This Just In ...

Some are mighty confused in Franklin

Posted by Kevin Fischer on July 6, 2011

Here in Franklin, there are some (I would say not most) who have a very difficult time differentiating between needs and wants. It shouldn’t be that complex, but for some, it’s quite perplexing.


Need
–noun
a requirement, necessary duty, or obligation


Want
–noun 
something wanted, something desired, demanded


A community organization in Franklin is hoping to work with the city to pursue, as FranklinNOW reporter Rick Romano refers to it, “a multipurpose sports and recreation facility…The planned facility is an ambitious mix of a multipurpose stadium for various sports, including baseball, football, soccer, lacrosse, rugby and hockey; a field house for basketball, volleyball, badminton and more; locker rooms; an aquatic center; a restaurant; and retail shops."

The group cleverly calls itself, “Citizens for Community Development.” Why be so modest. Why stop there. Why not just tag yourself, “Franklin Citizens Doing the Work of the Lord.”

So hell-bent on working with the city is this group that one of its henchmen, a young naïve blogger has fallen into the trap of agreeing to relinquish his expression of free speech as suggested by censor, Alderman Steve Taylor, just to win the city’s favor.

Again, this group wants a facility that will bring us greater opportunities for:


Lacrosse

Rugby

Hockey

Badminton


Well hush my mouth and call me stupid. I had absolutely no idea that Franklin residents were thirsting, crying out, clamoring for a place to partake in:


Lacrosse

Rugby

Hockey

Badminton


Now wouldn’t that be cool if all over Franklin little boys and girls could beg their parents to take them out to play badminton and rugby and they’d actually have a place to go play?

That would be the bomb!

Truly, I would love such a facility.

I’d also love (want) another Ka Martini Bar, a Bartolotta’s restaurant near my house, a laundromat/sushi/ taco bar, an indoor skating rink, a property tax cut, more conservatives in local office, and a new car. But I’m old enough to recall a great philosopher who sang, “You can’t always get what you want!”

To repeat, the “I want” group wants “a multipurpose sports and recreation facility…The planned facility is an ambitious mix of a multipurpose stadium for various sports, including baseball, football, soccer, lacrosse, rugby and hockey; a field house for basketball, volleyball, badminton and more; locker rooms; an aquatic center; a restaurant; and retail shops.”

Like most groups of this kind that have all kinds of good intentions but zero answers on details, they refuse to acknowledge where the money will come from to pay for their badminton extravaganza or even where it would be built. But we all know who would pay for it if they had their way, correct?  Bingo, Joe Taxpayer.

Rick Romano also reports “the Franklin Public School Districtis moving forward with the first steps in mapping out a possible facilities upgrade.” That according to Romano is “despite a fuzzy state funding landscape in the wake of the budget crunch.”

The Franklin school intelligentsia has something in common with the angelic-sounding “Citizens for Community Development.” They operate under the assumption that because Franklin doesn’t have what they consider Taj Mahal, state-of-the-art facilities, we must do something about it.

How? How much?

Please. Don’t bother them with minor details.

Their assumption is absurd.

Many stories break over a holiday period that go unnoticed. Even though according to some Franklin should upgrade its athletic facilities, Franklin does very well, thank you very much, with what is already has when it comes to athletic excellence. 

Needs vs. wants.

It’s a very simple concept. Unless, of course, you’re after somebody else’s money.