Speakout 11-10

Sunday, November 10, 2002

Would someone please explain in explicit detail, exactly what is Adopt a Farm Family and what do they do. I've see this in the paper several times, without explanation or I've missed it.

We contacted Mary Myers, president and founder of Adopt-A-Farm Family, with your question. Adopt-A-Farm Family is an outreach program for farmers and ranches nationwide. The 15-year-old ministry is non-denominational and non-profit. The program provides spiritual support and encouragement to farmers. "We also network with other entities rather than reinvent the wheel," Mrs. Myers said. "Our purpose is to fight to keep farm and ranch families on the land." Visit www.farmersruralrestoration.com

I read with interest what Presiding Commissioner Martin Priggle said about the cost of the new county jail, something to the effect that the new jail is going to cost more than boarding prisoners at other jails. How interesting. Isn't he part of the three commissioners who shoved the new jail down our throats, telling Scott County residents if the third try at a vote for an increase in sales tax didn't pass, they would raise taxes on property owners and force them to pay for it? Are these the same commissioners who gave themselves an $8,000 a year raise? Now we find out the Missouri Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional. That's more than some people live on. You have never said and the Standard reporter didn't ask on behalf of citizens, "Are you going to decrease your salary by the same amount now?" Then you raised the mileage charge paid by the county. Pretty good for a county that's broke. You guys need get your act together. I don't think you deserved a raise of that magnitude and neither could the county afford it.

First of all, welfare was first instituted to be a temporary assistance program until people could get back on their feet financially. Not so today. Were a study to be made (maybe I can get a $750,000 Grant to study this issue) of all the families or individuals on welfare, it would show that for some, welfare has become a way of life. I know, absolutely and factually, that it is a way of life for a tremendous number of people and we the working middle class are paying for them to live on and on, at our expense. The same way with the disabled. I hired a man to do odd jobs. At the end of his work time he asked to be paid in cash because he wasn't allowed to show any earnings because he was getting disability checks. Wow! Was I ever irritated! Here I was helping pay his disability income and his illegal income! There are many truly disabled and I am all for helping them, but when you see a truly handicapped person going to college and supporting him/herself one has to wonder why perfectly healthy people can't be half as ambitious? Having children is the same way. In this day and age with contraception free there is no reason to have upwards of nine children, many of whom have different makers, not fathers, because the men never stay around to be true fathers. Yes, it hurts to see that families who work for a living and do without have to support deadbeat fathers, husbands and lifelong welfare recipients. Just recently there were actually three births listed in the newspaper. All three listed a married couple as parents, a rare or seldom seen phenomena. And no I am not against single parenthood when the parent is financially independent or a parent of divorce or death is rearing their children. If nothing else, welfare recipients should have to offset their income by working, without pay, in some form of community service, but that would insult their sensibilities. What would happen if we blue collar workers don't go to work? Your checks will stop. What are you going to do then? Maybe we should all quit and go on public assistance. There won't be anyone to come to our aid. Wanna bet? It, meaning welfare, is going to have to have some drastic changes. Right now the state of Missouri, thanks to our governor, is broke. They should have kept our $2 checks and put that money into the Social Security funds. That was a sick joke and an insult to boot. (I'll be very surprised to see this in print, but it sure has helped me and I know lots of others who have the same outlook on these issues.)

As a lifelong resident of Sikeston, I am becoming increasingly concerned at the obsession our City Council has for getting their hands on our Board of Municipal Utilities operating revenue. Sikeston residents have enjoyed some of the lowest utility rates in the nation for many years, plus a very reliable source of electricity and an excellent supply of clean water. If the ordinance the City Council is proposing passes, the first thing that will happen is our electric rates will probably double. This is a scary thought in these times of a struggling economy. Sikeston residents should be proud that we own our own power station. It is virtually unheard of for a city of our size to own its own 235 megawatt generating station. The Board of Municipal Utilities reserve fund is in place in the event of a major equipment breakdown at the power plant. If a breakdown were to occur, and the City Council has drained this reserve to a minimum, where would the money come from for repairs to our power station? That money would be the city's general revenue fund being spent on everything but what it was intended for. The only thing I have seen the extra revenue earmarked for is special interests. We already have an excellent recreation complex, and the city's fire trucks are for the most part late model trucks that are in very good condition. It is unrealistic to compare Sikeston with Springfield. Springfield is the third largest city in the state with a population 10 times greater than Sikeston's. Can't our city manager find another city in Missouri the same size as Sikeston with their own 235 megawatt power station to compare us with? I commend BMU and their employees for a job well done. If the City Council could manage our city as well as BMU manages our utility, they would have a surplus of revenue every year. If the City Council can show me how this "pilot" will benefit every resident of Sikeston, maybe I could form a different opinion towards it. I wouldn't call a utility rate increase a benefit. Would you?

I have been trying to call the gas company in Sikeston but since they changed their name they also changed their phone number. Can you tell me what the new number is please?

The new number is toll-free (888) 824-3434. There is no local Sikeston exchange telephone number.