Departments: Necessary v. Unnecessary

We commented yesterday that no Muscle Shoals department lost money at the same record pace as the recreation department (think specifically golf course). A reader quickly commented that these other departments are essential, the recreation/golf course isn't. 

This is an astute observation. Police services are essential. Fire services are essential. Utility services are essential. Recreation services? No, they're not anywhere close to essential. 

We're not marketing experts, but the golf course as it's structured today with club house and tennis courts may never be profitable. No, no one wants to buy it either. Perhaps the city should admit defeat before it loses any more of the taxpayers' money?

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A second look at the Florence tennis courts? Originally they were supposed to be indoor. What happened to that idea?  

There's nothing wrong with new ideas, but there is something wrong with spending money on these ideas before they're approved. It's rather like a woman purchasing a wedding dress before she's engaged or a man buying a ring before his girlfriend says yes. 

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Nigel Knorr has promised us some interesting information on the Spirit of Freedom celebration. It should be extremely revealing.