New administrator better have a rabbit

Our beloved city of McMinnville is once again under the guidance of a city administrator after David Rutherford assumed his job duties Monday.

Chances are, it didn?t take long for Rutherford to start looking for a hat and magic wand. He better find an ample supply of rabbits because he?s going to have to find something to pull from a hat.

I say that after reading a list of preliminary goals some of our city officials have established for Rutherford. It?s a list that has me thankful the title of city administrator isn?t in front of my name.

For anyone who may have missed the story, here?s a recap of just a few of the goals Rutherford will be asked to achieve.

? Find a way of funding phase II of the downtown renovation project without a tax increase.

? Restore city employee cost-of-living pay raises without a tax increase.

? Prepare the 2007-08 budget without a tax increase.

? Update city employee step pay raise without a tax increase.

? Obtain a grant to fund phase II of the greenway project.

? Study the cost and determine ways to fund the widening N. Chancery Street.

Based on this list of demands, it is my professional belief city officials have hired the wrong man. They needed to hire magician David Copperfield if they expect such a wish list of ideas to be accomplished ? without a tax increase.

A quick glance at this list provides a glimpse at what city officials are looking to accomplish in the near future. And I would like to take this time to applaud the list.

Overall, I think it?s a solid plan for making McMinnville a better place to live and a better community. Now that we have a talented city administrator in the fold, hopefully he can help the city board accomplish that goal.

It?s also an opportune time to reiterate my thoughts on phase II of the downtown renovation project, which is a project I firmly believe should be put on hold. It seems a poor use of resources to pour so much money (estimated at over $4 million) into an area with so few businesses.

Looking at it from a business standpoint, I don?t see how the city would gain appropriate returns from such an enormous investment. A top-of-the-line traffic light on Morford Street would be nothing more than a nice traffic light on Morford Street. It looks better, but so what.

What the city should focus on are two items on that list ? extending the greenway and widening N. Chancery Street ? and two items I didn?t notice on the list ? an indoor pool and a skateboard park.

The need to widen N. Chancery is a no-brainer. One of the first impressions I get when I enter a city comes from its traffic situation. If I experience a traffic headache, I tend to think the city is lousy. If I?m able to zip around town, it?s a great place.

This is precisely the reason I would seriously hesitate to live in Murfreesboro now. The traffic is awful. Ten years ago, I would have told you Murfreesboro is a great place to live.

My other wish list projects come largely due to my belief we need to give our children something positive to do ? both to keep them out of trouble and to keep them active. Children who are out riding skateboards, or who are swimming in pools, are more likely to be fit, trim and happy.

Of course I want all this accomplished without a tax increase. If Mr. Rutherford can do that, he really is a magician.

James Clark is editor of the Standard. He can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at editor@southern standard.com.