Standing up for a belief might sometimes seem useless.

Thursday, October 21, 1999

Standing up for a belief might sometimes seem useless. One person’s wants can appear insignificant when politicians or planners compare them with the needs of the majority, or their own.

But when two communities, property owners, concerned citizens and others took a firm stand recently on not closing the Ironton-Russell, Ky., Bridge during future construction, each person’s wants were taken seriously by Ohio planners.

Tuesday, the Ohio Department of Transportation confirmed that within the 1,000-foot preliminary site of Corridor B – the closest to the existing bridge – there is enough room to work on the new one without closing the old one.

Although no decision has been made on the final bridge location, residents, businessowners and city officials can consider this latest confirmation a victory.

Everyone stood their ground, let ODOT know what was needed in our community and they have agreed, at least in part.

What remains now is convincing ODOT to follow the wishes of our local communities even further.

That will come from remaining strong in our opinions, joining together to fight, challenging reports and theories and believing in Ironton’s future.

What will not work is a depressed attitude that there is no use in fighting state government.

When people take a back seat attitude, or throw their hands up in disgust to declare themselves powerless, then nobody wins.

Just as it takes a village to raise a child, as the saying goes, so it takes a village – or a city in this case – to raise the importance of our future to high enough ground to influence our state leaders.