Fruit Basket of the World

Jun 12, 2010 | 2010 Articles, Community, Reedley News

by Rocky Rogers,
Reedley City Manager

Rocky RogersIt’s been nearly five years since I came to Reedley. Up until that time, I had never heard of nor knew about a place known as the Fruit Basket of the World. My only question is how did I never hear of a place that produces so much of the world’s stone and citrus fruits? It’s like finding a pearl among the many sands in the sea. The people of Reedley know how great a place it is to work and live. The last thing I want to do is to ruin a good thing.

Agriculture, history and the people are the three things that define Reedley. Agriculture has supplied the jobs, the history has supplied the foundation and the people have supplied the charm that makes Reedley a wonderful world to live in. I wouldn’t want to change the agriculture base, just enhance it. I wouldn’t want to forget the past, just memorialize it, nor would I want to change the people, just enrich them as they have enriched me. Many plans and dreams are being pursued to do just that. The City Council has commissioned a study of the market in Reedley to find the jobs and product gaps and begin the process of filling them. The Council has approved joint efforts and ventures to memorialize the City’s heritage and beginnings. Finally, the City Council recognizes the need to take the city to the people by scheduling special district meetings in areas of the city that will hopefully encourage greater participation by the public and promote engagement into the mission, master planning and goal setting for the future growth and sustainability of Reedley. If those of you who read this see Reedley as I have seen it then most assuredly you will have to agree that Reedley is the Fruit Basket of the World where you’ll find it’s always in season.

Rocky Rogers is a guest columnist for our
Local Leaders section, providing his unique perspective as Reedley‘s City Manager.

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