Traffic Light on the Blink

by Rich Briere

"So, big deal," you may ask? "What's the big deal---who cares about a broken traffic light?"
Well, it's a big enough deal here in Tioga County that it made the front page of the local newspaper, the Community Press. We're not talking about a small, insignificant item tucked in where the ad for Drucker's Hardware Store ad was supposed to be; no sir. Sam actually got his ad in on time this week but the defunct stoplight was BIG NEWS!
This type of thing still demands and receives our attention here in Owego. As you read this article "The Light" is, quite probably, a popular topic of conversation at the Owego Dunkin' Doughnuts, the Parkview Diner, Agway, and other area business establishments where friends often gather to spend quality time together, share thoughts, and offer ideas as to the current state of the world.

The news flash went on to mention that the ailing downtown fixture, originally installed at the corners of Church and Main in the sixties, is the ONLY traffic light owned by the Village of Owego and that a replacement would cost us $20,000. A repair, on the other hand, would come in at a comparatively affordable $4,750.

Now, how many of you have ever stopped to think about how much a traffic light costs? I know that I've never given it a single thought, not one. If I'd been asked I would have guessed that they probably went for $500--$750 dollars. $20,000???? Are you kidding me or what? In most metropolitan areas this issue would probably never receive more than a passing nod from the city's purchasing agent; "the light's broken, OK, get a new one." Bang, another $20,000 of our tax dollars gets spent in a heartbeat. Here in Owego, however, the officials in charge of our dough dedicate a bit more time and thought as to how our hard-earned money gets spent. I, for one, appreciate that common-sense approach and concern. I find it rather refreshing in a world that operates on a spend-until-it-hurts philosophy. I'd also like to recommend that our state and federal purchasing agencies come here to Owego periodically and get a few pointers on how to go about spending our tax dollars in a more sensible fashion.

Now I know that some of you are waiting for my usual punch line. "OK, here it comes," you're asking yourselves. "Rich is going to goof on someone here."
Well-----I'm sorry to break tradition but you're not going to get it this time. I'm happy to say that I'm proud to have officials like ours working for my best interests.

I'm also proud to see an item like the Troubled Traffic Light running on the front page of the Community Press. It made me stop and think because I can actually relate to what I read there. I can understand what spending $4,750 is about; in my book that's a heavy chunk of change. Reading about BILLIONS of dollars being spent on some project that offers me absolutely nothing tends to get passed over in my head immediately.

I enjoy living in a small town. After eleven years here I'm beginning to understand what living in a small town is all about and I'm addicted to it. As a matter of fact, as soon as I'm done here, Michelle and I are gonna bundle up and head down to the village. Once there we'll join a large group of our neighbors who are presently gathered at the corner of Church and Main and we'll all take a good long look at that lonely, malfunctioning traffic light before the crew comes out to fix it. We'll chat about the forty years that have passed since that light was installed, about the weather, new babies, a bit of gossip thrown in for good measure and anything else that comes to mind. Perhaps we'll see you there?