The Gadfly is a series of letters offering commentary on local issues and published in the Warrensburg Gazette.

Dear Editor

Internet Joe was telling me that he'd hacked into Santa's computer and found that local folks had sent Santa their wishes for the Christmas season. He thought some might be of interest.

• Warrensburg firemen asked Santa for a reconsideration on the wage scale adjustments so the firehouses won't be empty when the old hands retire - and so there will be a trained firefighter to rescue someone trapped in a smoke-filled building.

• Local motel owners asked Santa for a solid tourism marketing plan that will create real room- nights to help the motels that are generating the money for the Chamber.

• County Commissioners asked Santa for cooperation rather than competition from the City of Warrensburg on the courts and jail. They see Sedalia doing a city tax for a Pettis County jail, while Warrensburg blackmails Johnson County by threatening to oppose any county tax unless they get a piece of the proceeds.

• Warrensburg downtown merchants asked Santa to remind folks to visit their stores as well as the discount stores and shopping centers.

• The Parks Board asked Santa to send enough people to the Taj Mahal (Community Center) so it would actually become self-supporting.

• Everyone who tries to drive through Warrensburg on Friday afternoon asked Santa to push the Highway Department to get moving on the long-awaited bypass.

• The local press asked Santa for straight and complete answers from local politicians.

• The Warrensburg City Council asked Santa for straight and complete answers from city staff.

• The Survival Adult Abuse Shelter asked Santa for a year without need for their services (but if he can't bring that, enough money to serve those who need it).

• The voters of Johnson County, faced by a year 2000 full of elections, asked Santa for candidates who state their positions on the issues clearly and openly, and for timely and accurate press coverage so voters can make informed decisions based on issues rather than money.