[Margaret Pilkington]

Eric, things were screwed up by some municipal politicians a long time ago.....that might not have been their aim, but it is what happened.
Talking up a town which is dying on its legs does nothing constructive.
Going out to towns that are succeeding in difficult economic times might be a start.....asking them what the secret is to their business model......and yes you are right about accentuating the positives.....eliminating the negatives. Those things that make the town a poor shopping experience.
But firstly and most importantly you have to accept that there is a problem....not talk about the town as if it is well on the road to Utopia.......and certainly you need to listen to those who live, work,and shop(by necessity) in this town.
There are some municipal politicians that do not want to hear our views because they are perceived as negative....perceived as talking the town down.
This is unhelpful because it means that there cannot be a meaningful dialogue about what is wrong, and no opportunities for sharing ideas as to how to make it better.