"COLUMN ONE"
By Mary Mayo, Editor

A man who is well known here in Jenks was present at the town board meeting last Tuesday night to ask, specifically, one single, sensible question: "I want to know WHY something can't be done about fixing up the streets in this town?"

His attitude was anything but peevish or nosy; like the rest of us, he is downright concerned about the fast-deteriorating condition of every street inside the city. Probably he's also had occasion to feel a little ashamed and considerably vexed when people from another city or another state come visiting and anything he might want to say to tout the progresssive spirit of his neighbors as recently proved by the water bond election has already been discounted by their rough ride from the edge of town.

Recognizing his genuine interest and the complete fairness of the query evidently caused the board members to feel that a little more than the same old hackneyed reply was called for. There was such a noticable pause following his question, the man finally answered it himself. "I know," he said, "there's just not enough money for this town to take on the job."

If there's one thing that produces a quick and enthusiastic response from the City board, it's UNDERSTANDING. This man not only had obvious understand, there were even overtones of SYMPATHY, an almost extinct characteristic these days.

The discussion picked up stimulus at once and examples and statements and opinions traveled the length of the conference table, along the walls and into the corners. It moved methodically to other problems such as the need for more than one man to police a town that has expanded to take in the area around Karma and Terrace Drives, the Nation Addition, Frailey and McCaskey Additions, as well as the extended and populous south side.

But there was no solution; the answer stood as originally stated: THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH MONEY. PERIOD."

Inevitably, the dilemma brought forth another familiar inquiry: "What do other small towns do about these things?"

The answer to that if familiar, too. All over America, governing boards and civic leaders of small towns sit around conference tables to talk and ponder; they form committees and make surveys and attend conventions to return hom with still another question: "Is there really any future for ANY small town?"

The 1960 census figures showed that of some 8,628 cities and towns in the United States, fully 6,800 are inhabited by less than 10,000 people.

In the big town, middle-sized town or mere village, so long as the fundamental elements of government exist, such services as police, fire, health and sanitation protection, schools, streets and waterworks must be maintained. Basic requirements from these services to clerical demands of the state and federal governments are not scaled to the size of the town; the demands on the governing board and the clerical staff may not be as hectic in a small town as in the big cities, but they are just as imperative and detailed.

In Oklahoma, the financial problems of cities and towns of all sizes have become a matter of concern to the Legislature and to the Oklahoma Municipal League, an organization composed of these Oklahoma communities constantly faced with the necessity of padding the maw of spiraling standards and increasing costs with very little more than thin air.

Proposals designed to increase the revenue of towns from individual levies to municipal sales taxes to a state sales tax are consistenly introduced to the Legislature.

Larger cities, with the voluminous bulk and constant need for revenue present their voters with bond issues regularly. Oklahoma presented for submission to its citizens a bond issue of $25 million, after a group of city leaders pledged their support at a meeting with city officials. There is also talk of an earnings tax to boost income since municipal leaders said some measure is needed to provide the city with $7 million additional revenue each year.

In Jenks, thank goodness, our needs are fewer and less costly. But there ARE needs and sometimes the demands grow clamorous and I fully agree with the man who told the board memers, "You fellows have got one heckuvva mess on your hands!"