Congratulations to the Town of Berlin, again, for continuing to go after opportunities that should bear fruit over the next few years, rather than focusing exclusively on projects and needs that deliver an immediate return.
While there’s no such thing as a risk-free deal, the town’s pending purchase of the former Tyson chicken processing plant sets the stage for improvement no matter how the project turns out a decade from now.
As Mayor Gee Williams observed this week, the plant has been sitting vacant and more or less unattended for years, offering nothing to the town except a spoiled view.
At least under town ownership, the property can be made to look better now and possibly overwhelmingly good at some point down the road.
Time, patience and a willingness to invest in a vision has become something of a tradition in Berlin, going back to the day when local investors resurrected the Atlantic Hotel.
Although local government has followed that path for years, most notably transforming the downtown into a postcard-quality entity with a solid commercial foundation, this latest act promises to be the town’s next big thing.
So many small towns have been their own worst enemies, as they pursue no greater goal than fiscal stability in the face of declining commerce, dwindling populations, the loss of opportunity and identity. That, of course, just makes their problems worse.
Berlin, however, has been aggressive in its pursuit of a future that builds on its current success. That’s not only rare, it’s truly impressive.