There is a lot of hand wringing going on about the economic costs of the pandemic, especially as it is now rapidly raging all across the country to a level not seen before. As Covid-19 caseloads soar, more and more communities are trying to curtail the virus's spread by shutting down businesses and services again. Since experts predict the situation will likely get much worse before it gets better, in addition to trying to help business stay afloat, it’s also time to start thinking about ways to reduce governmental costs without sacrificing services we rely upon.

Water is one of the things we depend on. We simply expect it to be there. We rarely think about what it takes to deliver safe and abundant quantities of that precious liquid to our taps, not even when paying our water bill, until it’s not safe to use.

People have a lot of power to improve the economy where they live. Most don’t realize how much power. They also don’t know how easy it is to make a big difference.

A lot has changed in 2020. COVID-19 has caused modifications to the way we live. The impact is not only being felt in Chautauqua County. Life has changed all around the world. Schools have closed. Businesses have closed. People have lost their jobs or have been furloughed. Some places we love to visit, like gyms, museums, and amusement parks, are shuttered indefinitely. Many of the events we enjoy have been postponed, some for a full year. Others, like ball games, are starting to be played, but in empty stadiums.

How often do you hear people grumble that their community isn’t moving in the right direction? Claiming that things were so much better in the past? How often do any of them do something about it, other than to whine in letters to the editor or to gripe about it on social media?