Letter to the Editor

No visionaries

Thursday, January 20, 2005

Dear Editor,

When I first came to McCook in 1979, Candy and I were glad to be back home. I had spent a long time studying and it was nice now that my emphasis was changing.

I was here to start a practice, grow a family, and I hoped that I could contribute to the area in some way, large or small, so other people could enjoy "The Good Life."

Quite frankly, I was amazed that a small community like McCook could boast a "Y," beautiful library, wonderful schools and teachers, and of course, a community college.

What ran through my mind was that a lot of these accomplishments were undertaken and realized in troubling times. I thought, "These leaders were obviously profound and accomplished thinkers."

They made decisions for the good of the whole. It was no less daunting back then to accomplish progress than it is today.

Sadly, today we have no visionaries for McCook. It is much easier to be irascible and condescending than to ask for facts and make decisions that will have a positive impact to the majority of the community and the college.

Since I have been involved with the college, I realize how important it is to grow the campus. It is one small way to try to positively impact the negative out-migration of people from our community.

I also know how hard it is to overcome negativity. You would think that, after all the problems the McCook Council has had in the past, it would be fun to agree on something positive like expanding Nebraska's oldest two-year college. We can't flush a toilet in McCook without notifying the federal government. Is this our legacy? A no-flushing policy of bickering and indecision?

I have one last thing to address, and that is property evaluations. This monster lurked in everyone's mind when I had to audacity to sell our lot on the north side of town. If SWATS moved to the reservation, it was thought, "My property will be worthless." How many have paid less taxes because the SWAT kids live next to them? The same will be true of the proposed parking lot. If anything, the clean, tastefully lighted and landscaped lot will increase your valuation. Maybe that's not such a good thing?

In summary, decisions that are a positive impact to the college and community should not be hard ones to make. Recommendations from the planning commission to the council members to proceed with improving the quality of the college and our community should not be hard to act upon.

Think! Do your homework, make informed decisions and follow your planning commission's advice -- allow the parking lot.

Thank you,

Michael E. Owens, DDS

McCook

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