Monday opportunity

Dear Editor,

On Feb. 20, City Council will make a decision that will either be a step backward or the first step of many that will benefit the region long after Chief Brown and current city employees have retired or moved on.

To make this decision, the council (members) must separate themselves from the "Mutual Admiration Society" that exists at City Hall.

1 would hope before the Monday meeting each councilman realizes they are really the Board of Directors of a corporation with $21 million in revenues.

Their decision as heads of this corporation must look years into the future and make determinations for the benefit of their shareholders (i.e. taxpayers).

If they consider the employees above the shareholders, eventually the company will fail.

Hopefully our board of directors will vote to proceed with the county on a joint jail, fire, police and sheriff facility.

Regional Safety Centers are the future, the handwriting is on the wall. The state already has a bill to consolidate PSAPs (911). Soon Federal mandates will close the jails we currently use ... then what?

The Gazette in its editorial of 2/1 actually took a position on a controversial issues and endorsed a regional facility, welcome back, Harry!

Some try to scare us with half-truths about cost. I think we can have this with no additional taxes. Sales tax revenues are running nearly $300,000 a year higher than original projections, with 50 percent or approximately $650,000 earmarked for capital improvements.

Wouldn't a new police and fire facility be a capital improvement?

With "B" Street, the swimming pool, the ball fields, etc. paid for, it would take little from sales tax to meet the city's obligation.

The "Rent a Jail" plan is folly, sends our tax dollars out of town, and risky to say the least. Let's spend our tax dollars to build a hard asset and create jobs for McCook.

Our board of directors must have the same visions as those pioneers who had the guts to proceed with the first junior college in the state, build the original YMCA, and built the auditorium, etc.

'Nuf said

Bill Frasier

McCook