To the editor:

To the city administration at large, we have been told in the last few days there are shortfalls in the budget, fees will be added to our utility bill and the school administration is going to attend to several projects in the near future. All most certainly are essential issues, and this is why we have “qualified” people seeing to the daily business of the city.

I, however, have some trepidation on a few “little” things that I can’t seem to get answers to. Around the corner from me is a city-owned pickup truck (parks and recreation, I’m told) that has sat on the curb for months and has not moved (corner of Bishop and Thomas). Is our maintenance scheduling failing for lack of regular checks, were told we need more trucks when they sit idle for months?

A huge effort and cost was expended to build a soccer complex, but I’ve seen no plan to improve the C.B. Hess facilities. And for some reason purple blinds were added to the new field’s fence that blocks the view of the field, for whatever reason.

The Von Fange Ditch is now an issue (in the past also) and headed to a multimillion dollar fix. Could it be that the environmental impact study prior to the new turf covered soccer and football fields being installed did not consider the runoff that seems to contribute to the ditch issue from storm water?

The plan for a $3 million plus “park” between the railroad tracks on Tipton Street/U.S. 50 will only have one entry/exit between the tracks on Tipton Street, may have issues with traffic in the future. Other options for that idea should be explored (again). Why couldn’t we put that level of effort into, say, repurposing the old Shields High School property with a YMCA and indoor pool for instance?

Just some observations, not finger-pointing, just some honest questions.

Chuck Thomes

Seymour