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City neglected 7th Street

To the editor:

In the Feb. 3 edition of the Marshall Independent, on the front page was the headline “The $2 million question: How to pay for 7th street reconstruction.” Our city government appears to again be hung up on who they can hang the price tag on, rather than actually fixing this sorry stretch of road — incidentally, a road heavily traveled by many, many people every day, not just those who own the property along it.

The condition of this road is not exactly a problem that suddenly and unexpectedly appeared overnight — it has been on a steady decline for a decade or more. The city has neglected it to the point it needs a complete rebuild. Perhaps if our illustrious city council were not so predictably fixated on form over function on everything, projects that actually benefit the public might actually get done when they are needed. I welcome a coherent explanation of the public benefit of a paved rather than gravel driveway serving a lift pump station along Highway 59. The public benefit is what, exactly? Lower car wash expense for Marshall Utilities?

How about the fully-furnished “bridge to nowhere” on Channel Parkway near the airport? Paved street, curb and gutter, storm sewer, utilities and street lighting all installed, ready for a properly-qualified business (note the important, but somehow overlooked distinction here ) to build on. The public benefit here? It serves exactly one lonely picnic table in the center. What property owners were taxed to pay for that ill-conceived and thought-out project?

Then there is the matter of the “upgraded” stone facade to the new Marshall Liquor Store — an optional and additional over-the-top expense that was specifically voted on and approved, justified on the grounds that construction was “under budget.” News flash — with a brand new facility in a city-owned and run monopoly such as this, alcohol sells itself — by default. Fancier stone — for what public benefit, precisely?

Where and when does this stop? How much unnecessary spending or conveniently unplanned expenses took place on other projects around town in recent years — regional sports complex, murals downtown and other locations, see-through garage stall doors on the fire hall, among others. For all the talk of Marshall being “fiscally conservative,” something I have heard said a few times since moving back here — it certainly has the outward appearance of being anything but.

However, one thing is crystal clear — Marshall’s skills at building fancy facades has been refined down to an art — both literally and figuratively. Unfortunately, this comes at a mounting, disturbing and many times unbelievable cost — not only in the present, but decades into the future. It takes an enormous amount of effort on the part of each taxpayer to earn wages needed to survive, in turn paying the tax dollars the city demands of them for the mere privilege of owning property or spending money in Marshall. But by comparison, it takes almost zero effort at all on the part of the city to spend those tax dollars at an alarming pace.

With another huge school referendum vote coming soon along with an additional $20 million for a hotel and convention center, it is time the public stand up, research and ask serious questions about how their hard earned tax money is being spent. It is time to insist on some accountability from our elected officials, insist they perform a minimum level of due diligence and reasoning at every step of their governance, and insist that they execute their fiduciary duties as officials elected by the people for the good of all.

John Barrows

Marshall

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