LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Baseball team is grateful

The RBI 11U baseball team would like to express our deepest appreciation to the sponsors who made our trip to the USSSA AA World Series in Kansas City possible. The contributions of the sponsors listed below covered all expenses associated with the trip. If you have time, please stop by and thank the following businesses for their overwhelming, selfless support of youth sports: Tim Starner, CPA; TH Rogers, Bella Vista; Fly XNA; First Choice Flooring; Ozarks FC Simmons; Renew Crew; Johnny Brusco New York Style Pizza; Pennington; Legacy Property; Joseph Hayes & Associates; C & C Cabinets; El Farolito Tex-Mex Restaurants; C-Mak Carpentry; S &S Towing; El Pueblito Mexican; People’s Community Bank; Rose Tax Service; Freedom Bank of Southern Missouri; Meeks Building Center; The Dudley Group-Keller Williams Market Pro Realty; Lowe’s; Best Friends Animal Hospital and Pet Hotel; Steve’s Pit Stop and Royal Egg Rolls.

Thank you again for your support,

LINDA V. MORGAN for RBI 11U Baseball

Are taxpayers apathetic?

Last Tuesday night, I attended the City Council meeting and was really perplexed by what was said by our city officials.

Two months ago we were told by the fire chief that the “turnouts” and other individual equipment was becoming outdated to the point of being unsafe for the men to perform their firefighting duties. The conversation was that the city did not have the money to fund them so there was going to be a mad scramble to find out exactly what could be done. In the meetings since, there has been no mention of anything being done.

The next Council meeting, on the agenda was the subject of adding another ward and two councilmen, and the conversation went to the cost of the additional aldermen and whether the citizens really wanted them. Two of the councilmen said nearly everyone they talked to was against it citing too much cost and more government. The mayor stated that if they rezoned there is so much disinterest that nobody would run to be an alderman anyway. Really?

Another subject on the agenda was a new Splash Park being built at the City Park. Since the city will receive a matching grant, it will only cost the city a mere $93,000 for the equipment, and its installation will be done mostly by our Street Department personnel. The ongoing maintenance will be up to them as well.

I stared at the picture of the Splash Park on the TV screens and thought “wow,” that is really cool and the kids will love it during the summer months. But I just couldn’t get past the thought of $93,000 it will cost us all. And from what I’ve heard about vandalism at the park, I wonder how long that beautiful splash park will last.

Now I’m going to say something that will not be “politically correct” and may upset some, but, oh well.

I figured out what it was about that cool looking Splash Park that didn’t make sense to me. Why would several aldermen quibble over the cost of adding two more aldermen at the cost of $6,000 to help represent the entire city more efficiently, yet agree to a $93,000 seasonal splash park? How far towards outfitting our firefighters with safe equipment would that $93,000 go?

Are you citizens the least bit interested in how your tax dollars are being spent?

Is it correct when they say you are so apathetic and too busy to even consider participating in your city government or even attend City Council meetings for the facts versus gossip? If that is true, then you have no right to complain about the way the city is being run. Just duck your heads, keep your mouths shut, and continue handing out the tax dollars. Nothing will change.

SUE COTTINGHAM HOUSEWIFE AND TAXPAYER

Pea Ridge