. Butler
• Steve Barney, TRDC Intern
• Cheryl A. Hinkley

Recommendation Submitted by

Ruby Perez

The City of De Leon's citizens expressed a high level of satisfaction with their community. Their major concern is with the economic survival of the community and its support services. While some clean-up is needed, De Leon offers physical beauty and small-town virtues. These assets represent a solid basis for attracting visitors, businesses, and new residents.

The neglect and subsequent deterioration of the city's infrastructure is the result of lack of funds and long-range planning. Poor infrastructure, over any other factor, will limit De Leon's ability to grow. A coordinated effort to develop a master plan for the city will be required before any other strategy can be implemented. Communication, planning, and coordination will be the keys to this community's survival.

My recommendations for De Leon are as follows:

1. De Leon's commitment to its long-term survival must be tied to a coordinated and planned approach to its infrastructure problems. This effort will require an investment in professional staff who will provide guidance, establish a process, and manage the implementation of the city's effort to resolve financial and policy issues. A coordinator with a public administration or planning background or a consultant should be hired immediately.
2. Many of the issues raised during this process can be addressed in the short term. A good starting point would be a community-wide clean-up, which every community group identified as a priority. This is an effort that De Leon can launch immediately, involving everyone in the community from the children to seniors. It could also be accomplished at very little cost. A Clean & Proud program can be established, using a volunteer coordinator who will organize activities, educate the community, and research recycling resources.
3. Develop and implement a strong code enforcement program to eliminate the twin problems of abandoned vehicles and deteriorated residential property. Strengthening the City's ordinances will establish legal guidelines to use in dealing with these properties. These guidelines can also be used to educate the community.
4. De Leon has a huge advantage in that it draws 20,000 to 30,000 people from the region during the Peach and Melon Festival. This opportunity should be utilized to promote the community as a permanent home for businesses and families. A marketing committee that has this goal as its focus should work with the Festival committee to incorporate activities that will draw visitors to various points throughout the community. A museum located downtown and dedicated to past Festivals, as well as De Leon's history, would be one example of this type of collaboration.
5. Establish a Youth Committee to address the needs of the community's children. The committee should include both adults and youth. The committees agenda could include: the development of a youth center open to the entire community that is located in a city or other neutral facility; an internship program for high schoolers; expansion of sports programs for all ages in conjunction with surrounding communities; and the development of other youth activities as identified by the committee.
6. Take advantage of the large retired population by establishing a retired Seniors volunteer program. This program could operate out of the Senior Citizen Center and serve as a clearinghouse for Seniors willing to assist civic groups and other organizations.
7. In order to accomplish the community's goals, all of its citizens must be involved in creating and prioritizing these goals. Education and inclusion of the Hispanic population in the decisionmaking process will be essential for the success of any program that has been identified during this process. The Hispanic community's growing presence should serve as an additional source of community support. Without inclusion, however, a sense of community, togetherness, and civic pride cannot be established.
8. Establish a Comanche County Task Force to address issues and emerging problems that will require an area-wide approach. This county-wide network will. take a pro-active approach to issues such as: the survival of the local hospital, recruitment of business and industry, marketing, providing assistance to the agricultural community, improving the county road system, and the financing of large capital projects. This Task Force will insure that long-range planning will take place, and that decisions will be made before crisis has a chance to occur.

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