Dear Editor:
I was happy to see the letter from Mr. Beal and his opinions regarding Adrian's Island, or as he calls it the "mud pit."
I'm beginning to think that Jefferson City is "trying" to be another Columbia. They too spent money foolishly simply because they could get a grant. Years ago Columbia put their big concrete flower pots up and down Broadway for everybody to do the loop-d-loop to go around instead of using Broadway. The next year they ended up spending more money to take it down, because there were so many complaints.
Just because it hasn't flooded as it used to almost every year when I was growing up and the prisoners would sandbag along U.S. 63, doesn't mean it won't ever again. Jefferson City purchased land in Cedar City to make ball fields after the great flood of '93. These will require a great deal of expense to repair when the next flood occurs. Jefferson City doesn't need another empty bucket to fill by making a park from Adrian's Island that will also need repairs when the next flood happens. And it will!
If the flood is comparable to that of '93 you'll have enough trouble getting people to go back to the ball fields even after they're cleaned up, when everyone with children finds out that Jefferson City's sewer goes into the river without being treated. After all, how could it be treated, when the treatment plant is also under water.
Stop pursing Adrian's Island while your ahead. Spend it on things that are actually needed, i.e. fire department, infrastructure, etc.
MoDOT has much better things to do with their money also, even if it comes from a federal pot, after all, why should the U.S. "borrow" from China to pay for such frivolous nonsense. If it comes from a state pot, MoDOT definitely needs to stop wasting money on this nonsense and think about all the bridges in disrepair.