Today is the last day of 2007. The popular thing to do is to make New Year's resolutions. Here are some resolutions we'd like to see the three local governments we cover most - Green County, the City of Monroe and the Monroe school district - make for 2008.
• • •
Green County should try to lose weight. Specifically, the Green County Board should seriously study and consider contracting.
The board has 31 supervisory spots, which are two-year terms. All 31 spots are up for election on April 1. We have editorialized before that the board should be made up of fewer supervisors. How many? That's what a study would figure out.
Historically, a majority of the 31 seats have been uncontested. There even have been instances where no one has run for a board seat.
An opposing argument is that shrinking the board would create more of a time commitment for members and give them more power, probably for more pay. Perhaps, but it also would create more interest in the seats being contested and force elected officials to be more accountable to voters.
An honest and involved public debate on the issue should occur in 2008. If the board won't start that debate, the public should, ahem, weigh in.
• • •
The City of Monroe should continue smoking. We're not encouraging the city to allow smoking in government buildings. Rather, the Monroe City Council should continue its push to bring businesses to Monroe.
This year, the council approved a Wal-Mart Supercenter to be built on the city's developing north side. The council is a couple steps away from approving its second big box store, Menards, to be located east of the new Wal-Mart.
Walgreens is coming to town, north of Brennan's, and Sloan Implement Co. is expanding its residence north of Wisconsin 11 in what is becoming a corridor of activity. Cousins Subs also is locating there.
The council should continue to develop this area, especially when proposals for Wal-Mart's and Menards' outlots come to the city.
We can't see any negative effects of bringing more businesses in town, whether it's a restaurant chain or a family-owned clothing store.
Keep up the pace.
• • •
The Monroe school district should continue to manage its money wisely. The district has the advantage of a successful referendum passed in 2007, but should not rest on its laurels.
The district still has to prove to its residents that it can effectively use the money received from the April referendum, and that will play out over the next few years.
In the meantime, the district needs to continue to make decisions not based solely on fiscal responsibility, but also on what's best for its students. After all, the district's job is to educate the next generation. Fiscal awareness is important, but so is the education of our future.
• • •
Green County should try to lose weight. Specifically, the Green County Board should seriously study and consider contracting.
The board has 31 supervisory spots, which are two-year terms. All 31 spots are up for election on April 1. We have editorialized before that the board should be made up of fewer supervisors. How many? That's what a study would figure out.
Historically, a majority of the 31 seats have been uncontested. There even have been instances where no one has run for a board seat.
An opposing argument is that shrinking the board would create more of a time commitment for members and give them more power, probably for more pay. Perhaps, but it also would create more interest in the seats being contested and force elected officials to be more accountable to voters.
An honest and involved public debate on the issue should occur in 2008. If the board won't start that debate, the public should, ahem, weigh in.
• • •
The City of Monroe should continue smoking. We're not encouraging the city to allow smoking in government buildings. Rather, the Monroe City Council should continue its push to bring businesses to Monroe.
This year, the council approved a Wal-Mart Supercenter to be built on the city's developing north side. The council is a couple steps away from approving its second big box store, Menards, to be located east of the new Wal-Mart.
Walgreens is coming to town, north of Brennan's, and Sloan Implement Co. is expanding its residence north of Wisconsin 11 in what is becoming a corridor of activity. Cousins Subs also is locating there.
The council should continue to develop this area, especially when proposals for Wal-Mart's and Menards' outlots come to the city.
We can't see any negative effects of bringing more businesses in town, whether it's a restaurant chain or a family-owned clothing store.
Keep up the pace.
• • •
The Monroe school district should continue to manage its money wisely. The district has the advantage of a successful referendum passed in 2007, but should not rest on its laurels.
The district still has to prove to its residents that it can effectively use the money received from the April referendum, and that will play out over the next few years.
In the meantime, the district needs to continue to make decisions not based solely on fiscal responsibility, but also on what's best for its students. After all, the district's job is to educate the next generation. Fiscal awareness is important, but so is the education of our future.
