&8220;Good plans shape good decisions. That&8217;s why good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true.&8221;

&8212; Lester R. Bitte

Milestones come in many shapes. They come as a diploma handed to a graduate, a child&8217;s first day of school, a long-sought victory over an archrival, the celebratory cutting of a wedding cake and too, the cutting of a ribbon signifying the creation of something new.

Such a ribbon cutting occurred earlier this week in the Town of Westover in celebration of the official opening of their new municipal fire department.

Indeed, those milestones significant enough to deserve celebration can take many forms but most certainly they never come without great effort, sacrifice and, more times than not, a little help from others.

The citizens of Westover and the leadership of the town should be congratulated. What they have accomplished together sets the stage for great benefits to countless generations of Westover citizens.

The importance of protecting the lives and property of its citizens is certainly the first order of business for any government entity; after all, without safety, the very foundation of an organization crumbles.

Numerous things can get in the way of progress such as limited resources, conflicting desires, shifting political winds, and the inevitability that sometimes people with the best of intentions can reach diametrically different conclusions on very important subjects.

It is in such times that leadership matters most.

Occasions of conflicting ideas about the future are not new to Shelby County or any other community for that matter; thankfully most of our conundrums relate more to prosperity and how it is to be addressed rather than plight, unemployment and the like. The Town of Westover is no different.

The value of having elected leaders with an unshakable commitment to doing what they believe best, for those that put them in office, cannot be overstated.

The ribbon cutting earlier this week in Westover signified more than the opening of a municipal building.

It should serve as a clear milestone for the people of Westover that their elected officials possess great conviction and a steady eye for the future needs of their community