What were they thinking?
Shirley Hodges, Emporia
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Since I don’t tweet, twitter, “google,” e-mail, text or go online, I write to add my two cents worth regarding the stone monuments.
Our city commissioners must have been brain dead (oops, can’t say that anymore); please allow me to rephrase. Our city commissioner’s brains must have passed on when they approved spending $100,000 to erect four monuments at the edge of town. Maybe I am the one who is brain dead (there I go again), but I fail to see how spending that kind of money is going to enhance the quality of our lives, as stated in Monday’s Gazette, except maybe the people involved in the project, as their lives will be greatly enhanced by $100K of our tax dollars going into their pockets.
Whatever happened to the old-fashioned way of doing things? First, go find a big rock – preferably one large enough for our commissioners to crawl under – sand the rock, paint a message on it. Dig a hole, pour concrete in said hole, add painted rock to hole, replace dirt around rock, plant grass or maybe some of our lovely Kansas sunflowers at the base, and presto: a monument, costing a whole lot less.
I also have a suggestion for the use of the Lowther North and South school buildings. Maybe they could be turned into bed and breakfast units to house all those tourists that will be flocking to our fair city. There’s a possibility of job creation.
Oh well, go ahead and keep on spending our hard earned tax dollars. We started with nothing and we still have most of it left. Life is good. We can always go buy a $3 gallon of gas, drive to the end of town, park and wave to all those tourists who will soon be visiting Emporia.
Shirley Hodges
Emporia
mslater (Matt Slater) says...
Whatever. You're just an anonymous blogger who lives in Timbuktu... If you live in Emporia, you HAVE to think the rocks AHEM monuments AHEM are the greatest thing since...
What's that? You've never been online? What? You put your name at the bottom, you live in Emporia, AND you think the people who thought of this are brain dead?
Preposterous!
Matt
January 27, 2011 at 10:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
I think it is the duty of my fellow Emporians to support our City Commission, but perhaps not exactly in the style that they have been use to. Thomas Clifford
January 27, 2011 at 11:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Observer (anonymous) says...
The country club set will not lower themselves to walk amongst the working class south of the tracks. Their arrogant "head-in-the-clouds" perspective certainly drives the City Commission as they bow to the powers that be.
This is the way it was in the last century and this is the way it is today. The rocks will eventually be placed as soon as they gather enough wool to pull over the collective eyes, AND come up with a "Charitable Donation" from some unnamed source.
Tis a rocky road indeed to paddle upstream against the over-whelming power and clout of Emporia's movers and shakers on the north-northwest end of town.
January 27, 2011 at 11:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
spectator (anonymous) says...
I have to say I like the comment about the power & clout of certain people *not* on the commission. On another posting tonight, I noted that a comment indicated the north-northwest end of town folks don't rub elbows with us southerners. True. And you can be darn certain they have no idea that the holes in the underpasses (assuming they even know we have underpasses) need to be repaired yet again. And before someone gets his panties in a knot, yes this post is anonymous. I am very aware that this is a small town and repercussions DO exist right here in river city. Especially since I'm a southerner and don't rub elbows with the Privileged.
January 27, 2011 at 7:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
spectator (anonymous) says...
Sorry, I better clarify - I meant potholes in the streets beneath the underpasses.
BTW, Observer, cool name.
January 27, 2011 at 7:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
LandoftheFree (anonymous) says...
I agree, maybe they need to put a few items out for bid instead of just taking friends of the commission bids! Maybe it should be a fair process! Really $41,000 to landscape, are you kidding me! That is crazy, did I not see a lot of organized crime went down, it is still happening in New York and it is happening here! You people need to made accountable for your actions! Just not push something through for you and your friends! There are plenty of companies trying to make it! But don't have a chance because you pick you good ole boys!
January 27, 2011 at 10:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )