City gets tough on Spending for Library, Pool, Public Safety---then plans big expansion: Tales From Normal, Mn.: FICTION

Just got the text today from Normal, Mn.---the normal Sunday morning coffee clotch with all the fishermen in attendance...went into a political roundtable mode this morn as then discussed the problem of frozen city budgets---yup...it has affected even the smallest of fishing towns like Normal, Mn. where city employees have had their wages frozen for five years, and where even childrens book purchases are scrutinized by the the local Common Council...and where even it is decided in the highest circles whether an oil change is really needed for the local ambulance.... but...it turns out in all the fiscal discipline...that plans are underway to build a large library addition, add a pool, and even add a $600,000 fire truck...The guys were just bewildered on how governmental entities can make the public be frugal and not repair a public pool, and then decide to have another pool built, another library addition built etc. One guy speculated that the $600,000 fire truck might be needed to reach a cat or two that had climbed up trees or something...in general...the guys are just bewildered.