Dear Editor,

I have been honored to serve as Mayor of Newborn over the last four months, and I was blessed to know our former Mayor Roger Sheridan. Roger was an army Captain in the Battle of the Bulge sustaining a fractured spine while defending the American lines. Roger continued to lead his men on to victory. If he were alive today, Mayor Sheridan would be leading the charge for the 2050 Plan. As an army engineer who served around the world, Roger knew how to build and plan for development.

Mayor Sheridan was involved with the 2050 Plan meetings in 2010, 2011, and 2012. He was disappointed in the low turn-out of citizens to discuss the Plan’s development. Where were the elected officials like Mayor Sheridan? At open public meetings with poor public attendance! I was at the Thursday July, 17th Mansfield meeting where many legitimate questions were asked, and answered. Toward the end of the meeting there were common ground discussions that provided good information for future plan revisions. The common theme I heard was “let’s protect our way of life and improve our children’s future.” A legitimate goal that cannot be achieved without a comprehensive land use plan. Let us shake hands and come up with a 2050 growth plan that fits our community – East, West, North and South. I salute you, Mayor Sheridan, for your vision to give future generations a Newton County we can all take pride in.

Sincerely,
Newborn Mayor Gregg Ellwanger