Who will make the decisions today that will make a meaningful difference in what Lawrence will be like 20 or more years from now?

A few years ago, a well-intentioned large group of local residents engaged in an exercise leading up to Horizon 2020, the city’s new long-range plan. They studied current conditions and proposed a plan that they claimed would result in positive future growth for the city.

The plan was out of date by the time the final document was signed.

Last week, a group of well-intentioned out-of-town “experts,” along with a number of local residents, met to discuss their ideas about the best way for the city to develop. At a Friday meeting attended by about 100 people at the Lawrence Arts Center, the planners reported on their findings, discussing various matters concerning housing, business expansion, transportation and emphasizing the city’s historical and cultural assets.

They had some worthy and nice-sounding ideas, but who or what group will have the clout, respect, leadership, vision and courage to implement the ideas and give the city the best odds of reaching its potential 10, 20 or 50 years from now?

Past city leaders, elected and nonelected, had the vision to help develop the city we have today. They were the ones – without formal plans or city town hall meetings – to make sure Lawrence respected its past and protected and strengthened its future. They were leaders who had a genuine interest and commitment to the city, individuals who were not playing politics or playing to certain groups within the city or trying to line their own pockets.

It’s far past time to encourage a similar approach to what’s best for the city and its residents in the years to come. There are far too many selfish interests in Lawrence today, far too many focusing on protecting the city rather than making the city stronger and far too much reliance on consultants or outside experts. Too often, the use of consultants seems to be a means for elected officials to dodge the responsibility of making decisions.

Maybe something was accomplished by the various meetings last week, although the attendance didn’t seem to represent a true cross-section of the community. Maybe some local residents had an opportunity to vent some frustration. But, again, who or what group has the wisdom, openness, courage, respect, vision and fairness to inspire Lawrence residents not to settle for second best but to aim to be the nation’s most outstanding university city?

It’s a mighty challenge but doable with the right people with the right motivation. The motivation factor is extremely important because there has been far too much doubletalk and selfish political posturing.