EDITORIAL: For the greater good

The decision process made by government officials certainly can’t be easy. And we are all for taking adequate time and doing thorough research to make the “right” decision on an issue. However, lately we’ve seen not only the Antrim Township Supervisors and the Greencastle Borough Council take peculiar routes to a couple of determinations (or non-determinations), but now officials working to reach an agreement for the sale of the Antrim Township water system to Greencastle are at an impasse.

The Council’s efforts to come up with a sidewalk policy have turned into a fiasco. And the fiasco has gone on for years. The Supervisors have as well drawn out the issue of the Atapco development company‘s contribution to signal lights. They have flipped so many times it’s turned into a circus.

Now the Greencastle Water Authority and the Antrim Township Municipal Authority appear to be stuck on the merger of the water systems. The negotiations have gotten lengthy to say the least. The concept to merge came in April 2008. Offers and counteroffers were finally made this summer, but apparently to no avail. The sides have now called for mediation. It appears this deal is still on shaky ground.

It’s obvious that few decisions are simple for governmental officials and public service is often a thankless job. Let’s hope the route to these decisions (or non-decisions) will ultimately be for the greater good of our Greencastle-Antrim community.