As the fastest-growing and most-affluent county in the state, Shelby County has the opportunity to foster innovative new ideas.

We hope the county will embrace some of these ideas. Some of these ideas the county should refuse.

Education: Schools are too crowded. The number of students pouring into Shelby County schools is proportionate to the amount of new-home construction occurring in the county. Impact fees on home builders are only fair, to help finance the services they depend upon for new residents.

Roads: The Shelby County Department of Development Services has encouraged new methods of growth that could improve transportation. Clustered building preserves open space and decreases travel time. It just makes sense.

The paper: Here at the Reporter, staff members have embraced trends that will either hamper or foster our growth, depending on the approach we take. Rather than fighting a losing battle, the paper has embraced these trends. We have changed the look of the paper for our readers, and our Web site is easier to navigate and includes all of the same features found in the regular paper.

Medicine: The hospital is finally able to perform open-heart surgeries and drug addicts are getting methadone to combat addiction at the county&8217;s first methadone clinic. Both could serve the medical needs of the county. Why should county residents travel elsewhere for these services?

Now we&8217;ve got them right here