The lone city commissioner who voted against a major package of park improvements in Lawrence was making a point that his fellow commissioners should heed.

In explaining his vote against the parks project, City Commissioner Mike Amyx noted the many other major needs facing the city: street and sewer improvements, North Lawrence storm sewers and a proposed new library.

“We really need to be having some discussion about what our priorities really are going to be,” Amyx said. “Heaven forbid we talk about our sewers. I really want to make sure the things we are looking at are our highest priorities.”

Mayor Boog Highberger is right when he says, “Maintaining a great park system is crucial to maintaining our quality of life,” but so is having adequate streets and sewers. At the same meeting in which commissioners approved $1.94 million for parks, they learned that an expansion project for the Clinton Water Treatment Plant would cost about $5 million more than earlier estimated, an increase of about 50 percent.

To paraphrase the late U.S. Sen. Everett Dirksen, “A million here and a million there, and soon you’re talking about real money.”

Lawrence residents are willing to pay for city needs, but the tax coffers are not bottomless. With the many demands now facing the city, it only makes sense to look at the big picture and set some priorities.

Thank you, Commissioner Amyx, for pointing that out.