Plainfield Township Senior Wing a Waste

Plainfield Township wants to build a senior wing on the township building.

This has to be the single most ridiculous expenditure of tax dollars I have ever seen in this area, and that is saying a lot.

The idea is to build a senior wing, at a price tag of $500,000, with $150,000 from the Park District, $100,000 from state funds and $250,000 from the township. But, according to township Supervisor John Argoudelis, the state contribution isn't even really needed.

In other words, the township has $350,000 it is looking to spend.

In theory, that is great news. Townships, municipalities, states, and every other type of tax payer-funded entity out there is not only broke, but cutting services. Congrats to our township for coming up with a surplus.

Since reading about this, I have been trying to find a more ridiculous way to spend this money. So I guess congrats are in order on that score, too. I'm so proud when my elected officials can out-dumb even my best efforts.

Are there roving gangs of grampas yelling at kids to pull up their pants? Are there grannies in wheelchairs on street corners doing wheelies for passing motorists for tips, to support their Ben-gay habit? Do we have blue-hairs ambling down the streets, looking for their next prune fix?

There must be something, some dire need that this demographically unjustifiable expenditure answers.

The median age in Plainfield, as was reported in Patch on May 30, 2011, is 33.8 years, up from 33.2 years in 2000. According to Plainfield-IL.org, the percentage of the population over 55 years of age is 11.2.  At 11.2 percent of 39,851 people, we are talking about spending over $14,000 per person.

What in these numbers would make one think that Plainfield needs a senior wing?

Is someone expecting a sudden and huge influx of senior citizens moving into Plainfield? Is someone aware of a special time-space continuum flux that will suddenly age the general population of Plainfield?

The only bit of good news I can offer in all of this is that plans are not yet even approved. In fact, requests for plans are still in the initial stages, with three  architectural firms, the identities of which have yet to be released. Which raises the question of why they are not identified, but we'll leave that for another time.

In other words, it is not too late to stop this lunacy in its tracks.

To contact the township supervisor's office to voice your concern over this inappropriate expenditure of tax payer funds, call 815-436-8308. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the township board is Aug. 10, though there is no online agenda listing at this time.