To the editor:

After reading two more stories in the Journal-World on May 16, I am compelled to write about over- and erratic spending by the city.

The city has continued to move forward on spending over $100 million to build a field operations campus that was originally approved in 2017 at half of recent estimates. Now on the same day, the city presents the idea that it needs to build two new fire stations at over $50 million. This figure doesn’t include staffing for fire and medical.

My first question is: How much is a new facility for housing several departments really needed? $140 million seems too expensive just to possibly become a little more efficient.

Then I hear fire and medical wants to build two more stations. It’s disrespectful! I have been acting vice president of the North Lawrence Improvement Association for over 15 years and have requested several times that a fire station be built in North Lawrence, only to hear it would be too expensive to build and staff. It seems odd that for years the city has said this but now they want to build two new stations in other parts of town. Please understand that all people within the city will have to pay for these new facilities. Between tax dollars and utility costs, all of you will be paying more!

I now question what other projects will be ignored to pay for these facilities. One final thought: Just wait until the school district wants money to build two new schools.

Jeff Joseph,

Lawrence