" Someone got a pool going, for how much this cost savings eventually costs extra to fix? Amazingly, the city that spent 60k to enclose shooting stations from the elements, can build permanent restrooms out in an open field, for 50k.

Anyone remember the projected price for charleston highschool concession stand and bathrooms?

The city cut leaf collection, partly because the dust was bothering workers. They decided other workers can shoot guns in a metal shed. Baffling...

Who is going to mow and maintain all these new responsibilities? Where is that money, that wasn't there for other existing responsibilities going to suddenly come from? "

" The only thing GOOD about spending this kind of money right now is the fact that it keeps somebody employed. "

" Well have asphalt paths for most of it. But we will have a concrete surface on some of the entrances to the parking areas. About 95 percent of it will be asphalt, said Wortman.

What no boiler slag?

Must be saving that for some future project.... "

" Yeah coonbug,more jobs for out of town scab labor. "

" Thanks to the JG-TC for this article. It addresses some answers to Dave Kersey's letter to the editor.

Good job to Dave Wortman and the City of Mattoon for these projects. It does help create jobs and improve our quality of life.

The positive energy created by doing these good works will over come the negative attitudes of the folks who bad mouth and criticize.

What are you doing today to help your neighbors? Your community? Your country? "

" * obamulism: don't hear the excessive kissing sounds, if you do, you are out of touch * "

" Good job to Dave Wortman and the City of Mattoon for these projects. It does help create jobs and improve our quality of life.

Once again our friend Raptor waves the flag for Mattoon, and as usual singles our Wortman for praise. I have a hunch we know why too. lol! "

" Pointing out perceived lapses in judgement, are not nitpicking or just being pessimists. No one stands to gain much if anything, from pointing out inconcistent and iresponsible behavior. What does continuing to cheerlead and ignore fundamental failures contribute?

Many folks know what a climate of only yes men and women, can do to various situations. When people fail to perform responsibly, they need to be pointed in more fundamentally sound directions, or shown the door. Professionals politics shouldn't be treated like tee ball and other kids sports participants should be.

Taxpayers are ultimately footing the bill, for every dollar, including sallaries and benefits packages of folks who have fumbled badly, costing millions more additional money to fix poor judgement and basic understanding of various situations they are responsible for.

Now all this stuff is shifted to the kicker tax. Not long ago, it was to come from the 6 million on top of the 4 M, that is to prop up the 30 year old underperforming for decades, mall. The one that now has a 1% shopping toll. The one that CVS was approved to jump ship from, to another one, leaving another empty or under utilized commercial structure, in the one district that if it doesn't have 50 million annual sales in just this district, they won't even cover the interest due, on this loan.

Where is the other 6 million, now allocated? Where did nearly 900k short in the general fund materialize from, shortly after local elections were certified. There was no mention of it or its possibility, in outside audits, a few months prior.

Many people feel the mushroom food information, is not in the taxpayers interests. Lies and complete misinformation by omission have negated the just let the professionals handle their jobs, and only at election time, is more relavent. Max levy, year after year, post PTELL, and still having huge funding holes, says that sustainable growth is not the priority that subsidizing, circumventing voters, and sequestering additional money for various pet projects, which increase the very responsibilities and work, that in the same breath they have said they can't afford to keep up with.

Failure has consequences, ignoring it has deeper ones, and facades and a new wing joint, don't lessen or negate eventual consequences for continuing down directions and courses that have led to basic fundamental fiscal failures in the first place.

What is the status of conract extensions for a few hired self imposed multitaskers?

WHat is the situation on commercial property tax assessments, that were legally supposed to be done about 3 years ago. Many TIF's were locked in, under old assessments, which adds to the burdon passed on to taxpayers. Everly likely area of development has been TIF sequestered. How is sustainable growth, supposed to transpire like that? How does this impact schools parks, libraries, and other tax bodies that can't base 1/3 of their budget on sales taxes. Without increasing sales tax collection rates, for each one, like other places have, how are they supposed to see sustainability for their funding sources locally? "