" Thanks for the great pro-business article.

Creating and operating businesses is the life blood of a community. As we move in this direction I would like to encourage involvement in the local Junior Achievement programs.

Our children are the entrepreneurs who will own or operate these businesses. Let's continue to foster positive experiences to fulfill this vision. "

" Junior achievement is a great effort.

These deals, are a disservice to a struggling community. It will be this towns demise. Greed and ignorance, are at the core of putting this town this much in hawk, for minimum wage jobs. It is disproportionate, expansion of only the bottom wage areas, and it will lead to ultimate ruine.

Proximity to one interstate, is not the same as two. Every just over 30 miles, or less, having a niche, is more detrimental. Convention center complexes don't inspire growth. Growth drives them.

We could put up a truck stop, or seven. But unless there is a destination, that coincides with the available smorgasboard of hotels and food places. Its just not good business to flood a dead market with stuff, just to do it. Get real numbers from the hotels and steak and shake, cracker barrel. Places that have been established a few years and have chains on either end of us. Compare them to stats from champaign and effingham. It just doesn't jive, and the city, county, and paper just done care to bother to get it. A market will not grow like this. This will just be an open one, close two deal, until walmart and the us grant are all that can stay in business.

All told they are in the neighborhood of 1000 acres taken out of production, if all the curently alotted and already done deals meet fruition. Thats an average family farm they took or are taking, out of this counties income. Grain prices are not likely to be back as low as they were, so on an average year, thats at least 500k gross profit. Most farm expenses are local. Most of the money grown in the fields around us stays right here. Farm land can't be created. "

" Wow, that must be why the population of Mattoon is growing by leaps and bounds.

With all of this prosperity, perhaps Mattoon will be able to afford to mow their property around Paradise lake.

I think the dirty little secret is that Wortman is hoping the good folks out there will get fed up and do his job for him by mowing it themselves. "

" Contrary to your belief Harry there is a group of dedicated entrepreneurs and philanthropist trying to make a difference in Mattoon. It is the negative attitude like yours which has accelerated the loss of business in Mattoon. This may not be the bridge across the water but at least its a stone to step on.
Also, This article has nothing to do Mr. Wortman. I am tired of people whining about the grass at the lake. The grass that creates no jobs and generates no income to the city or tax payers. I think David has done a great service to our city and I commend him on the effort. "

" Some say dedicated entrepreneurs and philanthropists, others might say misguided meddling greedy fools.

Some say a stone to step on, others might say a millstone around the neck.

Lets erect a monument to these self imposed pillars of the foundations of business fundamentals.

Since reality is responsible for the demise of local business, lets banish it completely. Ignoring it by some, simply wasn't enough.

Everyone, completely ignore reality so business gan grow, just like our hallowed benefactors intended for it to.

Et to Spartacus.
Me thinks thou dust protest too much.

I hate to burst your little thought bubble, but thanks for backing the benevolent benefactors, that everyone denies pulls the strings on these puppets pretending to decide a meeting full of items in a matter of minutes.

Are they charging a water holding fee for that pond they want to dig and spent a million dollars for a corn field on? What is the money comming in from that? Whats the scam now?

If the lake ponds, grass, and yanked out playgrounds were in your neighborhood, its not likely it would be so easily dismissed. If we paid city workers minimum wage like most the jobs the clan wants to fund into town, would that get the grass cut?

One thing is for sure, next chance to get reevaluated if people don't get a reduction on their property taxes, somethings wrong. Folks can send pictures of thier crumbling city infrastructures, and That sweet mans boiler slag on their streets, or that pip of a fellows rock and chip, or any of the other not doing his job effectively, if at all things. Make sure the folks who do the multiplier evaluation, get a copy too. I doubt they get an accurate account from their contacts here, that dried up pond of fish seems to be a bit tainted. "

" It is the negative attitude like yours which has accelerated the loss of business in Mattoon. Huh?

I suppose it's negative attitudes and not poor leadership, cronyism, malfeasance and incompetent employees like Wortman that have caused the demise of Mattoon, huh? LOL!

I wonder if the good folks who live at the lake are tired of the whining about the lack of mowing of city property too?

Perhaps the local newspaper should do a poll to see if the bulk of Mattoon folks agree with your assessment of Wortman's work. I don't think you would be happy with the results. Just how much money has this man cost the city, with his poor decisions? "

" Sorry, factories are the lifeblood of a community, those people spend money at the stores. Money, that the people who work at those stores don't have. "

" Good morning friends. I must say that I am with Spartacus on this one. I have met many of the dedicated entrepreneurs and philanthropists. They are the leaders who take the risks, receive the rewards and get the criticism.

Fortunately, Mike and Harry have identified problems and are working to solve them. Thanks for speaking up and correcting the problems. You too are community leaders when you do that. I hope these are not hollow words you post. "

" I've got two words that sum up Mattoon city governance: Boiler slag. "

" Harry I think if you want to talk about poor leadership and incompetency you need to look back at Wanda Ferguson's time in office. Oh wait there is one better, what about the appliance repair man we had driving around flipping the bird to our local law enforcement. I am sure he took care of your problems and brought business to town.

The same problem exists in Mattoon as in the rest of the United States. People would rather get on the local newspaper's website and post negative comments about what is going on then get off their behind and do something about it. Each one of you could run for city council. What is stopping you?

Sure there is problems in Mattoon that need fixed and there is a group of people trying to fix those problems. One of these people is Mr. Wortman. For the last 20+ years the people living on Bell, Annis, and Stinson have faced flooding issues. Well now, with the help of Mr. Wortman and many other local people, the people who live on these streets will no longer have to worry about their houses flooding every spring. "

" Ignorance is bliss for some. A pond and a ditch, is not going to remove flooding risks. This year it likely would have compounded the problems. Folks who solve problems, only looking at portions of a picture at a time, are on a fools errand, not gifted leaders.

We are not just citicizing these folks. We would rather they did what was right, like they were supposed to when they accepted a public service office. Commonsense seems to be completely lacking in their actions. If they reevaluate, and make appropriate changes there is still time to save the town from their misguided attempts to build it to suit themselves.

Basements all over town, now flood from sewers backing up, because of poorly designed and overextended infrastuctures.

Flood insurance alone doesn't cover sewers backing up, and the city isn't responsible for the mess they make by half *&#@ attempts in problems they were in charge of creating. The city is a continuous entity, they inherit the good and the bad from past administrations.

There is never a clean slate starting point, once government begins. Good and bad things will carry over, in any changing of the guard, it is up the the folks currently in office to properly prioritize, and maintain the city they are supposed to be running.

Why is raising issues, such a thorn in the side of some? Issues being ignored, and people being ignored, is why the issues have become the definition of this group.

These folks can begin to represent people, or they can continue to be beholding to thier philandering benefactors. The choice has always been theirs to make. It still is. Soon it will be placed back in the hands of the people to decide the direction the city will go in.

The farther down the imaginative wrong road this bunch goes, the longer and bumpier the trip back to doing things based on reality will be. "

" Oh really? I don't seem to remember the situation that Mattoon is currently seeing being nearly as bad under the two people you mentioned. I think you're just upset about people pointing to the biggest problem in Mattoon, Wortman. How much has this man's incompetence cost the tax payers? Can you answer that? "

" One wisp of a person that would be knocked about by a slight breeze, is not the whole of the problem. One person, couldn't fix this, one person didn't cause it. Most things have to be approved and checked and balance by the group.

Combined or added posts, and impressionable brain stems, have formed the perfect storm for devastation that this group imposes, under the guise of woking to a better future. Looking at the future, while ignoring most of the present, and selective recollections of the past, is the problem. They have severe tunnel vision.

While scape goats are easy targets, and deserve to be taken to task. If the pool was filtered properly to keep the thoughts clear of benefactor guidance being the sole focus of this lot, it could be one point of view they considered, not a scripted plan for their jobs focus.

If the city acted on behalf of its people, instead of being just under the thumb of a few local leaders, mutual trust, support, and civic involvement might come of it.

The proposed meat packing plant is a big issue. If it is rushed through, and handled like most of the local issues have been, longterm problems will be hard to overcome from it.

So far the east of 57 issues are just pipe dreams. Even under the guise of a business district, it is likely most business will see reality clearer than these folks seem to. Markets drive business, not the converse. If the city limited its involvement in risky business ventures to running the connections for them to hook up to, like they would for a residence, or any other building, I would say no problem.

Convention centers in big cities have constant issues staying afloat.

Eagle creek, is a prime example of a great place built in a market void. It is a nice place, but can't be made self sustaining. Build it and they will come, only works in the movies.

If a developer chooses to ignore examples, and local reality, let them do it solely at their own peril. Any benefits will still be reaped. Not increasing the taxes, will increase the benefits for both. Not funding fanciful developments, with future tax dollars, will have any growth readily trickling into the coffers. Overtaxed, and deferred taxes, is a compound that limits benefits.

Leave public funding out of private investments, is all we ask. Especially when putting assets in hawk, or neglecting duties is an issue also tied to money the city doesn't have to begin with, let alone to be specuating in development with. "

" You make some excellent points, Mike, and you only have to look at the fiasco up in Wasilla Alaska, where the ex mayor pushed thought a big sports complex that has become a economic nightmare for that little burg. The mayor got what she wanted, at the expense of the tax payers, who got stuck with that white elephant, and moved on to catch bigger fish, this time tapping the federal government (pork) for her pet projects.

You all know, Sara the reformer, who is going to eliminate federal pork, which seems kind of ironic when you consider her whole career has been based of getting tax dollars for her political agenda. Oh yeah, gringa, she's going to change once she gets to Washington. LOL!

When politicians get involved in economic development, things like the Wasilla debacle are usually the result.

The proposed convention center for Mattoon will no doubt become another Eagle Creek, and the tax payers will wind up picking up the the tab, while some, and we all know who they are, will make a tidy bundle off of it.

Another example of Mattoon moving ahead, huh? "

" Mike I agree with most of your thoughts presented here. It is just ridiculous for people like Harry to call Mr. Wortman's name out every time an article is posted about the city of Mattoon.
Also, I would ask if you have seen data on the proposed flood relief pond? If you have seen the data, are you a qualified engineer that can determine whether or not the pond will be adequate for the needs of the neighborhood? In my experience talking with people working closely on the project and some experienced people not directly tied with the project the pond will hold the required amount of water necessary.
As far as the convention center I would venture to say that the people developing the center have done enough market analysis to determine there is a need for such a center. Sure there may be a few tax dollars involved but this is minimal compared to the amount of money the developer is going to have to shell out of his/her own pocket. This is a different situation than a sports complex in Wasilla Alaska. "

" The Factories is what this town needs to grow in size. The only way to attract new or keep exsisting jobs in Mattoon is to improve the city and its quality of life. If the TIF districts can do this and bring in more sales tax revenues, then great. If not then, the tax payer will be left holding the bag. Only time will tell if the choices made today will pay off tomorrow.
The city needs to improve the quality of life in Mattoon. One way is by bring in new stores & restraunts. It also includes fixing up eyesores. Fix the infrasture in this town. Fix the Sidewalks. Do not pass stupid ordinances that ban parking trailers campers and boats on city right of ways and then do nothing about it. The ordinance was passed to help clean up the city. "They use the Streets as Storage" I believe the headline read on the front page of JG. No action has been taken to enforce the new ordinance. The Eyesores still remain on city right of ways. A storm just passed throw town and all the limbs that fell from the City's trees are still laying around. More Eyesores. I guess they will pick the branches up when they pick up the leaves.

Harry P - The land north of Marshall Ave. where the old railroad used to run needs mowed as well. It is not only the Lake residence that have to look at tall weeds. "

" maybe mattoon should worry about its inside territory before "industrializing" its outter territory, it is ridiculous how these cities think, Charleston keeps pushing and pushing one direction or another yet streets like 18th are still dead zones and northern parts of town are crumbling "

" Qualified engineers design and over see any commercial and city development.

If you and your group, want to guarantee flooding will be eliminated with the plan, I am sure the folks on the south east corner of town would be tickled pink to hear it.

Even multiple ponds overflowing into one after the other, would have been strained this spring. Short of regrading the entire area of town, to properly distribute water, it is not going to fix it, especially in a record wet year like this year has been.

I am for attemps at resolving the problem, it should have been looked at years ago. Qualified engineers, designed all the structures, drainage, and grade levels in that area of town.

Pine acres was trucked in clay, to raise the grade. East Rudy, is substancially lower grade. Its going to pool there. Clay saturates, and doesn't dissipate water well.

Determining the flow of water, would be the first step to fixing it. Where does the water collecting come from, and take steps to reduce the amounts, without moving the problems to a different neighborhood. Unless the drainage is completely concreted, and constantly maintained. If water flows north, in that area, it is eventually going to return to its normal flow, even with the ditch graded to direct it. Any pavement, parking lot, or structure, adds to the problems, if not properly done to not increase the water flow in direction and rate.

Its pretty complicated, I am not sure how much you know, but if common sense plays any roll and basic knowledge of simple physics is used, steps can be taken to correct the issues. Beyond the norm of head scratching nothing for decades, and suddenly digging a pond and ditch on a million dollar piece of land, and hoping its in the right place, and it only rains a little at a time from now on.

In my experience some folks with a degree, aren't as smart as a piece of paper they once got, and people who simply trust a piece of paper, to think for them, are even bigger fools.

George W Bush, has a masters in Business from Harvard. One might think the economy or financing something could have been a place for those credentials to shine.

I hope a pond fixes the problem. I don't think that hope, holds as much water as a pond will, and know water tends to have a mind of its own, and follows the paths of least resistence in responding to gravity.

Perhaps it could be a U of I engineering project, or at least get a group of hydrologist qualified folks to give the plan, a look, and all the tables, grade elevations, and soil compositions, to see if it is really the best for the money, to have the biggest impact on directing the flow of water, from the problem areas, and not making new problems as a result.

I always thought, East Rudy flooded housing, should have been removed and some drainage structures placed in that area. It being public housing impropely placed, makes it an insensative notion, but it will take more than one solution, to get the majority of the water out as quick as it needs to be. "

" If great care isn't put into any development east of 57, repeats of the mall, and the southeast corner of town, will be easily duplicated. Water is complicated to deal with. Its easier to do ahead of time, than try to resolve, when it is built.

There are laws, against diverting water to other properties. So if you take all your gutters, and divert them across the yard at the neighbors or off your property at all, it is a legal issue. Keep that in mind. "

" Experts on anything, can limit their actual knowledge of real beneficial facts, if they focus on sides or facets of problems while ignoring portions of it in the process. If the whole problem is not looked at, attemps to fix some of it could actually compound ignored portions or simply shift parts of the proplem to somewhere else. Analizing a problem, and understanding it fully, should be underaken before jumping into the solution phase, whenever possible. Grade school math problem solving taught that, a few decades ago. I've expanded some knowledge here and there since then. I am an expert of nothing, but a lifelong student of many things. Understanding and knowledge is a constant process. Anyone who thinks they have all the answers, limits the processes they have impacts on. No one ever will, no one person does.

That is some of the mentality that is bringing government to a halt. All levels are to represent people, but really don't listen, or care, what more than a couple folks if any really think. Businesses get ran on the same my way or the highway, single focused directions. If knowledge is power to some, why is it so feared by others? If they were doing it right, their open accounting of facts would only back that up. Wouldn't it?

This paper might just be beginning to try to stand on its own. It won't be easily done. Rewards for it happening will take time. Eventually some have to just start doing the right thing, simply because its the right thing to do. Its not a lucrative business initially, but its not as confining of opportunity, as ignoring the right thing because its expected, required, or real hard work, usually is. The road less traveled, always has potential to create growth. It might be a longer commute, but you are less likely to be held up in creeping traffic, and might actually get to where you want to go faster than following the bumper in front of you, on the good ole boy toll way.

Room for more, can be a definition of potential. This paper has long had potential, beyond its crampt office confines. It has to evaluate its niche, and make the most of any aspect it can. Just like any one in any business has to do. The ball has always been theirs to pick up and run with, calling their own plays and choosing to hail mary or bunt, when they think it fits.

Information is gold, and a newspaper can be a mine full of it, or of a full of it mind, and pass off the plated 10k stuff instead. Every story won't be a relevation of the likes of watergate. But changing how any news is processed, and passed on will have them at the ready, to realize and inform, when any relevations do break.

Get that caucus shut down, hold the perpetrators accountable, and make government work for the people again. Pointing out, anywhere it isn't or might not be, is a great service to the community. "

" Here's a thought...instead of people complaining that there are not enough factory jobs, or that the retail jobs don't pay enough, how about these people go out and get a college education where they have more opportunties and they don't have to settle for the bottom-of-the-barrel jobs? And don't try to give lack of funding as an excuse...I know first hand that there are plenty of scholarship, grant and loan programs available. Almost (I did say almost) anyone can get a degree and better themselves. If they choose not to, then it's their own problem and they are going to have to live with what they can get. "