Slower economic times apparently are not stopping city fathersfrom pursuing questionable projects for which funding has not beenidentified and a need not determined.

The latest project is a new city hall. Aldermen last week gavethe OK for an architect to draw plans for the new building.

It was pointed out that the board was not approving constructionof a new building, but only getting plans made. Perhaps, butaldermen are on a slippery slope that begins with plans drawn andcould quickly result in a construction go-ahead.

We’ve stated before the positive image that is projected andbenefits that residents receive from having city and county officesin the same building. Also, funding sources for a possible new cityhall were not discussed.

Several years ago, city fathers passed a $3.5 million bond issueto build a new city hall on the Whitworth campus. As fate wouldhave it, the state legislature approved the creation of theMississippi School of the Arts and the city funds were given to thestate.

City taxpayers are footing the bill to help fund the school,which should provide an economic boost to the city. The same can’tbe said for a new city hall.

City fathers have also yet to identify where they will get 20percent matching funds for over $4 million in federal money tobuild a multi-modal transportation facility. The city engineer saidland at the proposed site can be used toward the match, but he didnot publicly reveal an appraised value during last week’smeeting.

Also on the radar is a feasibility study on whether to expandthe current airport or build a new one, yet officials are alsopursuing plans to pave the current airport runway. This seems to bequestionable logic at best.

City leaders are pursuing these dubious projects at a time whenbudget overseers are watching every penny due to lower sales taxcollections, which represent a major portion of the city’s revenue.Through March, Brookhaven collections were down almost $32,000 fromthe same point in 2002.

The city’s spending train appears to be picking up speed whilethe economy has run out of steam. With questions about where the”coal” will come from, perhaps it’s time for the city’s engineersto apply the brakes — or at least change tracks toward moreworthwhile projects.