I would like to make some comments and suggestions to our city government about considering new subdivisions. I would suggest that the city finish what is incomplete before trying to add more pieces to the puzzle.

There are numerous streets west of 10th Street (old Highway 30) between Pocahontas Road south of Auburn Avenue and west of the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, south from Auburn Avenue to the end of Elm Street that has yet to be paved. Several of those that have been paved are lacking in maintenance.

As an example of the lack of maintenance, seven or eight years ago, 18th Street was chip-sealed between Baker Street and Broadway Street. I asked why they didn’t chip-seal on between Baker Street and Campbell Street. I was told that would be the next year’s project. Last year, 18th Street was again chip-sealed between Baker Street and Broadway Street, but the section between Baker Street and Campbell Street has yet to be touched.

The economy of the country is not good and people are having a hard time getting by, yet the city has recently claimed a shortfall in funds and is request we vote in more taxpayer money just to maintain our present police force and fire department. New suidivisions of any size might require additions to these departments as well as adding new streets to be maintained.

I would like to suggest that the city come up with a plan to improve the street system they already have before considering additions. I would hope that the plan would be something besides throwing more taxpayers’ money at the problem and hoping it would improve on its own.

Dick Culley

Baker City