A guy has an infected finger and goes to the doctor for a diagnosis. The doctor recommends surgery to remove the infected digit. The guy goes to two more doctors for a second and third opinion; both make the same prognosis. Finally, while on safari, the guy decides to visit a local witch doctor for his recommendation to see if there is any other option besides surgery. The witch doctor says, “Surgery not necessary. No need to do anything. In short time, finger will fall off all by itself”.
That’s the situation the Naperville city council finds itself with the deteriorating Moser Tower which houses the 72-bell Millennium Carillon. Naperville is in the third round of testing to determine if they want to 1) make major repairs for a big-time expense of about $3.8 million, 2) make repairs on-the-cheap to keep it standing for a few more years, or 3) demolish the 160-foot structure for about $600,000.
It seems as though the Naperville city council is suffering from paralysis through analysis, unable to make a decision thereby kicking the can down the road. It’s cost Naperville taxpayers over $200,000 and still no decision from Naperville city officials. Maybe they should tell the testing company what conclusion they want in the report, so the testing company can submit a report that the council likes, and they can vote in favor of that direction.
Better yet, how about a binding referendum allowing voters to choose which of the three options they want. That’s much too simple, much too logical. If voters choose to demolish the money pit, what better time to do it, than the 4th of July as a rousing send off for the last Ribfest in Naperville. Again the Naperville city council missed a golden opportunity to make it a 4th of July celebration to remember. Forget spending $600K for demolition. How much would 40 sticks of dynamite, a long fuse, and a Bic lighter cost. If they want to save the cost of the Bic lighter, they could simply use the last burning charcoal briquette from Ribfest to ignite the momentous event.
The third and final testing and assessment report, prior to the soon-to-be fourth and fifth final testing and assessment reports should be available to the Naperville city council by August. City officials can then make a decision or choose to do nothing and wait for more reports. In time Moser Tower will come down all by itself.
Infected finger barely describes the situation of politicians and effete types in our town who always want to spend our money for their perception and conception of the common good. It’s more like the two arms and one leg.
These cockamamie schemes like the Bell Tower, WIFI park, Driver test range, Recycling site, Grass to oil conversion plant, children’s museum etc. do nothing other then add cost to ongoing operation and are oversold and misrepresented from the start.
Do-gooders always start with seed money knowing ahead of time the projects with require bailout money down range and continuing money pit filling as the years drag on.
Why do these people not fund their own projects and our government mandate they be bonded to complete and maintain them or return the site(s) to nature from whence they came?
We are at the point where all IL governments (State and Local) are driving people out due to onerous and ever increasing taxation, fees, assessments and licenses.
Time to ask why is it necessary for government to do any of the things they have acquired over the many years because of voter apathy? We need to shrink back to what makes sense and is AFFORABLE by the average tax payer!
I can speak to the other project you targeted but I can talk about the WIFI park. This park is not costing the city anything. It is being paid for by donations. This includes funding for annual maintenance of this park.
As to Illinois government driving people out because of increasing taxes, again this is not happening with Naperville. The city has been very frugal (perhaps to frugal) in it budgeting which has prevented “onerous and ever increasing taxation, fees assessments and licenses”.
Ohhhhhh……Jimmy……Jimmy…….get off the JC’s bandwagon!!! You are so funy. Sadly, funny. Nonetheless, funny… Do Your homework—actually admit the facts—-you being a (past) memeber of the Jc’s has skewed your ability to see AND speak the truth!! The JC’s can’t afford to pay for a portapottie let alone a wifi park!!! Review the finances for ” not costing the city anything” park. Didn’t the city front the JC’s the money for this endeavor…….oh, wait, yes they did!! and rhey’ll never pay it back!! 🙂 Dig deep my brother…..dig deep. You, too, WD!!
I enjoy the park……but there’s no reason for it to be wifi we can get it anywhere now…, and there is no way IN GOD’S GREEN EAARTH that the CON is not paying for this on a friggin daily basis!!! Thank you Steve…..wait for it. wait for it…… hello 5thAve.!!!
Life is good……….
The Jaycees have more then enough annual revenue to pay the city for this park. Have you ever read a Jaycee Financial Report? Clearly you haven’t or you would know a how foolish your statement sounds. This is not the first city amenity the Jaycees have paid for (Marina, pavilions, etc.) and I doubt it will be the last, as you seem to imply.