Okay, who's in charge?

A republic where "We the people" elect representatives to do our public business yet "We the people" still retain the final say in how that business is conducted. On the local level "We the people" have in actuality three ways to express our will.

1. We can speak out in a public forum: the press, the World Wide Web, in public business meetings, one on one talking personally to our elected representatives, there are a myriad ways.

2. By our vote. If the elected representative runs off into left field and does things in a manner that the majority of us voters don't agree we can kick him out at the next election. (I speak from experience!!)

3. When our elected representatives decide to borrow money for some essential project (and they are always essential) "We the people" have the opportunity to bind ourselves to the future responsibility of paying that borrowed money back to whatever lending agency has been selected or not.

That prologue brings me to the issue of the "essential" new combined city offices and public safety center being campaigned in McCook.

"We the people" are being informed that the current police station is completely inadequate in a many many ways. Undoubtedly the physical problems with the building are legend as the place grew like Topsy after the police department moved there right after World War II. Before that the police, I think the force numbered three, operated out of the basement of the building on the corner of Norris (Main Street then) and B Street. That building is in the process of being demolished even as I write. Not mentioned is the advantage of dumping the present city jail, (24 hour holding facility) back on the county a long time goal of those in police administration. By the way what is happening with the recent big turnover in police personnel? It seems that a large number of long time good officers are retiring/quitting to be replaced by rookies! Is the unusually large turnover signaling a problem in leadership?

The McCook Fire Department keeps growing and growing and growing. I am sure that they are busting at the seams in their present location. Again they are in a building that has grown like Topsy with little planning or vision for future needs. They joined the police in their "new" building way back when. At that time the Volunteer Department brought their one fire truck that had been stationed in the basement of the Sliger Building on the corner of East 1st and C Street. Ambulance service at that time was provided by the local funeral directors. "Okay sick fellow what is your choice the hospital or my place?" pretty good incentive to cling to life that!

The City Offices, too, seem to keep growing and growing and growing. Their present make-do office space in the auditorium has little room to expand, but also has the huge disadvantage of being inaccessible to the handicapped. The city staff bends over backward to be accommodating to those in need and the council even has been known to move into the auditorium proper to accommodate larger crowds or citizens who can't do the stairs. Lowering the ground level outside the present council chambers and the city offices and cutting a new ground level door into each space was never accepted when I suggested such things in the past.

I find that it is interesting that when the police, fire and city offices made their moves to their present locations some 60 years ago the sign on the highway coming into McCook read "Population 8300." Today the population of McCook is almost exactly the same.

So it is that City government needs new modern buildings to meet valid current and future needs. And so "We the People" will get the chance to say YES we are happy to borrow the money to pay for your vision of the future or maybe NOT. The problem is that there are other public entities with their hands out for tax money and the schools got there first. Not long ago McCook voters committed the taxpayers to paying for a major restructuring of the Elementary Schools.

At one of several "informational" meetings conducted by the city staff to sell their new construction plan, this pundit suggested that possibly the taxpayers might look more favorably on the project if we waited until the large school construction bond issue was paid off. Our school principal/mayor's response was instructive, "No by the time that bond issue is paid off it will be time to replace the High School building." Me thinks that not only has the camel gotten his nose under the tent he has already moved his whole body inside and our elected representatives assume that "We the people" will just have to get used to it.

Our Republic is working as it is designed. Our elected representatives have demonstrated a refusal to share available tax receipts. They each want to ever cry for "more. We need the money, it is essential that we build!" Maybe it is time for "We the people" to say, "Enough is enough. Make do with what you have." Maybe in the future our elected representatives can learn to cooperate and better share. "We the people" must vote wisely on the next bond issue.