Council comment II

Dear Editor,

Last night I attended the City Council meeting in order to support and observe Missy Nelson as she asked the council to allocate $15,000 in support of the Share a Seat Campaign for the city auditorium. The proposed chairs cost $85 a piece and we will need a little over 500 of them in order to replace the bleacher-type seating we have in the balcony now.

Earlier this spring, Missy represented a committee interested in this project and asked the City Council's approval. They agreed to the proposal with the understanding that there would be no expense to the city other than maintenance once the seats were installed.

Once all of the specifications were met and approved, Missy began approaching many of McCook's service groups as well as businesses, banks and various charitable or interested foundations.

In a little over a month, the fund has grown to right at $13,000 and several sizable donations are still under consideration.

But some of our citizenry has withheld their donations because they felt they wanted to see the council take action to support this effort financially. And so, Missy went to the council to request a $15,000 financial commitment.

Her request was turned down, chiefly because funding had not been asked for in the initial proposal, and no money had been earmarked for a project like this in this year's budget plans.

Council members encouraged Missy to come back when they would be working on the budget proposal for next year, and maybe then some money could be allocated.

I understand their ruling and their dilemma. There are lots of needs and fund raising campaigns going on currently in McCook.

Our own business is approached several times a week with one cause or another.

Believe me, I understand that these are uncertain times and there is concern for our economic welfare. I share the concern. But I also have a great faith in McCook and its people. One by one our problems will all be ironed out and we will emerge stronger with a stronger resolve to plan strategically for our future.

The point I want to make is that it all cannot rest on the shoulders of our city government. As citizens, we need to rise up when we see a need and try to do something about it. I believe that we need to take ownership and responsibility for the things we see that our city needs.

It may take a lot of hard work and sacrifice, but in the end we will have the pride in the fact that we did it.

It's going to take people like Missy Nelson who are willing to go the extra mile in order to improve our quality of life and who see the glass as half full instead of half empty, people who believe nothing is too difficult when we put our backs to the plow and start thinking, "We can and together we will." I believe that kind of spirit exists in McCook. I've heard it expressed and seen it in action. We just need to help the spark build a fire. Some will say, "I never thought it could be done," but others will say, "I knew it all the time."

Thank you, Missy, for being one of those people.

Barb Wiemers

McCook