Community accomplishments took center stage last week during theannual chamber of commerce banquet and a quarterly communityelected officials meeting. Truly, Brookhaven and Lincoln County canbe proud of the lengthening list of projects.

One project, the city’s proposed intermodal, or multi-modal,transportation facility got a boost with another $1 million federalappropriation.

The estimated $3-$5 million facility is also getting theattention of some community leaders and businessmen who are raisingshort-term local match cost and long-term operational costquestions. How much in real dollars will Brookhaven citizens haveto contribute to the project? How much will it cost to staff andoperate the facility once it is completed?

Some contractual issues, such as whether private bus service canbe located at the facility, have also been raised. And betterpublic involvement on whether there really is a need for thefacility would also be helpful.

A public meeting with architects, engineers and others in thenear future has been suggested to address those questions andissues.

Proponents, who will be looking to Uncle Sam for furtherfacility funding help, say it will improve blighted areas aroundits proposed North Railroad Avenue location while a possible museumand retail establishments would provide a tourism boost. They alsopoint out the facility will play an important role with the city’sarts school efforts.

Those are all good and worthy goals.

But is a questionable transportation center the best track tofollow when other issues, such as a new industrial park andcompletion of existing projects, are perhaps more pressing? And isit in the best interest of the city for it to get into thecommercial real estate business?

While no one is expressing opposition to the intermodalfacility, questions raised about it so far are justified. Answersto the important questions are needed before the intermodalfacility train leaves the station.