Last month, East Bend Mayor Stewart Maples appeared before the Yadkin Commissioners to ask for $25,000 to help pay for the extension of a sewer line in the town — something that Maples said would help the prospective new owners of a downtown commercial building move forward with plans to transform the former furniture and appliance business into a new retail complex.

Maples, who has been a strong supporter of the town's downtown revitalization efforts, was optimistic that the project would move ahead with the adequate infrastructure.

"There's a party interested in the Pickett & Huff store," Maples told commissioners. "This party is interested in providing three shops on the bottom and three shops at the top. There are also several other businesses that would benefit from this line."

Commissioners, noting that the town didn't have a written commitment from the developers, deferred action until East Bend officials had something more definitive. The board also wanted guarantees that the new utility line would not affect sewer capacity at the East Bend Industrial Park.

Although a fairly routine request by the town for county dollars, this is part of a much larger debate that is taking place in the small town of about 700 residents in northeastern Yadkin. It's a debate over how to properly manage growth, preserve valuable historic structures and adequately plan for the future. At the present time, we regret to say, the town doesn't appear to have a master or comprehensive plan in place about what they want East Bend to look like 5, 10 or even 20 years into the future.

Yes, there is certainly a need for more public utilities in the town to replace failing septic tanks and community wells that have excessive levels of radium. At some point, the town will have to make a substantial investment in capital projects. Looking at the most recent U.S. Census estimates, East Bend continues to be a popular destination for newcomers who are fleeing higher property taxes and escalating property values in nearby Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.

This would be an excellent time for East Bend officials to refrain from making incremental day-to-day decisions and instead contact state planning experts with the N.C Department of Commerce who could facilitate a series of long-term planning sessions. The public would be an integral part to this process with several "town hall" meetings on a variety of subjects ranging from economic development to historic preservation. It also wouldn't be a bad idea to have some local historians give current commissioners a perspective of what a booming little town East Bend used to be around the turn of the 20th century, and why it's essential that the town retain what's left of its charm and unique character to maintain its individuality.

We're glad to see East Bend growing with the addition of new restaurants, a Dollar General store and even a laundry mat. Certainly every little bit of development brings welcome revenue to the area. But we would hate to sacrifice anymore historical structures, understanding that once these buildings are gone, there is no way to replace that lost heritage. We believe that growth in East Bend, just a 15 to 20-minute commute to Winston-Salem, is inevitable. The question is what kind of growth and, more importantly, what kind of legacy we leave behind for our children and future generations.