We live in tough times today. There is no good way to sugarcoat how bad things are.

The job of the government today seems to be to create the illusion that things are fine, when things couldn’t be farther from the truth. I see this in my local communities as well.

I have watched with interest as the city of Waterville has proposed a new police station. It has needed one for many years but to propose a new one with six bathrooms is a bit silly. If I were a resident of Waterville, I might ask to see the amount of money spent and allocated to date without one brick being laid yet.

In the fair city of Waterville, however, money does not seem to be a concern. I see new traffic lights installed throughout the city and wonder why some are placed where they are. On the corner of Hazelwood and College Avenue, two traffic lights face across College Avenue where there is no street.

Waterville now has laws to make sure landowners take care of property they own or face fines. As I look around the city, however, I notice grass and weeds growing from city-owned property, such as sidewalks and islands, that are much higher than a landowners permitted growth.

I watch police officers chalk tires on Main Street and wonder why. Years ago, there was a need to do such things as space was at a premium, but watching an officer do that today makes me believe the city may have too many police officers. If a complaint arose, perhaps a warning would be sufficient.

To serve and protect? I wonder.

Mark J Pantermoller

Fairfield