So we all know money is tight. Everyone is affected by today's economic maelstrom. Pinching pennies is the "new" watchword.
All that stuff that Gramma used to do while telling cautionary tales about rationing during the war suddenly makes sense. Money saving tips we laughed at are now being pulled out of the memory vaults and dusted off.
We may not be darning socks, but we are getting reacquainted with stretching our dollars as far as we can.
We're shopping resale, buying hamburger instead of steak and using off-brand shampoo. Teenagers who want expensive designer clothes are encouraged to find a job of their own to support their fashion tastes.
We're still reeling over skyrocketing fuel prices and plummeting real estate values.
Welcome to the new era.
Municipalities are affected as well. Stockbridge is no exception. Trying to put together a budget with less revenue and higher operating costs is going to be quite a balancing act. Some services will suffer. Some may have to be eliminated altogether.
Some tough decisions will have to be made about what Stockbridge NEEDS as opposed to what Stockbridge WANTS.
But what if the residents could be part of the solution?
I know, I can hear the collective groan already, but seriously, what if it were possible for the residents of this Village to help?
Let's use the Cemetery as an example.
What if we formed a citizens group of volunteers to help with the mowing in the summer, leaves in the fall, and general clean up throughout the year? What if we used people who had been court ordered to do community service work? (They need the hours and we need the help.)
We could take the money budgeted for the cemetery and fold some (if not all) of it back into the general fund, creating a little more wiggle room for the Village.
It's not a bad idea.
But it requires people to make a commitment with no reward except knowing they helped, in their own way, to make things just a little easier for all of us.
So, maybe today, one day into the Spring of 2011, you should consider .....
What if ......
got my rake, got my shovel, when do you want me?
ReplyDeleteGreat post, I can imagine a community where people become part of the solution instead of spewing poison and making ridiculous generalizations with the sole purpose of hurting another individual. I my self will be at any of those outings to donate my time to help get us through our times of need. We all can make a difference here as we move forward. Thank you for the post.
ReplyDelete