My golf buddies are starting to sound more and more like the old farts who sit at McDonalds and complain about Granite. In our golf circle there are only three of us left who still live here. The others have moved up the hill.
The come in and continually point out all of the faults and wonder why the three of us stick it out now that our families are grown and on their own.
They point out decreasing property values, the rental housing stock that continues to crumble, the drugs, the influx of "others", the failing schools and on and on.
I continue to fight and argue that there's still life in this old berg and they are the ones who bailed and created this mess we now have here. Today I was told that there's a home in Glen Carbon that I might be interested in and my friend begged me to come look at it as it is near his home. I declined immediately pointing out I'd die here.
So, am I nuts? Am I fighting a losing battle? Am I the only one left who believes we can still save our hometown? I think guys like Ed Hagnauer still believe. I think guys like those who serve on our park and school board still believe. However it's clear now that more people continue to leave our fair city. I heard over the weekend that there aren't as many kids in schools this year as there were last year.
How do we fix it or do we? Do you still believe? If so, share some ideas on how to stop the bleeding.
Excuse my ramblings folks. Several beers on the golf course and a couple of glasses of wine with Mrs. O. tonight have me babbling.
on August 27, 2014, 8:26 pm