We’re glad to see Neosho Mayor Jeff Werneke considering the formation of a temporary citizen’s committee to look at the financial issues of our city. It’s a step in the right direction, the direction of solving Neosho’s financial woes.
That said, there are a few things we’d like to see in the committee.
First, while accountants and attorneys should be represented, so should small business owners, ordinary average Joes and Janes, and retirees. The committee should be a good cross section of our community. It shouldn’t be overly large, nor should it be too small. And each member should have the opportunity to play a part, and should voice his or her opinion without reservation.
Secondly, we’d like to see the committee not only mark our past financial problems, but also to take some lessons from them and apply these to the future.
We want to see committee members roll up their sleeves and get down to the task at hand, which is fixing Neosho’s economic situation. This isn’t a time or place for idlers.
We want all options to be explored, with no idea being dismissed out of hand.
We want to see openness in committee meetings and activities. We want to be kept abreast of progress. We want to know what this committee is doing.
We want committee members to be accessible. Townsfolk should be able to contact any committee member and give them their input.
We want the occasional progress report, to be updated on what is happening.
And when the task is done, when the city’s financial footing is firm and steady once more, we want to see the committee dissolved. After all, that’s what “ad hoc” means: temporary.
Perhaps an ad hoc committee isn’t the only step we should take at this time.
But it is a step in the right direction.
DAILY NEWS
