Remarks to East FW Business Association

On Thursday, January 8^th I was honored to address the East Fort Worth Business Association at the Trinity Hotel in Council District 8.

Longtime District 8 activist and resident Ms. Sarah Walker gave me a wonderful introduction. Ms. Walker has been a wonderful mentor to me. She has worked tirelessly preserving the history of South-East Fort Worth.

The Association has long promoted positive economic development in our community. I was pleased to see Council Member Frank Moss, long time friends, Attorneys Jesse Gaines & Gwinda Burns, Jim Austin, and of course President of the association Norm Bernes.

My message to the association was simple: We don’t have to re-invent the wheel in East Fort Worth; we must utilize economic tools that have worked elsewhere in our city, state, and country. One such tool is the Neighborhood Empowerment Zone which I talked about in an earlier blog. The city received a federal grant which we leveraged with private funds to revitalize the store fronts across from Texas Wesleyan University.

Also, we are well on our way to revitalizing the east side with the Gateway Park Riverside Oxbow improvements. The area will see millions of dollars of improvements in the coming years thanks to local, state, and federal dollars.

Of course crime remains a great concern to all of us across our city, especially in these rough economic times. The past week has been especially challenging. The police will have a long term presence in East Fort Worth. Indeed, the council has already approved funding for the NEW CRIME LAB that will occupy the old Stripling and Cox Building on East Lancaster. Also, a new POLICE STOREFRONT will be built near I-35 and East Lancaster.

We must continue to be vigilant and not accept anything that goes in our community. We must spread the word about the positive development. Why must we always stereotype East and Southeast Fort Worth?

I was very pleased to learn that Star Telegram columnist Bud Kennedy will be a speaker at the Association meeting in March. A few weeks ago, he wrote an awesome column about how the media loves to focus on the Negative in East Fort Worth, but rarely the positive.

With organizations such as the East Fort Worth Business Association, we will continue to revitalize our community!

Until Next Time,

Onward and Upward!

- Kathleen Hicks