Here ismy review of this week’s City Council workbook

Regardingthe sale of the lot at 810 South Main Street: This is a full size building lot, not a part-lot, as are many sold bythe city for such a price.  It is in whatthe residents claim is one of the most desirable neighborhoods in ourcity.  Seems strange that it hasn’t beenadvertised for sale.  It probably shouldbring more than $1,200.  Of course, thisis just beyond the part of S. Main where the new old fake lampposts and lightswill be installed.  Could thathave something to do with it???

LegislativeItem 5 appears (at least to me) to be Kohler’s beloved “gateway enhancements”.  In my view, it is unnecessary fluff added toan Interstate interchange.  My goodness,people, how many hundreds of thousands of dollars of our children’s andgrandchildren’s money must we mortgage to “enhance” a highway interchange???  After all is said and done, it will still bea highwayinterchange.  Most motorists willgo zipping by at 70 to 75 mph (or faster).  The usual commuters will be gettingon or off while on their cell phones, barely paying attention to traffic, letalone the “enhancements”.  And any strangers or visitors to our area will bestraining their eyes while exiting, looking for any hint of a gas station, orscanning the horizons for a sign advertising a restaurant, motel, or whateverother goods or services they need.  (Theywon’t be able to find a sign, of course, thanks to Mr. Kohler’s outlawing ofany indicators of business, so they will likely spend a few minutes drivingaimlessly, get frustrated, and re-enter I-75 to take the next exit to the northor south where they can actually SEE what they want before/as/rightafter they exit the interstate.)  Besides,they will be well PAST the exit ramps before they ever actually get to see the “enhancements”.  This money will doNOTHING to draw even ONE extra car off at our exit!!!  (Do YOU choose the exitsthat YOUtake when you travel based on the number of flowers or decorative trees???)

And the “enhancements”will include at least FOUR huge landscaping beds, which will require continuousmaintenance by OUR city.  Please recallthat we couldn’t even afford to tend a few square feet of flower beds at thecity-owned Pioneer Cemetery, according to Ms. Gilleland. She had to mow ‘em right down. How will we ever maintain these FOUR lush “hanging gardens of Kohler-lon”???  (Q: What looksworse than NO landscaped area???  A:  A landscaped area that is not maintained!!!).   Ialso have suspicions that his coveted “Water Feature” is hidden in heresomewhere.  Folks, weMUST stop spending money that our children just will NOT have!!!