By Joseph L. Bass

Recently the City Council and Suffolk city manager completed an activity that involved asking citizens their vision of the future downtown.

This is not the first time such as effort has been undertaken during the 21 years I have lived here. There have been several improvement efforts directed at downtown and the different historical villages.

Sometimes I think there is a missing element in these undertakings in terms of their effectiveness in bringing about positive change. To bring about improvements in a community, there needs to be a cohesiveness among the citizens. A municipality only goes in directions most of the citizens want it to go.

The political region we know as Suffolk does not fit the pattern of usual municipalities. It is a region with a political boundary drawn around it that includes historic villages and a town that was originally known as Suffolk. There has not yet developed a cohesiveness among the people who live within the boundaries.

Instead of seeking ways to improve sections of the city, is it possible our government should find ways to bring citizens together and create a sense of belonging to the city as a whole?

I have lived in many places from ocean to ocean and in the middle. Some have been small towns and a few have been in large metropolitan cities. Except for Suffolk, the citizens in each of them have a certain level of common identity.

For example, Gardena was the last California city I lived in. It is in the middle of that huge area commonly known as South Central Los Angeles. This region is made up of more than a half-dozen government entities such as Gardena, Compton, Inglewood, Torrance, Lynwood, South Gate, and so on.

If a person is asked what town he or she lives in, he or she will state one of these names.

That is not the case with many people living within Suffolk’s boundaries. When asked where their home is, except for the people living in the original town, many will not say Suffolk. They will answer with the name of one of the original villages such as Hobson, Driver, Chucktuck, and so on.

This dividedness can also be seen in where people shop. If a person from Crittenden goes to the Smithfield Farmers’ Market, he or she will likely see seven to 10 people they know from Suffolk. If that person goes to shop in downtown Suffolk, it is unlikely a familiar face will be seen.

Another aspect of this situation can be found in city council meeting locations. For many, city government is some far-away entity that few identify with.

Instead of focusing on our dividedness, is it possible city government could promote activities that will create a greater unity within the city? Maybe greater support for all of the city could be developed by striving to create a greater cohesiveness among the citizens.

For example, is it possible for the city council to conduct some of its meetings in other areas instead of downtown?

Joseph L. Bass is the executive director of ABetterSociety.Info Inc., a nonprofit organization in Hobson. Email him at ABetterSociety@aol.com.