Upon Further Review: Why wait for projects we need?
Football in Warren County didn’t exactly start out on the right foot Friday night.
What started as a hot muggy evening for the Pioneers’ first game ended up being a spectacular light show from Mother Nature, which suspended the game until Saturday.
Things may have gotten a little ugly for the Pioneers but as I walked in the stadium Friday night and then again on Saturday, I couldn’t help but marvel at how good the stadium looked.
All the new concrete made the stadium shine, and the removal of the visitor’s concession stand cleans the place up pretty well. With the addition of the new scoreboard one can’t help but imagine what Nunley Stadium will look like when the new aluminum bleachers are installed. Warren County should be proud of the new renovations and be grateful to all those who have worked hard to help make sure this project was funded.
Hopefully the stadium can get a complete face-lift and funding can be provided for several other needed projects within our school system.
I know there are many projects which need to be dealt with, such as the renovation of the Warren County Middle School auditorium, finishing the renovation at Nunley Stadium, multi-purpose field house and lights for the high school’s new softball field.
But these are projects just within the athletic department. Many other projects are needed. I know there is a big debate right now between our county commissioners over funding for these projects, but we have to act now.
Projects like these don’t get any cheaper down the road. If you have ever built a house you know how much the cost of building material goes up each year. There was a similar debate over the new pool, and look at it now — attendance has doubled and the city will benefit from the new pool for years to come.
These projects have to be done, so why not get things started while interest rates are low? There’s never a good time to do major projects, but we can’t keep putting these projects on hold. It’s only going to cost the taxpayers more down the road.
Some say we need to hold off until we have the money, and to that I say we will never have the money in the bank for these projects. People put off buying a new car in hopes of being able to put enough money aside and not have a car payment. You keep driving that same old clunker for years but one day she just doesn’t work anymore and you still don’t have the money to buy one outright. So you go borrow the money and your car payments are $100 more now than if you bought one a year ago, when prices were low.
It just doesn’t make good sense to put off buying something you need that’s going to cost you more in the future.
Some may make you think they’re saving the taxpayers money and just looking out for your best interest.
But if these projects are needed, then shouldn’t we do it now while the taxpayer can get more bang for his buck?