Speakout

Monday, January 25, 2016

Sign language

Here's a question for you and our illustrious town council. Why would we spend $25,000 to get a Kansas City firm to erect visitors' signs in Sikeston? All of Sikeston's visitors or from local towns and a few local counties. Who are these visitor signs aimed at? Everyone who visits Sikeston knows where everything is, so in my mind, that's a waste of $25,000. Just another classic example of our town council spending unnecessary money. In my experience, it seems that for years the town council has been trying to keep up with Cape Girardeau, to be like Cape Girardeau. In my opinion, that's never, ever gonna happen. Why spend $25,000 on visitor signs when everyone already know where everything is?

Though it may go unnoticed by some residents, Sikeston actually enjoys visits from quite a few out of town guests. As evidence, see the success of the new Holiday Inn Express and the proposal to build an even larger Hampton Inn on the south side of town. In fact, since the opening of the Holiday Inn, the city's tourism tax revenue has almost tripled, which means that we are filling up quite a few hotel rooms. The proposed wayfinding and welcome signage will be paid out of the tourism tax, which is a tax paid by visitors to Sikeston rather than Sikeston residents, and which is restricted by law to tourism-related uses.h

It's no good

There is an ad in the paper for firewood. It is just all pieces from a sawmill. Be aware. It sure isn't cheap and it's no good.