To the editor:

Michael Hoeflich’s Feb. 28 column hits a critical issue right on the nose. That is, the city is spending ridiculous amounts of money to have consultants give us bad advice based on failed precedents. Hoeflich’s advice to the city is that we not plan for the city’s growth before there is a public consensus as to how the city should grow.

In the business world, we call this a mission statement. It is a statement of primary objectives for an organization that conceptually guides every decision, every day.

We don’t need overpriced consultants to tell us that we need only ask ourselves, inclusively, what it is as a community we want to be. From the answer to the preceding question, we build road maps. Only then do we start planning $30 million libraries, if we indeed desire them.

Once the marketplace has developed and conceptualized around where the market has told it to go, then perhaps, Lawrencians will feel a stronger sense of community and a desire to spend locally.

The city should not be all about overpriced roundabouts, saving downtown at the cost of all others and spending taxpayers’ money on wealth-producing projects that don’t benefit the majority.

On the other extreme, it is fairly obvious, that an unchecked coalition of builders’ advocates are about to be elected. Whichever candidate can show a desire to build an honest consensus, on the direction of Lawrence, will have my vote.

Michael Levy,

Lawrence