Having waded through the technological jungle to get the River City 2020 blog operational, I post this in a trickle of wearied consciousness.

Like most folks, my mind is on the holidays at the moment with my son in town for a visit, but I can’t help thinking about workers at Invista whose holiday season has been clouded by uncertainty.

This provides heightened importance to the work of the River City 2020 panel, that group of local people of sundry political stripes but of singular mind in their affection for Waynesboro and their willingness to donate their time and energies to bettering it. The members: Greg Bruno, Ben Carter, Jim Duncan, Dubose Egleston Jr., Jeff Fife, Chris Graham, Reo Hatfield, Jim Nichols, Jim Perkins and Kimberly Watters. These names are familiar to most, but for a brief look at their backgrounds, see the editorial in which we announced the team: A special group

We met for the first time Dec. 17 and are in the first phase of a series of research projects. We are under no delusions that we can cure all that ails Waynesboro, nor do we think Waynesboro ails so much. But we do believe we can be of use in researching opportunities and offering strategies for growth to help ensure this town retains its character and safeguards its future.

The River City 2020 members and so many others like them in their sense of civic duty and pride demonstrates that this city already has an extraordinary resource in its people. To borrow and alter slightly a Bill Clinton quote I can’t help but repeat often: “There is nothing wrong with Waynesboro that cannot be fixed by what is right with Waynesboro.“

Got ideas or suggestions regarding development? How can the city diversify and strengthen its base? How can the city take full advantage of its unique amenities? Drop me a line at , stop by my office at 1300 W. Main St. or bend the ear of one of our panel members. We’re eager to listen.