Lafayette County’s leaders are working on a roadmap for the future, and they are not doing it without asking for help.

It’s important that residents get involved  in the upcoming comprehensive plan process, and now is the time to weigh in since leaders are entering a new phase.

Since March two committees have met with a planning team and gathered information about the county and its residents. Information on economic development, growth expectations in the city, county and University of Mississippi has been studied. Affordable housing, transportation infrastructure and more have been compiled into usable data.

The data and area officials will be accessible in public meetings starting this week. The first is Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Yocona Community Center. On June 6, residents can weigh in at the Philadelphia Community Center. The June 9 meeting will be at the Oxford Conference Center. Taylor will have a chance July 7, and another meeting will be planned for the College Hill community.

We are thankful the meetings are accessible for people to get involved, and we urge residents to take part. There is too much on the line to not get involved and protect the future of the county.