I don't live in town, so I really don't care what happens about the sidewalk situation. But there are some things I have seen that I think ought to be talked about.

First, The Monroe Times has no credibility whatsoever on street and sidewalk issues. I drive on Fourth Avenue West quite often. Many of the property owners along that street have done their civic duty and installed sidewalks. The Times has chosen not to provide pedestrians with a safe place to cross their property. You have picked your side in this discussion long ago. You have a financial stake in the outcome. Neither your reporting nor your editorials can be considered unbiased or impartial.

Second, the city operates on a "do-as-we-say, not-as-we-do" basis. On Fourth Avenue West it appears the biggest stretch with no sidewalks is the city's Honey Creek Park. And there is no crosswalk for pedestrians to cross the street to get to the park. And that really doesn't matter, either, because even if someone arrived at the park on foot, they would quickly find that there are no sidewalks in the park and they have to walk in the roadway. This is not an isolated instance. If you check around there are other city properties without sidewalks. Wouldn't you think they would want to set a good example?

Third, some of the city's elected officials are certainly two-faced. Back when the school district was trying to get its referendum passed, several city officials publicly lambasted the district for, among other things, busing some city kids. Never mind that the school is forced to do so because the city has failed to provide those kids with sidewalks and safe street crossings. And since then, when I read city meeting minutes I see those same people voting against sidewalks over and over again. If that is the kind of person that Monroe voters want representing them, so be it.