NO BACKGROUND
Very glad they finally hired a city planner, which was much needed (“Springfield gets a city planner,” Dec. 12). But why hire someone with no degree, training or experience in the field?
Tim Moore
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
PLANNER NEEDS EXPERIENCE
The key is that he lacks experience in planning. He doesn’t need to have a college degree but having a background specifically in planning should be a requirement for this job. If you want to hire people to handle business development and grants oversight, then hire for those positions.
Matt Case
Springfield
CITY NEEDS FORESIGHT
The city has evidently lacked municipal planning foresight for 30 years, with the exception of hiring Paul O’Shea. The absence of primary thoroughfares in this municipality signifies inadequate planning. For the city to progress in the future, it is essential for this candidate to establish a rapport with an adept individual who can perform the tasks on his behalf and comprehend the intricacies of municipal code. The traffic congestion near Koke Mill Road and the mall is catastrophic, reflecting a deficiency in planning. The urban sprawl expansion in Koke Mill has been disastrous since Paul departed. In my view, the complexities of this position cannot be fully understood without an individual possessing a background in architecture or engineering.
Chip Gass
Springfield
WITHHOLD JUDGMENT
I’m less interested in what his resume says. I’m more interested in what his ideas are to improve the city. Criticizing him before he’s even had a chance to do anything is just pointless drama. Let’s see what the guy does with the position. I’ll withhold judgment until after he’s been in the position and actually had a chance to do something.
Ryan Melchin
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
BIGGER PROBLEMS
Donald Trump is president. That makes it kind of hard for me to worry too much about this guy’s credentials. At least Mr. Pritchard doesn’t have the launch codes. But if I hear him talk about bringing back LincolnFest, I may change my mind.
Mike Matulis
Pleasant Plains
NOT A BAD START
As a student of planning, I am not at all concerned about Sean Pritchard’s lack of credentials. Urban planning is like health care. You have physicians, nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners – all different levels of education working toward the same goal.
In this instance, Springfield hired the equivalent of a medic for the job, which is a new position. It’s not a bad start. He’ll probably have to do a lot of legwork, coordinating among various existing entities. This is groundwork that would be wasteful to pay a certified person to do. Just as we don’t have a cardiologist driving ambulances, we don’t want to pay six figures to someone to set this thing up.
Over time, this position will evolve. He may grow with it, or he may move on and someone else will be brought in. I’m looking forward to seeing what he does with the position.
Steven Simpson-Black
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
CONTINUING EDUCATION
I agree that credentials (I have several) are important but not determinative. And it can help to “think outside the box,” as Val Yazell says; this is also known as thinking all the way through the problem. But why not require the city planner to get promptly well-educated in the field, as a condition of continued employment? Or should the city just accept mistakes caused by lack of knowledge of the job?
College is, on balance, a plus, and so is education. There are jobs, including city planner, that require understanding the specific questions, gathering relevant information and thinking through the problem – often with the help of others – to reach the best solution. When you want a city planner or a mechanic or a plumber or a doctor, you will do better if that person is well-educated, well-trained and well-experienced. Springfield’s city planner should have as much continuing education as he needs to do his job well.
Jim Lewis (former US Attorney for Central District of Illinois)
Albuquerque, New Mexico
This article appears in Best films and scenes of 2024.
