What if the city of Slidell called an important meeting for city planning and nobody showed up?

That’s what happened Monday night for the final public meeting to get residents’ input on the city’s master plan that will be a guide on how the city will develop over the next 20 years.

The mayor, two councilmen, a former planning director and the planning consultants were all there. Only one Slidell resident joined them. That was disappointing for the planners who were ready to hand out a lengthy questionnaire to residents. The questionnaire covered everything from the city’s transportation needs to where to put new green space. The consultants want to use this information in their final draft of the Slidell Tomorrow Master Plan. It is information they need before they present their plan to the city government for approval.

Knowing how important it is to get the residents’ input, Mayor Ben Morris rescheduled the meeting for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 13 at the Slidell Municipal Auditorium.

We urge all Slidell residents who have a stake in the city’s future to show up and be counted. Your opinions are important as to how this city will look in the future. Slidell is changing in big ways. Since Hurricane Katrina, the population has almost doubled. The result has been a big strain on the city’s infrastructure, and how the city builds is in everybody’s interest.

The huge Summit Fremaux development will change the way the city operates. It will mean a change in Slidell’s vaunted “quality of life.” It means big changes for Fremaux Drive and Olde Towne. It means more traffic, more streets, more of everything. It means the residents must tell the city fathers how they want to grow. It’s important.

For those residents who want Slidell to grow in a measured and logical manner, it is of paramount importance their voice be heard. Be there on Aug. 13 and be a part of the future.